Hi,
Was diagnosed three months ago. Loading doses and next injection from GP nurse next week, hopefully.
My question is: do you find it harder to recover from a viral infection since having this disease? Ive had a cough cold thing for a week and it's knocked me more thab usual. My symptoms of low mood, low energy and muscle pain have reemerged.
Just feeling a bit lonely coming to terms with living with this condition.
Sorry that should say "had loading doses, and.."
Hi DocAJB,
Interesting name. Sorry, I didn’t reply to your other post. Unfortunately, recovery can take time with regards to PA/vitamin B12 deficiency.
It’s essentially a gut problem but causes problems in every cell of the body. I note from last post you have constipation. Have you had any investigations for this ? I am aware that 70 % of the immune system is the gut. So, a viral infection although, not necessarily a direct correlation has implications.
We need to have patience with our bodies and if lounging around, resting, fluids is what it needs then that’s what it needs. I’m introverted but this week I said to man friend I felt a tad lonely.
Best wishes
Supposedly not.However it's early days for you.
Your body is working hard hopefully repairing % feeding starved cells.
I think at times like this you csn feel low snd run dien.
So maybe more susceptible to ehars going round.
Let's face it .
There are alot of 'bugs' around since the reduction in face marks abd more mixing.
Many more variants of covid too.
We don't know exactly as the government arnt monitoring it seems.
Make sure your ferritin,vit D fokate iron levels are okay .
Perhaps take a A-Z multivit
Hooe your symptoms are improving on B12
You don't mention them.
Hey thanks so much for your reply. That's good to hear, thank you. You're most likely right...I've just probably picked up an especially nasty bug.
My symptoms were fatigue, low mood, muscle cramping and pain, slight hand tremor.
Symptoms have mostly got better after the loading injections. No more hand temor. Fatigue and muscle pain has cone back but not the cramping, yet. Fingers crossed it doesn't. Low mood better too. Thanks for asking. I appreciate your advice around it being early days. Gp said it could take a good while too.
I've always had problems recovering from viruses so probably not a B12 thing but something else in my genetic makeup and the way my immune system works.
Firstly, Hi and welcome to our group! You are definitely not alone in this - there's loads of us with it and with you in this!
Anecdotally people seem to experience more immune system difficulties and I suspect that in lots of cases it's a matter of whatever has caused the B12 deficiency may also have caused you to be short of other vitamins and minerals which are used by the immune system to fight bugs.
Vitamin D, Zinc and Selenium, backed up by Vitamins C and E are the main ones but because all of them interact and are used in the processes that use B12, if you are short of anything you will be below par and have a tenancy to feel down, even if you hadn't just been faced with a diagnosis that takes away a degree of your freedom to live without self management.
The best thing to do is to keep in touch with this kind and friendly group and do whatever you can to optimise your nutrition - it really does make a difference!
While you can't beat a balanced and varied diet, you will probably find a benefit in boosting this with a broad spectrum vitamin and mineral supplement. Supermarket A-Z ones are as good as, if not better than, more expensive branded ones.
It takes a while so stick with it but you should find some improvements in a week or so and definite differences within 3 months - although these might get hidden because they are gradual.
The other thing is that most of us find the level of B12 supplementation provided by our Drs falls well short of what we need to be well but don't worry about it - we can help you do whatever it takes to get the treatment you need, it's safe without side-effects and inexpensive.
Looking forward to your other posts and replies to come: let us know how you are getting on! 😃
Thank you so much for this kind and detailed response. It has brought me MUCH comfort. :).
As I'm in my first 3 months post loading jabs I guess I'm learning how much my body needs, and that will involve maybe feeling unwell again.
I will seek it out with my doctor and hope they will find the right dose. If not, i will try other options as I have a life to lead.
Thank you!
Try to listen to your body - unwanted symptoms are its only way of telling you that something is wrong and needs fixing.
Not many Drs want to follow the British Standards in Hematology guidelines for B12 which say they should treat on symptoms, not blood test results once loading doses have been administered so don't be surprised if they are less supportive than you'd expect.
