I have felt unwell for a while Constantly washed out muscles ache, and are weak, brain fog,not sleeping, fuzzy head ,headaches ( more migraines than usual as well),and about 6 months ago started getting dizzy. My acid reflux is really bad I am unable to control it any more,the drugs given to me by GP have just made things worse. I have been tested but I am told my B12 is fine. Is there any other test I can get that might help?
I took early retirement to do lots of things but I just feel unable to do much at all.
My mother suffers from B12 deficiency and has injections every couple of months . Is it possibleit could run in the family?
Many Thanks
Jo
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Acid Reflux can be caused by low stomach acid which is common in PA. Antacids and other drugs used to treat acid reflux can exacerbate or precipitate B12 deficiency because stomach acid is required to separate B12 from the proteins in foods so that it can be absorbed. Pernicious Anemia can be hereditary.
Being told your B12 is fine is something many are familiar with, but its best to share the exact B12 test result and ranges. Active B12, MMA and Homocysteine can also be tested but there is no gold standard test for B12 deficiency and severe symptoms, even neurological can present even with normal B12, MMA and Homocysteine. This is very poorly understood by most doctors who regard these test results as infallible proof that a deficiency does not exist or is not serious if the numbers are not out of range (or only slightly out of range/borderline).
thank you very much for that. Yes I had read about the possibility of acid reflux actually being a lack of acid not over production, so I stopped taking all medication given to me. I have had IBS most of my life but had learnt how to deal with it, but the acid reflux drugs have messed that up also.
Is it worth pushing my GP to get a B12 injection or supplements even though readings are normal?)
I understand the GP said your B12 was "normal" but do you know what the exact figure and range was? It is not uncommon for GP's to call a result normal which is actually borderline low for example. There are several tests for PA which could be worth pursuing : pernicious-anaemia-society....
Do you know what the level of your B12 is- is it close to the bottom of the range? In England, the NHS app will give you direct access to your test results.
yes this level sounds like supplementation is involved, or possibly if you had injection(s) some time ago (but the range is more suggestive of tablets)
If you click on "project documents" then on "consultation comments and responses" it gives a good insight into current issues around diagnosis and treatment.
Local B12 deficiency guidelines
Get hold of a copy of your ICBs (Integrated care Board) or Health Board's B12 deficiency guidelines.
Read blog post below if you want to know why I urge UK forum members to do this
Table 1 in above article is about frequent misconceptions about B12 deficiency that health professionals may have.
"I have been tested but I am told my B12 is fine."
If I could only give one piece of advice it would be ....
always check results yourself.
There are forum members who were told everything was normal, no action and then they found abnormal or borderline results when they accessed their results.
Links to forum threads where I left detailed replies with lots of B12 deficiency info eg causes and symptoms, more UK B12 documents, B12 books, B12 films, other B12 websites and B12 articles and a few hints on dealing with unhelpful GPs.
Some links may have details that could be upsetting.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
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