I am a vegetarian/vegan and became b12 deficient around 7 years ago which, in my opinion, was caused by lack of b12 in my diet and my doctor putting me on omaprezole.
I have received injections up until April 8 when my surgery cancelled injections and put me on 50 ml tablets twice daily.
The only symptoms I had was parathesia plus abdominal issues similar to ibs.
I have just had a range of things tested such as intrinsic factor, thyroid, diabetes and b12.
All came back as normal but b12 was abnormal as I had excess b12 - the number was 956.
I have been advised to cease all supplementation and have a retest in 3 months.
I guess I don’t have PA as I have been able to absorb b12 in tablet and, presumably, in food form so I assume my doctor is right.
Do you agree?
In addition, as I have stated above, I have had a serious attack of bloating, constipation, light headed ness which equates to IBS which would be possible given the food types that I have been eating all of which are given as causes of IBS on the NHS website.
My doctor claims that I can’t have IBS as I am 71 and IBS starts in ones 20/30s. I’ve looked this up and one site agreed with his view but another claimed that it begins post 50 which, in my case, would make sense as I have had gastric problems since my mid forties - mostly acid reflux but post 60 IBS symptoms.
I am reading about b12d causing digestive problems such as bloating etc.which would explain prior symptoms.
BUT can b12 tablets cause IBS symptoms in your experience?
Any help/views would be helpful.
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Alfabeta
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I don't know if B12 tablets can cause IBS but I do know from personal experience that B12 deficiency can lead to IBS type symptoms.
In UK, my understanding is that people with b12 deficiency caused by diet can be treated with low dose cyanocobalamin tablets.
In "normal times" my understanding is that patients with dietary B12 deficiency who have neuro symptoms should be on B12 injections (usually hydroxycobalamin).
You mention paraesthesia which are neurological symptoms.
Do you have other neuro symptoms?
If the symptoms of b12 deficiency are returning and/or you're getting new symptoms especially neurological symptoms or neuropsychiatric symptoms then maybe you need to discuss things again with your GP.
Symptoms Diary
Some on forum keep a daily symptoms diary which tracks changes in symptoms and when treatment given, this could be evidence of improvement or deterioration in your symptoms which you could pass on to your GP.
BSH Cobalamin and Folate Guidelines (published 2014)
which explains the latest advice from BSH (British Society of Haematology ) on treatment of B12 deficiency during pandemic.
"I have just had a range of things tested such as intrinsic factor, thyroid, diabetes and b12.
All came back as normal but b12 was abnormal as I had excess b12 - the number was 956."
Have you seen the actual results for all these tests or were you just told they were all normal apart from B12?
Best advice I ever got was to always get access to or copies of all my blood test results.
I was told on several occasions that everything was normal and then found abnormal and borderline results when I got copies. Even if they are all within normal range, lots of borderline results may be significant.
It's possible to have more than one cause of B12 deficiency at the same time.
As people age, I think the acidity levels in stomach sometimes fall which can have an impact on digestion.
Some on here have been given PPI drugs for high stomach acidity only to find out that their problem is actually low stomach acidity.
The symptoms of high acidity and low acidity are very similar. See links below.
I wrote very detailed replies on another forum thread with links to B12 deficiency symptoms lists, causes of b12 deficiency, info about tests for PA, list of B12 books, list of B12 websites, more UK B12 documents, letters to GP about B12 deficiency and other B12 info which you might find helpful.
If you think the treatment GP has offered/suggested is affected by pandemic then see this next link where I left a reply about impact of pandemic on treatment in UK.
I was vegetarian for about 20 years. In my opinion I was probably b12 deficient the whole time. I have had a lot of digestive issues also. I think eating vegetarian (pulses, high carb) and also the high amount of sugar I ate caused my stomach issues. I would read the fast tract diet for IBS by Norman Robillard. My stomach is much better after cutting down on fibre, lactose, sugar, carbs and fructose. I also had very bad acid reflux and heartburn (although I didn’t take the suggested omeprazole). Omeprazole lowers your stomach acid which cause absorption issues. I am not vegetarian anymore which makes it much easier to cut down on carbs.
Remember if you susceptible to irritation in bowel most tablets and vitamin supplements have additives that have FODMAP ‘best not to have ‘in them
Unfortunately for me eg. Folate /Vit D in fact any by mouth supplements of any kind badly affect my bowel
I have to have injections B12 PA and for that reason no supplements by mouth instead
try to discuss with Doctor and mention FODMAP and that you willing to do the regime
It does work
I am going to request vitamin D injections at some point later in the year as I have not been able to take the NHS supplements as my Vitamin D is fine as outside a lot in Uk until winter then it goes down to deficiency level
Brits don’t get enough across the board at all and you notice NHS are pushing we must get Vit D at the moment so excuse the pun but food for thought on that one
We shall see it’s taken months of hard work for surgery to approve self injection for B12 so may be pushing it a bit for a Vit D one also ?
Good luck do some calm quiet research on your problems
Write down in Doctors way ‘work up notes ‘ as to how you find yourself in the position you are in now
Thin it down to one sentence for each section
Ask for a telephone appointment
Then ‘go for it ‘ straight to the point
Basically push for common sense approach and that you were doing great while on injections but now you are not
Remind Dr that of course you are pleased with injections your B12 higher than it was but it needs to be to function but supplements instead make you poorly so injections again please
One of your problems - the IBS like symptoms - is actually gut dysbiosis caused by the low stomach acid as a result of omeprazole. What low stomach acid allows is an excess of bad bacteria in the stomach - known as fermenting gut. Your GP will probably not recognise this as a condition because the NHS don't recognise it - although the gastroenterologists almost do with their recognition of the low fodmap diet. Try increasing your stomach acid before meals with betaine hcl. Use Google for additional remedies. Ironically dysbiosis will often also cause acid reflux - which makes people think stomach acid is high when it isn't. And low stomach acid will also cause absorption problems. Good luck
Thank you for this information. I thought low stomach acid might be the problem and I tried the bicarbonate of soda test - don’t know if you know about it - I was belching within 2 minutes hence, according to this test, I don’t have low stomach acid.
the bicarb test does suggest there is some acid there but it is still possible you have dysbiosis due to bacterial or pathogenic imbalance (which would be a result of the acid blocker med)...
you can't overdose on B12, or any B vitamins* which as they're water based the excess is wee'd out [Edit *except B6]. Friends over the pond in USA take injections as pain-killers.
And it takes A LOT (near-nigh impossible) of fat-based vitamins to overdose e.g. Vit A & D.
Even as a meat-eater I'm low too, folk with gut surgery will be low, and if you've had gas n air for surgery/childbirth or teens taking NOS & if veggie - all will be low so supplement - if that doesn't work you will need B12 injections.
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