RIB AND SHOULDER PAIN

[celticfc10]

horrible pain in arms,ribs and shoulder blades after b12 shots that I received back in mid sept ( 5 in total ) also daily headaches for past 2 months . Is this possible and do you reckon is side effects from injections after this long?

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi celticfc10 did the loading doses continue until there was no further improvement in your neurological symptoms?

It is not uncommon for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better as the B12 starts repairing the damage done to your nervous system and your brain starts getting multiple messages from part of the body it had "forgotten about" or lost contact with.

I sometimes liken it to a badly tuned radio on which you have turned the volume up high trying to catch the programme you want when all of a sudden the signal comes in loud and clear and the blast nearly deafens you.

A lot will depend on the severity and longevity of your B12 deficiency as to how long before there is no further improvement or recovery. Some symptoms will "disappear" quite quickly whereas others may take months or even years. There is no set timescale as we are all different.

If you can get to see a doctor please mention your ongoing symptoms and also ask him/her to check your Folate level as this is essential to process the B12.

There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.

Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:

symptoms related to anaemia

reduced sense of taste

diarrhoea

numbness and tingling in the feet and hands

muscle weakness

depression

Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body and your B12 levels are "bumping along the bottom of the range.

I am not a medically trained person but I've had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 45 years.

I wish you well

.

[celticfc10 in reply to clivealive]

Hi , thankyou for your quick response , I have not had any more doses since sept as my doctor now tells me that I can now absorb the B12 normally through diet but I still have these horrible pains and headaches nearly 5 months later which seems a little strange . Do they eventually disappear? Just a little worried thanks

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to celticfc10]

Do you know why you became deficient?

Has your serum B12 level been re-tested? I just wonder how your doctor can say that you "can now absorb the B12 normally through diet" without knowing your current level five months after your last injection if it hasn't been determined why you became deficient in the first place.

Anyone at any age, can become B12 deficient. However, certain people are at an elevated risk. They include the following:

Vegetarians, vegans and people eating macrobiotic diets.

People aged sixty and over

People who’ve undergone any gastric and/or intestinal surgery, including bariatric surgery for weight loss purposes (Gastric bypass).

People who regularly use proton-pump- inhibitors. H2 blockers, antacids, Metformin, and related diabetes drugs, or other medications that can interfere with B12 absorption.

People who undergo surgeries or dental procedures involving nitrous oxide, or who use the drug recreationally.

People with a history of eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia).

People with a history of alcoholism.

People with a family history of pernicious anaemia.

People diagnosed with anaemia (including iron deficiency anaemia, sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia).

People with Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gluten enteropathy (celiac disease), or any other disease that cause malabsorption of nutrients.

People with autoimmune disorders (especially thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease) Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, lupus, Addison’s disease, ulcerative colitis, infertility, acquired agammaglobulinemia, or a family history of these disorders.

Women with a history of infertility or multiple miscarriages.

Do you see yourself amongst any of the above people?

[Hidden]

Hi, I have never personally experienced bone pain either before or after B12 shots but of course everyone is different. However, might be a good idea to have your Vitamin D levels checked as a deficiency can certainly cause bone pain, even if its just to rule it out as a cause.

It might just be that you need more frequent injections, did you only have the loading dose?

[celticfc10 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for both of your replies, think my doctor checked all that and now waiting to see neurologist as symptoms not getting any better

[Fudgemanjim]

Ive been PA whole life always had arms pain but never had rib pain... until i got alot worse over past 2 years and dose was lowered/pushed to go longer without...and i wound up getting sharp stabbing chest rib and heart pain to the point of being wheelchair bound (other symptoms played factor too like breathing, dissyness weakness)... since loading jabs and now much much much more frequent jabs (ive had to move country to get them though via doctors though NHS nearly killed me i think) all that pain is relived, i also got burning bones and many other issues but again regular jabs cures ALOT and usuakky all of it... for me...everyones diffrent though... just so you know some people get simlar pains mine come when i dont get enough b12 but i think maybe this is your body healing damage once it knew it had enough b12 maybe loading jabs wernt enough... peioke on here have advised me as symptoms return quicker now that my other vitimans may be being ised up by b12 fixing stuff... so watch folate levels alo g with vitiman D... many others on here are more knolledagable though...best of luck.to you

[Ryaan]

You never had that before the B12 ?

You need to rule out Vit D, that definitely causes bad ‘bone’ pain.

Double check with your doc..,..sometimes they say everything is fine when it’s on the low side, so should be on the high end of range.

The headaches I’ve heard some people have them but I doubt for that long if you usually don’t get headaches and if there’s any chance they were caused by B12 injections the effects would definitely decrease overtime as you’ve had no further shots (they can’t remain as B12 levels will decrease a lot after you stop injecting so it would be a temporary thing if it was from them and would definitely reduce and go away.

It won’t do any harm to ask your Gp for a course of Vit D....it’s usually ampules taken orally 50 000 strength once or twice a week for I think 6 weeks and see if that makes a difference. Low Vit D can give you bone pain anywhere in your body so just rule it out. I think taking it should help with the pain if it’s bone pain, no harm if it doesn’t.

Check with gp first and also ask for the level you’re at and the range it should be in. Many low side blood results are often overlooked.

Sorry unable to help with headaches but there’s capsules called Propranalol Hydrochloride 80mg slow release which are given for prevention of onset of migraines amongst other uses. Google them and have a read, they may be of some help.

I once took a product called psyllium husk, a natural fibre for stomach problems. You supposed to mix a tablespoon in a glass of water and leave overnight and drink next day then drink another large glass of water on top. It didn’t give instructions so I used to take a heaped tablespoon dry twice a day and wash down with a average glass of water. What that did was absorb all nutrients from my body acting like a sponge and depleted me of all nutrients etc. I had very bad headaches day and night for 4 months until I figured that’s the only change I made. (Just saying because sometimes natural products can cause a lot of damage) incase you’re taking something or added something new to your diet within this time.

Wish you well.

[Ryaan]

Also not drinking enough water can cause daily headaches so stay well hydrated.

Psyllium husk also absorbed all the water from my body as I wasn’t soaking it overnight in water.

[celticfc10]

thankyou very much for all your replies ,you have been very helpful