Ok so I was diagnosed eventually with PA after my son was born. I also have an underactive thyroid and asthma/sinus allergies.

[pollygale]

After the initial B12 jabs I started to feel human again, but found that they wore off after 4 weeks? I have told my doctor this and he has allowed me to have them every 10 weeks now instead of 12? I have had this condition for over 2 years now and other than the original blood test leading to diagnosis I have had no more. I am left feeling breathless, dizzy with headaches and exhausted for weeks until the next jab and even hardly feel that helping now? Why is this? Help I have a toddler to care for!

[doityourself]

I have recently been diagnosed with PA ,B12 deficient. I have also just finished 'loading dose' of B12 however after 4 weeks they will retest my bloods to check levels again inorder to ensure correct levels of B12 injections for the future. Tell your GP, dont ask, that you want blood level rechecked as you are feeling low. Criteria levels seem to vary in my experience, I understand for instance that in Japan normal levels are much higher so there is an increased level of treatment, not sure if this is accurate or not. Keep on at your doctors, you know your own body best, trust your instincts. Good luck. And good luck with the toddler - exhausting!

[pollygale in reply to doityourself]

Thank you very much. Yes at 43 my toddler was a little surprise after already having three and all finished?

[Hidden]

Hi Polly,

If you are not well on current treatment then you need further investigations..quite often people who are on thyroid meds and then B12 for PA need their thyroid meds ajusting. Also it is common for people on B12 treatment to also become folate def over the years, with thyroid iron def is common (low stomach acid can be the cause), so best bet is to ask for bloods testing thyroid, B12, folate and ferritine..Any of these can have gone out of "normal" and would help you enormously if deficiencies found were addressed!

So try to get some ongoing monitoring, I have bloods once a year to make sure I'm OK (I self inject with knowledge of GP), but I just have to turn up and a bloodtest is offerred now..

I hope you can get some further investigations as to why you are not doing well, wishing you good luck!

Kind regards,

Marre.

[pollygale in reply to Hidden]

Thank you x

[catsachs]

Hi Polly,

Having a little one at 43 certainly can be exhausting. However, you should continue to monitor your blood. Prior to having PA I was iron deficient and had a very low feritin level. I might wake up refreshed, but within half an hour I was exhausted. I was about 50 at the time and premenopausal. You certainly could have similar problems at your age. I took iron tablets and was ok for a while. Then a few years later I was again tired all the time, but additionally I was unable to focus on anything, had balance issues, and tingling in my feet and lips. It took a while, but finally I was diagnosed with the PA. My doctor started me with weekly shots of B12 until my level was to 1100 and then he reduced the shots to monthly. That helped for a while but eventually I began to feel the symptoms again and began having the shots every 3 weeks and the doctor allowed me to give the shots to myself. He told me that I could not overdose on B12 and to inject as needed. I am now at every 2 weeks. I feel like there must be something else I can do, as I apparently don't utilize the B12 well. I try to keep my levels between 700-800 to feel relatively well.

Cathy

[pollygale]

Hi Cathy,

I get tingling in my toes and shoulders? I also had my tongue and lips swell up twice before I was diagnosed. They treated me for depression for 6 months before my dentist finally said I should get my blood checked! I have been on B12 jabs for 10 months now and never once had my blood checked to see how things are going, despite me complaining several times that it's not enough! Oh well, I am due a jab tomorrow so maybe I will talk to them about self injecting and insist on my blood being checked! Thanks again...

Polly

[Kosakosia in reply to pollygale]

Did your allergy symptoms lessen after starting b12 injections?

[pollygale]

Hi, Koasakosia, No! In fact, I would say that my asthma has got worse..........

[Kosakosia in reply to pollygale]

Pollygale, oh sorry to hear.

I suffer from allergies and had a hope it will help a little....

[RipeBanana1 in reply to Kosakosia]

Have you been tested for h-pylori? Oils can give a severe inflammatory response, so try omitting all food containing oil for a fortnight and see if it reduces your symptoms. Check all your foods out at Nutrition Facts too.