Hello everyone, I am a lady of 67. Ive been taking lansoprazole for years. Then I began to feel ill with various symptoms the doctor was not interested in or would virtually say I was a hypocondriac. I nagged and got sent to a consultant who said I had neurological problems caused by fibromylgia and nothing could be done. But as time went on I got worse and worse and ended up so breathless and lacking in energy I could barely stand up. A vitamin b12 blood test said bad intrinsic factor and this must mean pernicious anaemia with a regular injection of b12.
Ive had these three or four times and still dont feel right.
Can anyone tell me the answer to my question?
I understand according to the pernicious anaemia society etc and other reputable bodies that high doses of b12 in tablet forum can help too, but it takes months for it to build up to that. And of course our bodies do not store b12 for long so we must continually replace it.
Would be good to discuss this with anyone else who really thinks about it and knows stuff.
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wiserlady
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Talk to your doctor before taking Lansoprazole: - if you have low vitamin B12 levels or have risk factors for low vitamin B12 levels and receive long-term treatment with Lansoprazole. As with all acid reducing agents, Lansoprazole may lead to a reduced absorption of vitamin B12.
What vitamins does lansoprazole deplete?
Taking this medicine for a long time may make it harder for your body to absorb vitamin B12. Tell your doctor if you have concerns about vitamin B12 deficiency. Serious stomach conditions may occur while taking this medicine alone or together with antibiotics.
I have been prescribed Lansoprazole for many years to apparently protect my stomach from the aspirin's I am prescribed. I am now having to inject B12 daily and suffer with erosive gastritis and bowel issues !
Hi and thanks for response. Yes I know that vitamin b12 is not absorbed when taking lansoprazole. But wanted to hear from someone who knew if taking lansoprazole can cause pernicious anaemia - a life long illness, not a temporary blip while you take it. I think I might have erosive gastritis. But getting doctors to listen and do something is another matter. It took them years to accept I was ill in the first place. I am having vitamin b12 injections every three months but do not think it is enough. Thinking of taking 1000mg tablets regularly to add to it. I've read on the pernicious anaemia and similar sites that it can help or be an alternative to the injections.
I requested my Gp to prescribe my injections every two months, albeit a battle she agreed. I tried taking sublingal B12 but found it didn't raise my levels, I now self inject.
In answer to your question.......
Can PPIs cause pernicious anemia?
Long term proton pump inhibitor use may have contributed to his vitamin B12 deficiency. B12 deficiency may be caused by pernicious anemia, total or partial gastrectomy, gastric bypass, and inflammatory bowel disease. 3 These conditions interfere with absorption of vitamin B12.
Notice the may contributed ! Lets put it this way they most certainly do not help the condition........
What vitamins does lansoprazole deplete?
Taking this medicine for a long time may make it harder for your body to absorb vitamin B12. Tell your doctor if you have concerns about vitamin B12 deficiency. Serious stomach conditions may occur while taking this medicine alone or together with antibiotics.
If your on lansoprazole I would discuss with your Gp a referral to a gastrologist who can take a closer look at what is going on. I had both a gastroscopy and a colonoscopy. Due to my having these proceedures numerous issues where found which explain my deficiency such as inflammation of the illium. I am now waiting for a capsule swallow to further investigate, mind it has been a damned long wait.
PA is an autoimmune condition so although Lansoprazole may not cause it will hinder absorbtion...........
Thank you. I have researched this subject thoroughly and had already read the page you quoted. I know someone who has been taking lansoprazole for many years, recently he had to have a hip replacement, even his doctor did not see or ignored the connection.
When they prescribe these wretched things they fail to inform of the consequence. I have been on then far too long and waiting to discuss with the gastrologist an alternative.
I have just had my hips xrayed ! My knees and elbows are also very painful, just had a short course of steriods which helped but they also cause issues so cant win......... ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...
Like yourself I also have FM and finding it a constant battle to juggle all these wretched conditions.
Yes it is a constant battle, just as it is hard to get loved ones to understand. They cannot see a broken bone or a leg in plaster so they think we are hypochondriacs when we tell them we feel nauseous again or cannot eat or have insomnia or whatever.
I am at the age where family no longer question and unfortunately my daughter also has FM and my son as inherited like myself hypoparathyroidism ! On top of this I also have an underactive thyroid and on Levo and T3.
I've also got an underactive thyroid and taking levo. When it is sons and daughters they tend to take it on the chin, when it is family you don't usually see or acquaintances they cannot be bothered to look into it and understand it and tend to think you are imagining things and not want to talk about it.
Unfortunately family wont understand unless suffering with it themselves. They dont mean to be harsh they simply do not understand what we are going through.
