Possible B12 deficiency symptoms

[Farrugia]

Hello - I have recently had thyroid, vitamins and cortisol tests done by Medichecks which show I probably have Hashimoto's. Someone on the ThyroidUK site advised me to check for B12 deficiency symptoms on this site and I seem to have a few. My B12 result is in range but on the low side.

Symptoms are: tinnitus (non stop since 2001), fatigue (I sleep badly at night and have to sleep in the day), joint and muscles pain (been told is neuropathic pain and I also have tennis elbow and scoliosis), leg cramps, pins and needles, sighing (diagnosed as over breathing a few years ago), low mood. Also my balance and my memory are not as good as they we're but I've been putting this down to ageing - I'm 59.

HAEMATOLOGY Vitamins:

ACTIVE B12 47.9 pmol/L (25.10 -165.00)

FOLATE (SERUM) 13.24 ug/L (2.91 -50.00)

25 OH VITAMIN D 77.6 nmol/L (50.00 -200.00)

Interpretation of results:Deficient <25Insufficient 25 -49Normal Range 50 -200Consider reducing dose >200BIOCHEMISTRYInflammation MarkerCRP -HIGH SENSITIVITY 1 mg/l 0.00 -5.00Iron StatusFERRITIN 47.4 ug/L 13.00 -150.00

BIOCHEMISTRY

Inflammation Marker CRP -HIGH SENSITIVITY 1 mg/l (0.00 -5.00)

Iron Status FERRITIN 47.4 ug/L (13.00 -150.0)

ENDOCRINOLOGY Thyroid Function:

THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE *5.26 mIU/L (0.27 -4.20)

FREE THYROXINE *11.7 pmol/L (12.00 -22.00)

TOTAL THYROXINE (T4) 86.8 nmol/L (59.00 -154.00)

FREE T3 4.36 pmol/L (3.10 -6.80)

REVERSE T3 13 ng/dL (10.00 -24.00)

REVERSE T3 RATIO 21.83 (15.01 -75.00)

THYROGLOBULIN ANTIBODY *417.000 IU/mL (0.00 -115.00)

THYROID PEROXIDASE ANTIBODIES *>600 IU/mL (0.00 -34.00)

CORTISOL SALIVA:

CORTISOL (SALIVA) WAKING 6.430 nmol/L (6.00 - 21.00)

CORTISOL (SALIVA) 12:00 2.170 nmol/L (1.50 - 7.60)

CORTISOL (SALIVA) 16:00 1.740 nmol/L (0.00 - 5.49)

CORTISOL (SALIVA) BEFORE BED <1.5 nmol/L (0.00 - 1.99

I eat a good diet (I'm not vegetarian) and I stopped taking all supplements for a while before being tested. As my B12 is not that low do you think I should try a good B12 supplement for a while or isothere something else I need to do?

Thanks

Farrugia

[zbrown]

Hi Farrugia

Just read your interesting post. There seems to be various issues going on and I can only comment on one aspect that I've experienced and has helped me. My Vitamin B12 is low but not enough for GPs to really do anything about it so not getting any help however I am extremely tired and my digestion is also not good as well feeling quite low. Long story short after a year of research and trial and errors with vitamins and some medications ONLY ONE product helped and that was the Misol B12 by InMed Technologies (Best Vitamin B12 Spray) not only is the dose better than others but the the Misol enables the vitamin to be absorbed directly, quickly and completely (other forms half the vitamin is not absorbed) and therefore benefits the body. GREAT STUFF. After a few months of taking it I feel less down and my wellbeing is definitely improving.

Hope that helped a bit.

ps.. also boosts your immune system.

[Farrugia in reply to zbrown]

Hi zbrown - thanks for the Misol B12 tip, I will check it out. I think my GP will be reluctant to do anything so this is really useful.

[Polaris]

It would be a good idea, if you haven't already done so Farrugia, to check out your thyroid test results with the TUK forum, as high TSH and antibodies, as you probably know, are probably contributing to some of your symptoms and thyroid levels need to be optimal. I, personally, found I only felt well when TSH suppressed and on a gluten free diet.

Many researchers now believe 'leaky gut', leads to other autoimmune diseases, many of which are linked, with symptoms overlapping.

Your active B12 test could be interpreted as being in the grey area and, as there is no gold standard test for for B12 deficiency, symptoms are paramount. The symptoms you describe are neurological and, to be on the safe side and avoid irreversible damage, in my opinion, should be treated with injections without delay.

biolab.co.uk/docs/vitaminB1...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi...

Borderline B12 with symptoms and under treated Hashimoto's could mean you have poor absorption of nutrients ?

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The findings in the above link highlighted an increased association of PA with other autoimmune diseases, such as type 1 diabetes, vitiligo and in particular, Autoimmune Thyroid Disease . Atrophic Gastritis and autoimmune thyroid disease are closely linked with ATD being present in about 40% of ABG patients[41]. "These data suggest that, in patients with autoimmune disorders, in particular ATD, a possible association with PA should be suspected and excluded."

"The diagnosis of concomitant autoimmune thyroiditis and PA may have an important clinical implication, in particular, in those patients who require replacement therapy with thyroxine. Recently, it has been reported that patients with impaired acid secretion may present with thyroxine malabsorption that requires an increased dose of the drug[42], and in patients with PA, associated hypochlorhydria is always present, due to the loss of oxyntic mucosa[4]."

"CONCLUSION

"PA is an often silent and under-diagnosed autoimmune disease, because its onset and progression are very slow and patients may become used to their complaints. Nevertheless, the clinical consequences of undiagnosed PA may be serious, including gastric neoplastic lesions. Thus, gastroenterologists should increase their awareness of this disorder, whose definite histological diagnosis may be preceded by reliable noninvasive serological screening."

journal.frontiersin.org/art...

Vitamin D would be best kept high and not, as suggested, reduced, as we're coming up to the winter period so need good stores. When supplementing D3, make sure you add K2 to ensure it goes to the bones and not the blood or tissues.

b12deficiency.info/what-to-...

[Farrugia in reply to Polaris]

Thanks Polaris, this is all really useful information - haven't really taking all in properly yet but will read up.

I have posted on the TUK forum and have had some useful suggestions regarding gluten free diet and keeping vitamin levels up for Hashimoto's.

As you say, a lot of my symptoms could be put down to ATD. The tinnitus is the one that stands out for me in the B12 list of symptoms.

I'm not sure yet how my GP is likely to react to these results and whether he will consider B12 injections. The articles you have listed are all very helpful with this.

Thank you very much.

[Polaris in reply to Farrugia]

It may not be easy, which is why so many of us self inject but I hope GP will listen.

It might be easier to put in writing before making an appintment.

GOod luck Farrugia