Has anyone else pondered on the links here? Although I can find all sorts of discussion about her early stresses, repeated losses and struggle with depression, even chemical imbalances, possible bipolar, not a jot can I find about the B12 deficiency which she would have had at least at one point, even if it were on top of other causes - and I wonder about even that - perhaps a genetic functional deficiency? She was a meat-eater and only young. Just thinking about the birth of Nicholas (her 2nd child) in Jan 1962, she was 'intoxicated by the gas and air until it ran out' during a lengthy and more difficult birth and then needed antibiotics following which she breast fed. She attempted suicide in June 1962, and by Jan 1963 said her current depression had been severe for 6 or 7 months, with weight loss, insomnia, agitation, suicidal thoughts, inability to cope with daily life, she died 11 Feb 1963. Her father (morbid, nervous and intense) died when she was 8 following complications of diabetes and Nicholas committed suicide. As far back as April 1957 she herself described being deeply exhausted, sick of being tired, fatigue being continuous, itching and burning all over, reacting to bright lights, and that 'I must have anemia or mononucleosis or some dread insidious disease'. She'd had nitrous for wisdom teeth in 1950 and had broken a leg in early 1953 - treatment unknown to me. Plus a breakdown, miscarriage, appendix removal (not nitrous), easy first birth with no stated nitrous, a lot of sleeping tablets, electroconvulsive therapy, insulin shock treatment then MAOIs. I'd have thought by now someone would have considered the possibility, even just for a thesis........if I've missed a book, please let me know! Thanks
Sylvia Plath and B12?: Has anyone else... - Pernicious Anaemi...
Sylvia Plath and B12?
Often, I look at famous people who could have had PA/B12D. It is pretty likely that Sylvia Plath had it given her medical history, family history and symptoms especially itching and burning all over, reacting to bright lights, miscarriage. All the nitrous oxide and antibiotics. She had neuropsychiatric symptoms.
It is only when people like you bookish start to unpick things, do we go Ah-ha.
I know John F Kennedy had lots of Medical problems and received B12. His records were sealed but lots of things came to light afterwards. I am pretty sure that British Prime Minister Clement Attlee also had B12 injections as well. He had a peptic ulcer.
I also believe Enid Blyton succumbed to this disease. Playing golf she become breathless and felt faint. Then within 3 years had dementia. I can only speculate.
John F Kennedy, in amongst everything else, was one of the earliest patients to receive liothyronine (thyroid hormone - T3) shortly after it became available (launched 1956).
I still have her diary from twenty years ago and felt so strongly about her and the courageous way she tackled life although I don't think she felt she had. I was more curious about her psychological self and thought her lifestyle probably didn't contribute to good health although it seems she was a good cook. I was terribly sad to finish that book. I wish she could have carried on.
Interesting but heartbreaking to read that about Sylvia Plath .
In those days knowledge of B12 deficiency was not so widespread . Today there is excelkent knowledge about it , but still so many GPs display their ignorance on the subject and cause so much suffering as a result . It’s truly a scandal . Thank the Lord for this forum and all the other organisations who do their best to spread the knowledge .
I know Martyn Hooper has tried to talk psychiatrists, psychiatric nurses and help in I believe, 2 cases where people were detained under the Mental Health Act (1983) because they had their Hydroxycobalamin injections stopped. They will not even entertain the idea of PA/B12D because their Specialty is far too important.
I know that Mr P Julian Owen is working extremely hard with CluB-12 educating doctors.
I know that Ms T Witty also works extremely hard helping people who are stuck in the Mental Health system. I have found that they have the approach is Your Physical health has nothing to do with your Mental Health. You still have Major Depressive Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar even though the person actually has PA/B12D and/or Hashimoto’s Disease. You still need these psychoactive drugs, you still need to attend appointments and we were absolutely correct in imprisoning you.
It is a real shame they have no neurology training and they are absolutely awful at Record Keeping. Detention papers are NOT signed on the correct date. The consent papers for ECT only have one psychiatrist’s signature on NOT two. I know the legal papers are NULL and VOID.
There are several Databases within the NHS. MH notes are kept separately to Physical Health and require consent from the patient to access. In the U.K. it is called the Patient Reported Indicator Surveys or PARIS for short. They have standardised questions which are not appropriate to those with P.A./B12D such as Recreational Drug use, Self-Harm, Risk-taking behaviour.
Answers of I’m at Risk of falling because of poor balance are met with furrowed brows, rude dismissive hand gestures and comments of it being totally irrelevant by the so-called Professional who earns approximately £110,000.00.
In my humble opinion, psychiatrists abuse their position of power, do not listen to patients which is evident in their notes and have Narcissistic Personality Disorders.
Sylvia Plath’s GP, John Horder had recurrent low mood and was admitted to hospital himself. They are fuelling the cycle because Clinicians’ are lacking objectivity and projecting their own problems onto patients.
Now, wedgewood, if we look at another industry, say banking and there is no signature on a cheque - what happens ? If we put the wrong date on a claim for our Car Insurance - what happens ?
Do psychiatrists know they are actually committing Data Fraud ? No, of course not. They are far too egotistical to realise that. They do not realise the records they produce feed into MANY other systems. Three of which are :-
* Payment by Results * Cost Analysis * Commissioning
So, by still claiming the person has Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) when they have PA/B12D, it is very easy to PROVE not only is it Data Fraud but Financial Fraud.
A CCG, ICB, Trust states it has 500 patients with MDD on their books in a REPORT to whom ?