I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.......hmm maybe one or two of them. 🤔 I know a few Drs and consultants I would wish it on for a week or two just so that they can get the jist of what we suffer on a daily basis.
But I am sure youve researched the alternatives on here, and there are only a tiny number of them. So you will know what you need to know already. Beware of steroids. They are the poisoned chalice.
I had no choice other than to take the steriods I was in absolute agony but it was only a short course. I have tried alsorts over the years and have resorted a accupuncture and alternative medication but when autoimmune antibodies raise their ugly heads other aliments come into play. It really is a swine to deal with and try and explain. At least on here others are going through similar and understand. 😘
Yes. Ive tried acupuncture and herbs. You become an expert on the subject if you get deeply into it pouring a lot of time into it. Yet you still cannot totally get rid of it.
And you cannot arrange anything with certainlty, i dare not arrange a holiday. even a day out can get cancelled at last miunute because too ill.
I know exactly what your saying, even hospital appts are getting hit and miss. I tried everything when younger and could have written a book but this fuzzy old head of mine doesn't seem to substain knowledge. 🤪
I went to a holistic health farm some years ago where they did alsorts of wierd and wonderful therapies. Then I tried the chinese therapy of cupping and came out looking like Mr Blobby with great big red rings all over my body !
I can appreciate when younger it is very frustrating not to be able to do as we please because our health is holding us back.
Take care and look after yourself as best as you can. 💐
Yes. A few years ago I had to have a total hysterectomy, and am still struggling with my second menopause. You get days where you feel ok, days where you wish you werent here dont you. it would be good to chat to you more if you would like to, please feel free to private message me.
I too had a total hysterectomy 5 years ago. And now using HRT patches. But I think a lot of my symptoms are those of B12 deficiency. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia many years ago, but now it appears it may have been B12 deficiency all along. I was taking omeprazole for 20 years, which I stopped last Christmas's, as I found out what harm it was doing to my gut microbiome. Which is probably why I wasn’t absorbing B12 properly. I am currently having all sorts of probiotics, and gut restoring vitamins etc to help my gut recover. And also B12 injections every other day, which I started in May.
wow. we have a lot in common. both had a total hysterectomy, both told we had fibro and both got b12 problems. im 67 by the way. if you want to chat with me more in private please feel free to message me.
hat isalong time i havetaken lansoprazole for 3 years and two b12 tablets per day b12 is very high i have beentold that you need to take b2 and b6 for the tablets to work but i dont
Lansopazole does not cause Pernicious Anaemia . It causes Vitamin B12 deficiency because that medication. completely annihilates stomach acid which is needed to break down food in order for the body to absorb vitamin B12. But you seem to.be a P.A. patient who just happens to be taking Lansaprazole .
When you say “ Bad Intrinsic Factor “ I assume that you mean you had the Intrinsic Factor Antibodies test which came out positive . This is proof of P.A. If you have P.A. it means that you need B12 injections FOR LIFE , often enough to keep the symptoms you mention at bay . Some patients may benefit from tablets , but that’s the minority .
We are all different and require different dosage regimes .
I need an injection weekly . This means I have to self-inject which everyone on this forum has been forced to do to keep well.
GPs have a poor understanding of PA. unfortunately.
Hi Wedgewood. How do you get weekly injections when doctors say every two or three months? Do they know about them? I've read on a site that you can have them send you injections, worldwide, is it from there? Some of the sites - well established ones - insist that if you take 1000 - 2000 a day in tablet form you will be ok but it will take at least two months to feel better and another two months to feel better still. They say they cannot understand why so many doctors insist it must be injections when the tablet form is easier and cheaper.
I can assure you that for most Pernicious Anaemia patients the tablets do not work . They work well for patients who have B12 deficiency for other reasons . They do not help most P.A. patients . GPs would like their P.A. patients to take tablets because they want to employ as few nurses as possible because they are paid out of the funds the surgery gets from the NHS .
We get our B12 ampoules from excellent online German pharmacies . An injection costs about £2.00 , everything included.
I’ll send you information to your private message site .
Many thanks Wedgewood. Someone sent me a lot of info in a private message, but I find it hard to read and take in masses of information now. Prefer to have just the necessary stuff if that is ok with you. £2 per injection sounds good, when it can make such a huge difference to how you are, I reckon for about £`120 you would feel much better? Hope you are feeling well today.
I sent you the private message . Yes there was a lot of information , but you need it all if you want to self -inject for £2.00 . It entails ordering B12 ampoules from German online pharmacies , in bulk ,also syringes and needles in bulk ( 100) Exact instructions for injecting Intramuscularly .
I’m feeling well thanks . I’ve had my B12 injection today , which took me about 5 minutes .