We're all baffled as to why they restrict treatment when it is so safe to use and so damaging if we don't get what we need, but sadly it is very often the case and many people needlessly suffer terribly.
Lots of us resort to self injecting, sometimes very frequently. Many people have been doing this for decades so we know it is OK. I'm staggered how quickly I decline if I need my next jab.
Let's hope you have a good Dr and that once you have repaired the damage done by the deficiency you will do well on a sensible number of top up doses. 🤞
PS I love the comment "I have a life to lead" - that's my philosophy completely! I seem to get one thing after another but I'm always going to do everything I can to manage my problems so I can get on!
Hi there,I have wondered the same thing and even thought about asking this question on this forum, but never did!
I feel like I take longer to recover from viral illnesses.
Even after all 3 COVID vaccines I had I felt like I had symptoms for 7 days longer than everyone I know.
On another note:
I had COVID quite badly 1 month ago and feel like symptoms are still lingering (waves of fatigue and just feeling ill). Are you sure you don't have COVID🤦🏼♀️? That might explain your symptoms lingering🤦🏼♀️
Hi yes definitely.. the slightest cough or cold and I’m floored and in bed for a few days!! Slowly getting my head round it.. and just try be as healthy as I possibly can .. good luck xx
Hi DocAJB
Your symptoms sound very similar to what I have had when I was eventually diagnosed with PA.
It’s been a long and lonely journey as well.
Your loading doses will not be enough, you don’t want to hear this but you need daily injections in order to get most of your health back. I am convinced we will never be 100% normal.
I been injecting daily for 21 months now and my physical healing has been great. However, my worst symptom brain fog still haunts me.
I also went to a strict organic diet and cutting out gluten and dairy. I also supplement my diet a lot and monitor my bloods.
Now answering your question, I have spoken to a few people with PA and they do struggle with viruses and illnesses. Which kind of makes sense as b12 is vital for regeneration and new cells and nerves throughout our body.
But, since I started to inject last may, I had loading doses and then twice a week before daily in august 2020, and combined with my healthy diet I have not had a cold, sore throat or any illness at since then (2 years)
Now I will say something very controversial but I have spent thousands of hours researching medicine and health. Colds are bacterial detoxification of dead cells and pollutants from environment, pharmaceutical drugs, food, alcohol, pollution and drugs. Viruses are soap detoxification within your body when you have too much and bacterial detoxification is not enough. Viruses have no digestive system, no respairtory systems and no nucleus. All viruses are good as they cleanse pollutants etc. This is all based on terrain theory which I now completely believe in.
My experience has been that I had a sore throat nearly every day of my life from about the age of 28 when I believe I first manifested PA (not diagnosed) I also at that time contracted Mono, took nearly six months to largely recover, only to get mono again and never fully recovered. Since taking Methyl B12 injections (2 SNOS MTHFR) 3x per week, I’m largely better
What has helped me dramatically-before and after starting injections- is taking zinc gluconate lozenges ( thoroughly allowing them to dissolve in the mouth)
There is good evidence that if you start taking them every 2-3 hours at the FIRST sign of a cold (corona viruses) it will drastically reduce the severity. I have found that it will stop it within hours if I start in time. Because of all this, I’m never without them. Either Coldeze or Zicam work or their equivalent store brands.
In my experience, anytime my body has to recover from an illness, I automatically up the frequency of injections. There have been times when I was sick or especially after surgery that I feel my symptoms start to return with keeping my usual frequency. I also had slight congestion, dry cough and brutal body aches. The fatigue was ridiculous. I could sleep all day for the first week! Turned out to be covid. That was a month ago and I feel back to normal now. The cough is still annoying me once in a while. Hope you feel better soon.
I had Covid back in March and found that my B12 symptoms came back well before my next injection.I spoke to the dr about it when I was seeing her about something else and she said that being ill and recovering requires more resources from your body so could mean I used up my B12 quicker.
Also, unfortunately you need to be patient in terms of recovery, it takes a long time to heal after B12 deficiency in my experience and also takes a while to figure out what frequency of injections you need to keep you topped up.
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