A year ago I caught Campylobacter (it's like an evil dose of salmonella or gastroenteritis) from a manky chicken when I worked in a supermarket. It is a notifiable disease and can be lethal in some cases. Luckily after about 8 days I was better. At least I thought I was OK but since then have been tired and itchy, occasional blurred vision and I forget names, I have headaches although I never suffered before.
For the past few months my eczema got out of control and so the dermatologist did a routine blood test. My B12 was 88 where normal is 130-900 and iron was 18 where normal is 15-300. Very very low. So I have been started on B12 jabs and iron tablets. My question is this - as the campylobacter is a major gut issue and the B12 deficiency can be caused by the stomach not absorbing it, is it possible the campylobacter caused the deficiency?
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foxityfox
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Hi foxityfox a wiser person than I has written on this forum as follows:
"If the cause isn't dietary then it is an absorption problem so you need to find another way of replenishing B12 initially. Most absorption problems aren't treatable but a few are - notably h pylori infection - which would mean that once that has been dealt with you would be able to absorb B12 from your diet so wouldn't need maintenance shots for life".
I'm assuming that if the "campylobacter" has been eradicated the above would apply.
I am not a medically trained person but I've had Pernicious Anaemia (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 46 years.
Thank you The Campylobacter symptoms (2 bladders - or may as well have, vomiting, stomach cramps and feeling like death) subsided after 8 days but I suspect it may have damaged my gut.
The majority of people infected with campylobacter make a completed recovery from the infection.
There are rare cases where long-term effects can occur as a result. For instance, reactive arthritis (Reiter's Syndrome), Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Coeliac Disease, inflammatory bowel conditions, and (very rarely) Guilliaun-Barre Syndrome.
Notably, inflammatory bowel conditions - Coeliac Disease, IBS etc. all of which can cause absorption problems and are recognised causes of B12 deficiency.
So, did the camphylorbactor infection lead to your B12 deficiency? Sounds like a possibility, though the liver does store large amounts of B12 (several years worth) so it's also possible that you had a developing deficency that was exacerbated by the infection.
And my goodness, your serum B12 level is very very low. When neurolgical symptoms are present, a more intensive regime of B12 of injections is required (after the six loading doses, injections every other day until no further improvement). Details about this treatment regime can be found in the BNF - prescribing guidelines - your GP will have a copy on his desk (third paragraph down - not many read that far so you may have to point it out).
Also wondering if you have had your folate and vitamin D levels checked? These are often low or deficiency where absorption problems are present and folate (in particular) is important since it's involved with the body's ability to utilise B12 properly. And deficiencies in either can make you feel very ill indeed.
I'd certainly discuss this with your doctor since it may be relevant to your current absorption problems, which your GP should want to investigate to try and determine the cause of your deficiencies.
Good luck and post again if you need more information.
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The Campylobacter symptoms (2 bladders - or may as well have, vomiting, stomach cramps and feeling like death) subsided after 8 days but I suspect it may have damaged my gut.
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