I advise you to do the same if you can’t get more regular injections from your doctor. I came to self injecting too late. This resulted in an irreversible symptom. This can happen if adequate treatment is delayed .
Thank you very much, do appreciate it. One of my symptoms is brain fog so I find it hard to read a lot of stuff without it just going in one eye and out the other. I have to ask my partner to sort it out for me. This is tricky because he is not great at reading and writing. So I concentrate on things that are not too complicated and too wordy or have to let it go. Is there any way you can just put the bare bones of it so that I have the info I need?
Google. apohealth.de You can get it in English by clicking on 🇬🇧 bottom left on my device.
Search for Panpharma b12 depot ampoules . Best of all just use the reference number 16199653 which will take you to the item . About €10.00 per pack of 10 ampoules . Choose how many Packs you want . Go to pay -either card or PayPal .
When putting in your address , you must put in your country FIRST , on the drop-down list , or your postcode will not be accepted . The ampoules will take about 4 working days to arrive from Germany .
I will let you know about needles , syringes etc in another message as I have to dash out now .
If you would just like to try one injection try pharmacy4wellbeingvitaminin... costs £14.99 with one ampoule ( Hydroxocobalamin ) 2 needles and one syringe .
wedgewood you are a ray of sunshine. Ive had some very understanding and positive replies on here over the past few days, and really appreciate your help and the information you share with me.
I am just in the process of trying to persuade some people on Facebook Fibrowomen group that it could be B12 deficiency, but they are very sceptical. And as I said to them it doesn’t cost anything to at least do a bit of googling and research the deficiency. Hope you get some help. I’m sure there will be some excellent advice given here.
seems to me it is about the cortisol and serotonin balance and that is why some anti depressants work for it. but like you say it costs nothing to research it, and many of the people here have all day to do it - no work to do - time rich. many of them seem to think we should do all of the research for them and then they just swoop down and fly off with our efforts.
I have a similar scepticism from my sister in law and a couple of other friends who have been diagnosed with FB. I know this sounds unkind but I think FB sounds more important and “not their fault” whereas a vitamin deficiency sounds incidental and avoidable ie we are at fault.
There is no doubt that PPIs deplete B12 - it says so on the tin - it happened to my husband but now he’s stopped the PPI his stomach appears to be recovering and his B12 supplementation needs are reducing suggesting his gut is now producing B12 again. Although he could have had tablets as no PA it would have taken much longer for him to recover as although the doses are high, the utilisation is lower hence injections are often the preferred “fixing” method. So he is now on 1 x B12 injection every four weeks.
I on the other hand do have PA and I have never had a PPI but I need several injections a day to keep my symptoms at bay and lead a normal life. If I don’t inject enough I have aches and pains in my neck and shoulders and arms ( just like my sister in law and friends with FM) and I have all sorts of niggles which are uncomfortable and numerous enough for me to notice them and want them gone. Tablets for me do nothing.
My husband responded well to injections with no “reversing out” symptoms ie he did not feel worse before he got better. I think it was because his B12 deficiency has happened over a five year period and his levels were low enough to give some symptoms but not desperately low .
I on the other hand responded badly to initial loading injections and ended up in bed for three months feeling really ill and unable to function but my B12 had been deficient for approx 20 years and was ridiculously low. But now I too am better but only if I have several injections a day.
Wiserlady sounds as if you are at the start of your PA/B12 deficiency recovery journey and you need to carry on with B12 injections. I started with every other day and as I recovered and regained my active life I needed more B12 not less, although I am now in a reducing phase!
I am not sure if my ramblings are helpful but I hope you find your health path - I am confident you will as you are researching which in itself is a sign of result and determination.
Totally agree. I am battling with fibro, PA and having had a total hysterectomy a few years ago where my hormones are still messing me up. Many doctors and nurses think it is so easy and see it all in black and white, and forget how we are feeling. They just say the blood tests are fine be off with you. Even if you are struggling with poor concentration, aches and pains, nausea or whatever. Am taking an injection every three months and they will re assess it in a year.
I totally agree about how fb sounds more serious and not their fault. Yet sometimes it is their fault. I take an injection every three months. But I am also battling with having had a total hysterectomy a few years ago and that still not being right. Doctors and nurses are quite clueless about both. I often have to research something thoroughly and explain it to them to get anywhere at all. And then you can get a wall put up as not interested. I had a nurse at my doctor's surgery telling me I had hypochondria a few years ago, then when I insisted on seeing someone the consultant I saw said fibro, yet all of the symptoms of that are the same as for hormone imbalance due to menopause, which it turned out I had, and very much the same as vitamin b12. I also have problems because I am housebound and cannot get out alone. The only person who can take me out is my partner. But he works and is often away. The doctors do not get it. They think they can demand that when I need a blood test or whatever he MUST jump to it and be available to take me. Even if he is hundreds of miles away. Because it saves them coming to do it. It gets very frustrating.
hello Wiserlady …. Your story is familiar … please see the Nice Guidelines on B12 deficiency … showing the new signs symptoms treatments and co-factors to be considered … recently updated in March 2024
Considers the regime for injections … (every day if necessary) I personally have done this with a good result.
