B12 deficiency, Acid Reflux, heartburn

[ReallyWondering]

I’ve recently been diagnosed as B12 deficient. My symptoms were tingling in my feet and calves, hair loss, memory loss, ringing in my ears, exhaustion. This has been going on for over a year. I have been taking b12 vitamins this whole time and started taking them sublingually. Still no change in my levels so now I’m taking shots once a week. It’s been about six weeks and I’m feeling much better. However, I still have tingling in my feet. Does this ever go away? I’m also taking 40 mg omeprazole for acid reflux, which may be contributing to the malabsorption. However I still have daily heartburn . But I’ve only been on it for two months. Is anyone else dealing with a similar issue? Are the two related? What is causing the B12 malabsorption?

[Nackapan]

Really pleased you've had such good relief from your symptoms so soon..

You need to keep up the b12 injections .

It can take years in some cases to improve of eliminate b12 deficiency symptoms.

Hopefully the need for omeprazole will lesson as that itself csn deplete b12 .

It's a common symptom ĺ.

Plenty of information to read on here 👍

[Orchard33]

I'm sure others here will also say perhaps increase the frequency of injections until all the peripheral neuropathy symptoms disappear.Having taken Omeprazol long term, I believe it was at least partly that which precipitated PA. I came off them when I researched the clear connection between PPIs and stomach and intestinal harms. And they did not, in the long term, help the reflux problem. For a transitional time I went back to an H2 Blocker and then stopped that. I now rely on a change in stress levels and natural remedies to mitigate reflux.

[HeartyGilly]

have you tried injections? B12 jabs are needed by many of us. Have you tried eliminating wheat from your diet?

[ReallyWondering in reply to HeartyGilly]

I am currently taking weekly injections. for the last 6 weeks. I have not tried to eliminate wheat. However, I don't eat much anyway.

[HeartyGilly in reply to ReallyWondering]

You may need more frequent injections. And it is worth trying eliminating all wheat. It is hidden in things. We can’t even eat gluten free. We can buy wheat free bread

[ReallyWondering in reply to HeartyGilly]

Is it the same dose? Cyanocobalamin mdv 1000mcg is what I have.

[HeartyGilly in reply to ReallyWondering]

I am not familiar with that but if that is your normal dose, if it was me I would see what effect more frequent injections has.

[Wheat]

hello, ReallyWondering, I agree with other posts. Ppi impairs/stops absorbtion of b12.

gps here automatically prescribe ant acids or ppi for the symptom of reflux ignoring the cause . Ii assume its the same in usa. Low stomach acid is treated as high stomach acid

As we get older generally we produce less stomach acid making digestion less easy causing reflux . ppi etc restricts production of stomach acid, compounding the problem of digestion/absorption .

In my case it exacerbated pain in chest . Stopped digestion. I lost a lot of weight. Now take apple cider vinegar and lime juice to digest.

Best wishes.

[ReallyWondering in reply to Wheat]

I am not losing weight, if anything it's harder for me to lose weight. Do you take apple cider vinegar and lime juice every day?

[Wheat in reply to ReallyWondering]

Yes, unfortunately atm I have to rely on them to acidify my stomach and digest food.

However to stop reflux (low stomach acid) acv with mother is recommended. Lots online and you tube about it.

[B12life]

I would as others have suggested increase your doses. Do daily.

I had tingling and numbness. I had sciatica so bad I couldn't walk a mile. Those symptoms are all gone. It took injections daily.

[ReallyWondering in reply to B12life]

Daily injections for how long? Is it the same dose as the weekly? I'm currently on Cyanocobalamin mdv 1000mcg.

[B12life in reply to ReallyWondering]

Same dose as the weekly or rather 1000 mcg / ml

Each day.

I would do it indefinitely until all symptoms subside.

It takes 4 years to deplete the liver stores, and during that thine there was a lot of impact to your body. thus it will take a long time to heal, but healing is necessary.

[tomdickharry in reply to B12life]

Please read 'the entero-hepatic circulation of vitamin B12' where it explains the supposed storage of B12.

[ReallyWondering in reply to tomdickharry]

Read but don't understand. Please explain in layman's terms (if possible)

[tomdickharry in reply to ReallyWondering]

What it means is that half of the B12 in the body is in the liver, but it's not there as a surplus to be used up when other organs run short.

The liver needs and uses all that it contains for its normal functions in metabolism. If it gets depleted for any reason the liver can't work properly.

[Polaris]

Agree with others here Really Wondering

plus I mainly follow Dr Eric Berg’s keto diet, excluding gluten, but adding fermented products - sauerkraut, ACV, Vogels Centaurium, Swedish Bitters etc. -

Result - no more digestive problems 🤗

[autumngreen]

I took Omeprazole for 5 months (it caused severe malabsorption of B12), for what my GP said was acid reflux. Omeprazole didn’t resolve the reflux and made me feel very ill. I stopped taking Omeprazole and started taking H2 blockers and following the Acid Watcher Diet by Dr Aviv. I weaned myself off H2 Blockers and stuck to the diet. I started having B12 injections which really helped. I’m having B12 injections every 10 weeks. My GP wasn’t helpful and I question if it was acid reflux.

[tomdickharry in reply to autumngreen]

May I ask where you obtain H2 blockers if you are in UK? I've been on Emozul since Zantac was banned but GP won't give me H2 blockers. Any H2 blockers seem to be prescription only.

[ReallyWondering in reply to tomdickharry]

I am in the US and they are prescription. However they are available OTC at a lower dosage.

[tomdickharry in reply to ReallyWondering]

Thanks for that. Before Zantac was banned you could get them OTC here; sadly, no longer.

[ReallyWondering in reply to tomdickharry]

Well maybe it should be banned here, as well.

[Hockey_player]

I had tingling in my feet with shots every 3 weeks and after switching to every other day for a few weeks it cleared up. I think lots of people can recover from that if they get enough B12. It sounds very likely you have pernicious anemia like many of us. If you just had a shortage from not enough in your diet, it would have cleared up when you took vitamins and when you took B12 sublingually. This means you will need B12 for the rest of your life.