My story of self assessment.

[Phil8k]

Hi to everyone on this pas site, this is my first contribution of information after reading blogs for approx two years now,

Im in the Uk and although my Doctors and blood test have over the passed four years always said i could not have a B12 deficiency due to a high count of red blood cells, my symptoms at one time about four years ago were so severe and so many that after much research i was convinced i was suffering from M E (Myalgic encephalomyelitis). But that research lead me to the understanding that so many cases of M E although like myself were apparent after a prolong life trauma or illness tended to be linked to deficiencies, so that is when i tailored my already good diet to one that encouraged the absorption and utilization of B12 and D3, at the same time taking B12 tabs using B12 patches and eventualy self injecting B12 methylcobalamin, and all against my Doctors advise. As many of you know in the UK its not easy to get the specific B12 absorption test done, please excuse my layman's terms as im not a Doctor.

The changes were slow but immediate improvements and it took over a year to get my system back on track.

I have read many of the blogs on this PAS site over the past two years and so many of peoples symptoms are similar to my own in the passed, its only now after about four years of research and treating myself that i have decided to write here.

My full story is too long to narrate at this time but just to say for now that when i first researched my symptoms i found two reference lists of symptoms online, one for M E and one for B12 deficiencies, i was amassed that i matched so many on both lists.

I have been prompted to write now after reading a short blog from kj13 of feeling a 'heavy arm' as i have had many similar feeling of heaviness and limb disorientation (a feeling of a limbs being in a different space) in the passed.

As i understand it B12 and other deficiencies to a great extent affect the nervous system and so give us many strange feelings most of which are temporary.

My most severe and disturbing event took place in Sept 2017 when after competing in a 10 mile bike race that with warm up and down took about 1hr 30mins of exercise, a few mins after that i suffered a massive shut down of the nervous system, once i was sitting in my car i was unable to move any part of my body at all and i felt as if i was having a massive seizure, after resting for about 15 mins a tried to stand and once upright i immediately collapsed to the ground twice in succession until eventual i recovered enough to walk and then drive home, it took me e few weeks to recover and at 65 i decided not to race again after racing for the passed 50 years.

Before i sign off i would like to describe two of my passed strange symptoms that many people with B12 deficiency suffer from. Mostly prevalent at night but on occasions in the day too, and that was the inability to walk upright or in a strait line as if in a drunken state, although this was slightly disturbing for me i never found it too traumatic as i always recovered within a few minutes. The second was a feeling of weakness, when it came to picking up my tool box it felt twice the weight as usual, but that also went after a few minutes.

I hope this is of help and gives hope to some of you.

Kind Regards Phil

[e66--]

Thank you Phil for taking the time to post and I found it extremely interesting as I have been diagnosed with M.E for many years and have suffered many of the symptoms you described. It has been a long, hard road and endless test of endurance and faith, as I'm sure you know. I am convinced, through research I also am B12 deficient and have started to self inject, especially as I was told I have no lower leg reflexes and enlarged blood cells but not to worry it's all due to the M.E. Still to early to report any major improvement but I have noticed that my feet can now feel the ground beneath them and that is great.

I wish you well on your journey and even more I wish you a slow and steady increase in health as that is the miracle we are all praying for. Best wishes.

[Phil8k]

Thank you very much for those kind and encouraging words, and im pleased to hear you are wise to your own situation, also one of my suspicions is that M.E. sufferers will tend to have vit D3 deficiency as the time spent indoors and out of the sun is greater, but also so many people in the UK are now D3 deficient due to passed health advice of avoiding the sun and avoiding cholesterol food, but in actual fact our cholesterol helps our body to convert sunshine on our skin into D3. Im now supplementing my winter diet with mushrooms as its one of the few foods high in Vit D3. I think i have benefited from it this winter.

Best wishes to you too.