Co-factors …. What else is recommended as in testing
Advises many things and well worth the read. Unfortunately we are not supported well by lack of GP knowledge - not wanting to be rude - but it’s a fact.
The forum here is a life saver.
As you are also low thyroid on Levo - could you possibly get tested for t3 levels …. On my story I started t3 a year and a half ago and found it helped ….. but was a fight to get tested and get the meds - fortunately prescribed through my endocrinologist
I am hypothyroid/ME/sleep apnea/ high cholesterol / high BP and am now on the b12 injection but show ‘in range’ on lab tests but very low numbers so treated on symptoms (local lab ranges 200-900….. my b12 260 previous to injections) I now self inject and told my GO I now do this myself ( just so he could understand why my numbers are now 2000+)
I test vit D also
I hope you find the Guidelines helpful…
The forum is a font of knowledge here and I am grateful to them every day
I’m chattable too if you want to pm me (if allowed)
I’m an ex nurse now retired so as you said in yours I’m time rich ( when well enough to be )
Hi Delilahmy, Ive read all of the Nice stuff and much more. But I come to the forum to discuss it with people who have been through similar experiences. For actual facts some websites are terrific. For personal experience I come here. Are you in USA? Things are very different in UK. Feel free to private message me.
Think people in USA are more likely to try to avoid going to doctors etc as it costs them a lot each time. But we have other downsides like waiting ages for an appointment or talking to a bad listener or a badly educated person.
it’s difficult here too to get people to take us seriously …. And treat with the right meds… just a minefield especially when you have a few things in the mix to deal with. Your payments must be hard to cope with (((
Why were you prescribed a PPI ? I believe it says on the PIL it's for 8 weeks.
I have scrolled through your posts and see you have contributed to many. But not Thyroid UK ?? Low acid symptoms can be similar to high acid. With low thyroid low acid is common and the PPI will exacerbate symptoms.
Do you have your latest Thyroid test results - TSH - FT4 - FT3 & Anti-bodies TPO & Tg. ?? Also has your Folate - Ferritin & VitD been tested ? Your Levo will also be affected by the PPI.
Click onto my username above to read my Bio and posts written since 2011.
Hi, I’ll share my experience and hopefully you will find it helpful. Began having severe GERD and digestive issues in my late 20’s and began taking a PPI’s on and off for many years—any endoscopy I’ve ever had has indicated gastritis. Around age 40 I began having severe migraines and despite being on a PPI, I was having severe GERD symptoms and I wasn’t sleeping. I was having trouble concentrating to read and write and thought I might be starting perimenopause, but instead I was diagnosed with PMS.
GP sent me to my gastro dr because of severe GERD and he ran blood tests that showed low b12. No loading doses but one per month for two months. I had become so lethargic over the past couple of years that I struggled to get out of bed. After the first shot, I felt like a million bucks, but a week later I was crashing so I supplemented with sublingual methyl. When follow up blood work showed slightly elevated levels, the Dr said I probably needed to go back on injections. I knew nothing about b12 deficiency and didn’t understand what he was telling me-you are not absorbing the sublingual. PPI’s can also cause absorption issues with magnesium and vitamin C, but those levels were okay
I believed the PPI caused my deficiency and that if I could get off of it, then I would be cured. I tapered off and began taking high doses of sublingual and just became so sick. I was nearly out of my mind after three months. I became very dizzy and my anxiety was relentless. For the first time in my life, I actually had some understanding about the pain people must feel before ending their lives and why they may go to that extreme.
I saw my GP who explained to me that though PPI’s do cause low b12, that my symptoms were just too severe for that to be the cause. She told me that I would need injections for life even though at that time, my IFAB test had been negative. It took a second test seven years later to return a positive result.
A few years ago, my gastro dr convinced me to go back on the lowest dose of a PPI because of the gastritis and possible Barrett’s disease to protect me from cancer. I get endoscopies every 3 years. I do not understand the use of PPI’s for someone with PA since that’s supposed to be associated with low stomach acid. I think my dr is concerned about the risk of cancer and is trying to do all he can to prevent it. We have gone back and forth about long term use and he strongly believes it’s best in my case.
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