how long after beginning injections did you feel better?

[Merlotponty]

I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia three weeks ago after feeling fatigued and experiencing digestive problems for around a year. I’ve since started weekly injections. I am just wondering how long it took for you, once you started getting injections, to stop having GI symptoms? I’m really looking forward to feeling less terrible 😞

[Emiroskui]

I don't know your question answer unfortunately. But i just wondered if what level was your b12 lab results? Also what was your main symptoms. I'll appreciate it if you share your lab results of vit b12 level and its normal range

[Merlotponty in reply to Emiroskui]

My level of b12 was “undetectable” lol

[clivealive Forum Support]

It is not uncommon for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better as the B12 you are having starts repairing the damage done to your nervous system and your brain starts getting multiple messages from part of the body it had "forgotten about" or lost contact with. I sometimes liken it to a badly tuned radio on which you have turned the volume up high trying to catch the programme you want when all of a sudden the signal comes in loud and clear and the blast nearly deafens you.

A lot will depend on the severity and longevity of your B12 deficiency as to how long before there is no further improvement or recovery. Some symptoms will "disappear" quite quickly whereas others may take months or even years. There is no set timescale as we are all different.

Unfortunately, a severe deficiency may cause damage to brain and nerve cells that is very difficult to reverse and early detection can be critical in preventing permanent neurological damage.

This last paragraph is not meant to scare you but it is the "worst case scenario" if the deficiency is not treated effectively as the P in P.A. is rightly called pernicious...

If you can get to see a doctor please also ask him/her to check your Folate level as this and B12 help your iron to make red blood cells and to function properly.

I am not a medically trained person but I've had Pernicious Anaemia (one of many causes of B12 deficiency) for more than 51 years and there is life after P.A as I'm still "clive alive" at 82

I wish you well.

[ssiddi2]

I was worse for about 2 months after starting weekly injections and it got progressively better until I started feeling amazing. I stopped the injections and my symptoms returned and this time it took longer to get back to normal. After having been on weekly injections for about 2 years, I feel great. I still have spells where I feel tired, especially after any strenuous activity but overall, I'm much better. Ive noticed whenever I try to go more than a week without an injection I start feeling the fatigue set in. I'm not to the point where I can resume exercises I was able to do before the symptoms first appeared, but I'm able to get through the day without feeling miserable so I'll take that as the treatment working.

I noticed my GI symptoms went away after that initial 2 months of weekly shots.

[JanD236]

I was diagnosed nearly 10 years ago and whilst much improved, my digestive symptoms have never fully resolved.

The major improvement came when I took a course of probiotics. I initially used one called Symprove and it relieved my severe constipation and general discomfort within days. Over the years, s symptoms build up again, I’ve done a few more courses of Symprove or other probiotics.

I also started taking a betaine hcl tablet with protein based meals and this seems to help general discomfort. I’ve read here of other people who use lime juice

I’m still prone to bloating and feeling overly full and if it really won’t go away despite more probiotics etc the only course of action is to eat extremely lightly for a few days and this seems to clear it. I sometimes use homemade chicken broth which helps.