Nope, it has 351.
149 have PA/B12D, Hashimoto’s Disease, Lupus, ulcerative colitis. They were misdiagnosed years ago. However, one GP listened, ordered bloods, made referrals and the patient had lots of investigations which proved they were very sick and they do NOT have Medically Unexplained Symptoms. Psychiatrists ADD this DSM label just because they can.
Psychiatrists also do NOT realise that patients may engage with other Government systems such as the DVLA and the Department of Works and Pension. Nobody likes a Benefit’s Cheat but the Nurse assessor can see the Person is wobbly on their feet. So awards the person money because of their mobility.
Psychiatry insist the panacea for Recovery is Voluntary work. Obviously, this is extremely beneficial for someone who is struggling to wash and dress themselves because of their Fall Risk.
😉
Thank you for your excellent post . How I agree with you. .Its MARVELLOUS to have you onboard where we have the advantage of your intelligence , kindness and great professional knowledge .
Many interesting points, as always, thank you (and I am one with a Medically Unexplained Symptoms label.......). When I was wondering what ECT might do to your B12, folate and other essentials by way of stress depletion, I found this from 2018 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl....
Although it does mention 'higher' homocysteine, when you look at the figures across the board they do seem to be implying acceptable for at least some when we would suggest now that all of these are way too high - optimal being 6 or 7 (or less) and certainly not 10 or more - and this is an inpatient population. Makes you want to weep.
Thank you bookish,
An extremely interesting article which I shall print out and slowly digest. It is absolutely amazing, the patients have a DSM label, then another statistical tool of a Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale is undertaken :
Apparent sadness
Reported sadness
Inner tension
Reduced sleep
Reduced appetite
Concentration difficulties
Lassitude
Inability to feel
Pessimistic thoughts
Suicidal thoughts
and a German version of the Structured Clinical Interview for Diagnostic (SKID) which no doubt where ALL questioned towards a person’s emotions and mood. How about throwing in :-
1) Do you have any numbness, pins and needles, tinnitus, any joint pain ? If a person is in pain - they are NOT happy. They are fatigued, exhausted and fed up.
2) Can I undertake a neurological examination and check how you walk, your eye sight and reflexes ?
They have totally lobotomised the MIND from the rest of the brain from the rest of the body. It is severely skewed and BIASED.
I do not know what physical diagnoses you do have bookish. PA/B12D, other Autoimmune Disease but you have times, dates, doctors’ names. So, you can have the Medically Unexplained Symptoms label removed under GDPR (2018) Article 17 - the Right to Erasure .
ico.org.uk/for-organisation....
Medical Records have to be accurate. It impacts Patient Care and Patient Safety. Can you imagine giving a patient with Coeliac Disease who is in hospital, breakfast which contains WHEAT ? Oh yes, it happened.
Thank you so much for this post Narwhal10. My goodness it’s shocking that there’s so many not being treated properly or fairly with MH . I read Sylvia Plath years ago and because I had MH issues at a young age I kinda related big time . Mine have improved so much with B12 etc. I was dismissed age 14 by a cruel consultant who couldn’t see my distress. Thankfully I pulled myself out if it. I’ve always thought there was something not right with my gut and I have PA. Probably had it for years . Didn’t have nitrous oxide when young but repeated prophylactic antibiotics. Poor Sylvia Plath didn’t stand a chance
I am so glad to hear that you managed to get yourself through and out of the mire and that B12 has helped. I too had antibiotics galore as a kid, and mainly for things which were caused by undiagnosed gluten reactivity I am sure. The B12 was slower and more insidious. Best wishes
Apologies Sea-blue,
I have only read your reply. An error on my behalf. I can only apologise for that cruel Consultant. As a Health Professional they certainly would have had a dressing down from me, You watch your step, sunshine. Highly likely I would have wiped the floor with them.
I am sorry to learn of your gut problems and distress. Teenagers are at such a tender age and need to be treated with empathy and understanding. Recently, I wrote a piece about this from both a biological viewpoint and social aspects. Repeated prophylactic antibiotics are absolutely great at preventing infections but destroy the good microorganisms in the gut. Without them we cannot make and create vital amines (vitamins) and minerals.
Very pleasing to read that you had the strength and courage to pull yourself out of it. Plus, B12 is working for you. 😘
yes! It all makes sense.
OMG that is a convincing detailed report. To image one cheap shot of B12 might have helped her feel better! It's a crime this is not addressed by the medical establishment. It fills me with rage. I wonder how many lives are ending right now, for the lack of B12.
Could easily be true BUT I remember my ex-father in law (also a poet and short listed for poet laureate) saying that living with Ted Hughes (whom he knew) was enough to drive anyone to terminal depression
Yes, I know a few people who knew him and said much the same. He didn't help, but she had clearly had the illness for her whole life.
Thank you Angela_of_the_North,
I laughed out loud at that. We have mirror neurons in our brain which help us mimic and learn from our care givers and others.
I just have a meme which states the meaning of Stress - the confusion created when one's mind over rides the body’s basic desire to choke the living daylights out of someone who desperately needs it.
It is highly likely that bookish and many others have experienced this type of stress on their PA/B12D journey. 🤪
I missed this. . . . . . . Very interesting. . . . . . Mind we had an awful mental institution in Antrim and the treatment of the patients was dire to say the least . . . . . . To the point the investigation is ongoing. . . . .. I have read before of undiagnosed B12 deficiency in supposed mental problems but reading this is shocking. . . . . .
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