Breathlessness

[Hayley31]

Really breathless all the time, anyone else have this?

[fbirder]

Yes, breathlessness is a common symptom of a B12 deficiency. Do you have a diagnosed deficiency? Are you being treated? How?

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Have your iron levels been checked recently?

[B12_crohnie]

Yes, sadly. All the time!... simple things make me breathless like climbing half way up the stairs. Very frustrating. Only after b12 injection does this improve short term then gradually back to increasing struggle as weeks go by until next jab! Have started to self inject weekly (now week 2) as can’t go on any longer. Doctors refuse to do any more frequently than 8 weeks - “as guidelines say it is not required more often” therefore they won’t do it. 😒😒

[Nackapan]

I was very breathless with low ferritin level. My HB was normal. Also as mentioned a sign of low b12 too.

[SAM2608]

My daughter had this - prior to that very fit and healthy, so a scary symptom for a young person. Her ferritin found to be very low and now supplementing - breathlessness disappeared now...so worth looking at iron levels too.

[Hayley31]

Thanks. I will do. 😊xx

[Hayley31]

Thanks for all your replies. I notice it gets better after B12 injection and I have been anaemia before. Probably need to go back on the iron and the folate.

[JanD236]

I was breathless when I first had Graves’ disease (auto immune overactive thyroid).

A long shot but while you’re getting your iron levels tested it might also be worthwhile having thyroid checked too.

[Hidden]

Yes, in the beginning but doctor prescribed folic acid (5 years ago) which I still take daily and am able to run 10km four days a week now.

[Hayley31 in reply to Hidden]

Wow!

[Tiggers321]

Yes I have this! It’s slightly better with b12 supplements but my GP don’t do injections so having to use a high dose oral supplement! Very annoying, sighing and yawning and the feeling I can’t take a deep breath!

[Hayley31 in reply to Tiggers321]

This is what I get.

[Tiggers321 in reply to Hayley31]

Is it worse when you eat?

[Hayley31 in reply to Tiggers321]

Yeh, it can be.

[Kamran42 in reply to Tiggers321]

Hi, I am suffering with exactly what you described, have you been able to get a handle on things, or has it not improved. Please advise if you can. Thanks

[Tiggers321 in reply to Kamran42]

Very little improvement if I am honest using the B12 spray

And taking a supplement! I am due a blood test at the end of this month so will keep you posted on results and further treatment

Kelly

[Kamran42 in reply to Tiggers321]

Thanks for your reply, hope you feel better soon.

[Rshpreet in reply to Tiggers321]

Did you breathlessness went away now? or you still have it. im worried if this ever goes away.

[Misty-lady]

I notice I’m breathless leading up to when my injection is due & for a few days afterwards until it kicks in

[Midnight_Voice]

We have a Pulse Oximeter, which measures the oxygen in your blood from a little inexpensive device that slips over your finger, and is simple to use.

Objectively, we find the breathlessness correlates with the level dropping below 94%, when it should be 98% or higher. Exertion causes the drop, and the breathlessness is the body’s response, attempting to take more oxygen in.

We commend the PulseOx to anyone with PA (and indeed a wide range of other conditions) as part of their armoury for testing their wellbeing.

[ktwing in reply to Midnight_Voice]

Can you recommend a model of Pulse Oximeter at all? When I looked before I couldn't find anything inexpensive and decent! Maybe you're not in the UK?

[helvella in reply to ktwing]

A while ago, I looked and was overwhelmed by the choice. With little to go on.

In the end, I decided that I would not buy one at that time.

Some have Perfusion Index - not at all sure of its real significance?

The one I might have bought was slightly more expensive than some, but my choice was that the supplier had good credentials and clearly is careful about what it stocks. Not just a box shifter who knows nothing of the product.

Also, there are rumours the upcoming Apple Watch might have pulse oximetry built-in. No, definitely not inexpensive, but part of a trend towards multi-purpose devices.

There is the Honor Band 5 - which looks interesting, and pretty cheap, but I am unconvinced by future support for Huawei software given the current trade wars/spying issues!

[ktwing in reply to helvella]

Yes, I nearly went for a Huawei band with this built in, but I read that the type of oxygen monitoring these things have isn't really accurate enough for health reasons. It was partly because I'd read that this can be a useful way to catch Covid early that I started looking - and breathlessness was one of my B12 symptoms too.

[fbirder in reply to ktwing]

I bought one about two years ago, good quality, cost about £18.

I bought one for my Mum earlier this year. Gave the same readings as my one. Cost just over £12.

I think they're fairly simple devices, so I normally just go with Amazon's Choice. Like Midnight_Voice

[Midnight_Voice]

Hi - we have this one:-

amazon.co.uk/Oximeter-Displ...

and yes we are in the UK.

There are cleverer ones for more money, but this one tells us about everything that we can actually understand 😛

[ktwing in reply to Midnight_Voice]

thank you!