Whilst on loading doses of B12 which supplements are needed and at what doses?

[timmysmom]

Does it vary from person to person and what they are getting from their diet? Does the quality of the supplement matter? My husband has been on self administered loading doses for 2 weeks, 6 injections in total, but feeling worst not better yet. He's eating a banana a day, taking folate and a multi vitamin including magnesium from Asda and iron tablets from Asda. Are they enough? I hate seeing him so poorly, no energy and sleeping most of the time.

Thanks in advance

[Nackapan]

Sounds like plenty. Be careful with iron. I only took it after blood results showed low ferritin and checked it with Gp

Potatoes and other foods good for potassium too.

Has he had a recent blood test to get levels of folate ect?

Plenty of water. Good mixed diet. Again it depends what he is able to absorb.

I upped my liver and meat and eating it with plenty of vitamin c but obviously just need a supplement of iron at present??

Folate I must absorb from food as only took 400mcg I initially and took me above range??

So as you say individual.

I think a supermarket multivitamin fine. I still dabble. Mix it at times.

Vitamin d I do take more of 25ug + small amount in multivitamin. Again gone by blood result. I took and needed vit d before getting ill.

I got worse before any mprovements.

Was his b12 low? If so why is the surgery not treating him?? Push if you need more bloods ect.

Also have other things been ruled out?

Hope your husband picks ui a bit soon.

Sounds like you are doing all you can at present. T c

[Nackapan]

Just read your husband has a diagnosis of PA.

He should be able to get b12 injections at least 2 monthly.

Write to GP with all symptoms.

Say you understand guidelines have changed.

Writing sometimes gives better response as it is scanned onto your notes.

I had to push for the present regime of b12 injections. It is stressful. Shouldn't be like this but is.

I'm far from well. I had to write ti ask for a referral. In person got nowhere.

Letter came yesterday. It's been done!! No response from Gp but got letter from hospital.

I think they do things now to get rid of me . Gp says she's at a loss of what to do.

So go back . I kept repeating. So how are tou going to treat me??

Wearing when ill.

Keep going. Gkad in the meantime to8ve sourced injection s

[timmysmom in reply to Nackapan]

Thanks Nackapan, we both got fed up of asking does he need more injections and telling the GP how I'll he is and being told 12 weekly injections are enough. But we do understand a lot more now thanks to this forum so should try again with new knowledge. You feel like you're hitting your head against a brick wall☹️.

Do you think gp would test iron, folate etc if he asked? Would he need to tell go he's self injecting? How do GPS usually react to people who self inject?

Sorry, so many questions keep popping into my head.

[Nackapan in reply to timmysmom]

I just ask for what bloods I want. Mostly Gp agrees

I get iron including ferritin

Vitamin d

At the beginning folate magnesium and potassium

Thyroid should've been tested

H-pylori. I never got that. Admin mistakes ect

Referral ri a neurologist or other if needed

Only things found was when I had folate checked thr lab did it with b12 !!

So I've atooped the as my folate was above reference range.

I would personally push for more I jections first . Keep a diary si if improvements start you know

They can happen very gradually as well as quickly.

I would personally ar some stage want doctor to be aware of extra injections needed . Will go on notes . Also raise awareness for need!!

That of course is uo ti your husband.

Some have had difficulty when being transparent which of course is truly wrong.

On tour side is a PA diagnosis. Even though treatment should be the same it often isn't for others.

B12 tesi now NOT necessary.

Fortunately he has had I assume the same type of b12 at the surgery so you know he okay on it.

I wish him better

[fbirder]

Yup, that should be more than enough.

Putting lots of B12 into the body shouldn't increase the need for anything else, especially not after a few weeks. In the early stages the body's stores of potassium my be depleted, but eating extra should be fine.

With PA absorption of folate, iron and Vitamin D are diminished. So the folate supplement is a good idea. Iron should only be taken with a diagnosed deficiency and the NHS recommends everybody in the UK takes vitamin D during the autumn and winter - so get him some of that.

Here in the EU (for another fortnight) we can be fairly sure that any vitamins on sale are of good quality.

[timmysmom in reply to fbirder]

Thanks fbirder for that info about supplements. I suppose we need to be patient and wait for his body to heal. I think I expected him to suddenly feel better after a few extra injections. I hate seeing him so exhausted even more so than before and feel a bit guilty because it was my idea to self inject.

I'm not sure now if he has been diagnosed with PA I just presumed that because hes on permanent 12 weekly B12 injections ( has been for years) he must have PA. But I understand the difference between B12 deficiency and PA a lot better now.

Thanks again.

[fbirder in reply to timmysmom]

If there's no other obvious cause for the B12 deficiency then PA is the most likely explanation.

[Boo222 in reply to timmysmom]

Are you sure it's PA and not an underactive thyroid?

[timmysmom in reply to Boo222]

Thanks Boo222. I'm pretty sure he's been tested for underactive thyroid, but it's something to think about tho. His symptoms do fit with B12 deficiency. I need to get him to ask for all his blood test results and have a look at them.