Megaloblastic anemia and very low b12 - Pernicious Anaemi...

Pernicious Anaemia Society

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Megaloblastic anemia and very low b12

3 months ago•9 Replies

I'm currently in a bad way. I have very low B12 and funny shaped enlarged blood cells. My symptoms are numbness in legs feet's. Pins needles, dizziness. Today I have shortness of breath really bad and feel so dizzy and faint. I'm afraid of medication and Dr's so do my best to avoid them. My symptoms are so bad now i can barely walk. Do I contact my gp again as they never phoned me back after saying they would. I'm just terrified I've tried taking B12 but get a revved up awful feeling after, so I stop, I've even tried liver but is nowhere near enough. This is what scares me about injections. I'm not sure if I can join pernious anemia website as I've no idea if I have it. All I know is I can breath or feel my legs properly at the minute. I only have one other health issue and that's hashimotos thyroid disease. Thank you

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Plumpudding

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9 Replies

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Treesong20233 months ago

hello PlumPud, oh dear, I can feel your worry and see why you have it !

You dont want to take a fall or anything do you? I feel your supplements are not likely to really help with your type of symptoms at all. There are some wiser owls than myself in here, and they can steer you well on this. But to fill the gap a bit now, could you possible share any blood test info? As I feel you need to get GP help asap.

From what you share above, you are definately B12 Deficient (and most likely folate deficient) and your symptoms are very typical of that B12 Deficiency problem. The how and why you are deficient does not matter so much now. You have what are called "Neurological Symptoms" this means you really do need to get in to see, or at least talk to your GP. As its a very serious condition and needs B12 by injection to help out. Dont be terrified, as the Good News is that proper B12 treatment WILL HELP you, and it can work pretty fast.

Your symptoms are the same as mine (and most good folks in here!) so i feel your concern. But I STRONGLY URGE you to reach your GP today. You do need proper medical help here, or things will get worse. You need to keep trying and trying, making sure you tell them how bad you doing.

You will not get better doing what you have done so far, you know its not working. Please focus on getting the GP help you need PlumPud. Sending best wishes

Plumpudding• in reply toTreesong20233 months ago

My mch was 33 ref range 27 - 32My B12 was 112 ref range 180 - 900

I thought it was all OK because I've not been called back. But these symptoms are awful and scary

wedgewood3 months ago

If you do have Pernicious Anaemia , then B12 injections are what will help you . P.A. is an autoimmune condition. You already have one autoimmune condition,(Hashimoto’s) and these autoimmune conditions seldom come alone . .. Very common that those two accompany eachother .

You must try to get B12 injections from your GP’ Tablets will not help you as you have found out .

If you have no joy you should try self injecting , because you do need treatment asap as you have numb feet . If you would like to start self-injecting, , you can get all the information here . It is cheap and easy ( about £2.00 everything included) You can inject using the sub cutaneous method, which is using a very short fine needle like some diabetics use .

Some beauty clinics give B12 injections for about £40.00 , if you would like to try one out.

Best wishes .

charks3 months ago

In my experience if you get that 'revved' up feeling from B12 it means you are B12D because your body is reacting so strongly to it. It tends to go away as your body gets used to it.

grumpyold3 months ago

You absolutely are allowed to join the pernicious anaemia group without a formal diagnosis.

I have Hashimoto's too and all of the B12 deficiency symptoms you mention, plus many more.

My serum B12 levels were always around the 300 mark so my GP always dismissed my symptoms as not being related to deficiency. Like yours, my MCH was always above range.

It was a Medichecks doctor's comments that alerted me to the fact that my MCV was always high ( 101 - 103) too and that this could indicate enlarged red blood cells/macrocytic anaemia. Still, my GP refused to consider the possibility of a B12 problem.

Used to being gaslighted and ignored by the NHS over a number of issues, I wasn't prepared to fanny around and waste more time so I went straight to a private iron and B12 doctor recommended on the PA forum. (I'm not allowed to say who nor where on here, but I can send you a chat (private) message if you like.)

That was just 3 days ago. I was diagnosed as having PA probably caused by the Hashi's and was given my first subcutaneous injection there and then. I was instructed how to self inject and links to buy the supplies I will need to carry on with my injections.

I appreciate this route isn't one you might be prepared to go down but B12 deficiency/PA causes so many awful problems, I wasn't prepared to let my health deteriorate further due to my GP not being open to a diagnosis, despite evidence to the contrary staring her in the face.

Plumpudding• in reply togrumpyold3 months ago

If you could give me some information that would be very helpful x

grumpyold• in reply toPlumpudding3 months ago

Am sending you a chat (private) message in accordance with HU rules.

Hockey_player3 months ago

You desperately need every other day injections before you get permanent nerve and spinal cord damage. Hang in there and soon you should start feeling normal again. You probably feel revved up because your body is so short of B12.