PA, or just getting older?: I recently... - Pernicious Anaemi...

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PA, or just getting older?

Permexpi profile image
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I recently came across an article about PA and back pain. I wonder if I can blame my B12 deficiency for my sciatica and wrist tendonitis? I had thought of them as unrelated. In a way this would be good news as it means they might improve as I get my B12 levels back up.

PA seems to cause so many symptoms that often get put down to 'just getting older' and shrugged off.

healthline.com/health/anemi...

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Permexpi
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5 Replies
WIZARD6787 profile image
WIZARD6787

I am getting older. Much of what I was experiencing was with great confidence attributed to my age which is 68. Using the medicial understanding of aging and applying it logically is I got real old 3 years ago and have been getting younger ever sense. I go with whatever symptoms I have I accept it might be age and take what measures I can to see if it is.

Being 68 I have lots of friends that are older. Subjectivity the "healthy" ones are not any more healthy.

Sleepybunny profile image
Sleepybunny

Hi,

I have read articles suggesting an association between sciatica and B12 deficiency and also with tendonitis.

B12 deficiency can cause damage to myelin layer around nerves.

NHS link about sciatica

nhs.uk/conditions/sciatica/

Symptoms of B12 Deficiency (folate deficiency also mentioned)

pernicious-anaemia-society....

b12deficiency.info/signs-an...

cks.nice.org.uk/topics/anae...

b12-institute.nl/en/symptom... (B12 Institute Netherlands)

b12awareness.org/cobalamin-... (from B12 awareness - US website)

Sciatic neuropathy is a type of peripheral neuropathy (PN).

Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy (damage to peripheral nerves)

nhs.uk/conditions/periphera...

Peripheral neuropathy can be associated with B12 deficiency and sometimes with folate deficiency.

Sailinglady profile image
Sailinglady

I've had lower back pain associated with my sacroiliac joints since i was 12 (now 49). A couple of years ago the pain started to get much worse and I decided I needed to do something about it. So I started a rehab Pilates class each week and my back pain improved. Around the same time, I started B12 injections for what I now know to be PA.For the last year I've had very little back pain and I thought this was because I'd religiously done stretching and strengthening exercises every day.

This summer, I reduced my B12 to monthly and had a week without doing exercises. My back pain came back with a vengeance.

After a few months of only monthly injections, all my PA symptoms returned and in the last month I've gone back to weekly injections.

I've been religiously doing my exercises since August, but my back pain has magically improved in the last 2 weeks, around the same time that the tingling in my hands and feet started to subside again.

I am now convinced that the B12 injections are helping me control the back pain. The low levels of B12 are not causing the pain (that's an injury from when I was 12) but the injections definitely help, and I postulate that the demyelination exacerbates the pain and increases the muscle spasm.

Long answer, but yes, I am now convinced B12 helps

Orchard33 profile image
Orchard33

I don't attribute any symptom to getting older as a matter of principle. Yes, things wind down as I age but I also believe that every symptom can be improved.

MindfulSquirrel profile image
MindfulSquirrel

I had back and neck pain that has not entirely stopped since starting vitamin treatment but is now better. I’m sure part of that is due to B12 injections correcting the beginning of gait issues. But it’s also worth saying that a lot of people with B12 problems also have vitamin D issues, and vitamin D is definitely associated with back and joint pain. My vitamin D levels are now much better so that could be down to that.

Interestingly I would always catch every virus my kids brought home (to the extent of getting chicken pox for a second time) but since starting all the vitamin treatment, I seem to be much more resistant. 🙂

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