IBS due to b12 deficiency or the opposite ?

[Boynotwell]

Hello Everyone !

I am a 34 years old Indian man who immigrated to Canada last year. I was born and raised in a city where the minimum temperature was not less than 1 degrees Celsius and the maximum was 48 in Summers.

When I went to Canada I lived in a town where the temperature dropped to -51 degrees Celsius and there was hardly any Sun for 8 months. Unfortunately, I faced an unexpected problem in my family and was under EXTREME stress and anxiety for 8 months at a stretch. During that period I missed meals or ate meals very late. To overcome my anxiety I used to walk outside with my camera in -25 to -45 degrees Celsius at times for 2 -3 hours at a stretch. I was going to the toilet 2 times a day but my health was okay except that I was not able to control my pee anymore. I had to rush the moment I felt the urge, else I would pee in my pants. Also, my hair started thinning.

Then I decided to relocate to a coastal city for a better climate and environment. In this new city there were hundreds of Indian restaurants and I started eating out 2 times a week. I ate in 3-4 different restaurants. Once or twice I did not like the roasted chicken and threw the food because it smelled like beef. I don't eat beef. Then one day I ordered Salmon cutlet and tea with milk in a restaurant. I was having fish for the 3rd time in my life. There was too much oil in the cutlet and I did not like it. I cant take too much oil. I ate 10 pieces and threw away the rest (8 small pieces). For the first time I had milk tea with fish. In my country its a complete No No. You cant have milk with meat. We have heard from our ancestors and also from Naturopath doctors that it creates problems. Anyways.

2 weeks later, I started feeling very weak and tired. I started passing stool 6 times a day. My face got filled with reddish-purplish acne. My knees started getting discolored. My hair started falling; I could see my scalp near my forehead. And my both lower legs started getting fish-like scales. I visited three doctors (all MDs) but they could not help. My fatigue increased many times and I had to quit from my work. I decided to come to India and be with my parents and get treated here. I met a homeopathic doctor on whom I had immense faith. He knew my history and had treated me earlier. He, after 50 minutes of investigation, said my grief has significantly destroyed my immune system and as a result all these problems have surfaced. He gave me medicine for 6 months and said I should come back after 6 months for another 6 months of medication. But I stopped taking his medication after 2 months when I did not see any improvement. Now I went to see a good Gastroenterologist. He ordered blood test, Vitamin D and B12 test, endoscopy and biopsy, Liver test, and medicines to kill worms if any. Endoscopy and biopsy said nothing wrong - just few benign polyps that can be completely ignored. Liver was okay. Blood test confirmed significantly low D and B12 in my body. Platelets were little less than normal. He quickly prescribed Vitamin D and B12 supplements for 6 weeks and said I will be okay in 6 weeks, My supplements (tablets and injections) are over and my D and B12 level is now absolutely normal. Infact my b12 is more than normal. I guess it will be normal in few weeks after my body throws away the extra through my pee.

But the issues still persist. I cant digest anything except veggies made with 1 teaspoon oil, rice, and fruit juice. If I eat anything else I go to the toilet 4 times and pass bad stool. I feel very tired and fatigued most of the times. I get muscle cramps. My knees are still discolored. My hair has still not grown from where it had fallen. My face is 50% full of those acnes. Its been a week my course has completed but its been 7 months from the day I started suffering. I have lost 9 kgs till date. When I went back to him he just said he cant see anything wrong and it is some form of IBS. On my request, he prescribed Gluten sensitivity test and I am waiting for the results.

My extensive study shows that long term gastric problem can cause b12 deficiency and b12 deficiency can cause too many symptoms (fatigue, muscle cramps, hair fall, indigestion, skin problems etc). Also, b12 deficiency can cause gastric problem. If certain type of cells in the stomach layer get affected, a chemical called Intrinsic Factor does not get produced the way it should and hence the body can't digest b12 and b12 deficiency occurs.

In my case, how do I come to know whether b12 deficiency caused my long term indigestion or long term indigestion caused b12 deficiency ? I was having eggs and yogurt daily so the question of b12 deficiency due to diet does not arise.

2) My second question is how long will it take for the b12 injections to show significant results ?

3) And, my third question is can long term anxiety/stress lead to depletion of b12 level in the body ?

I understand that as long as the root cause (that lies in my gut) is not identified and cured, the b12 deficiency and other symptoms would re occur.

THANK YOU for your patience !

[Hidden]

I feel compelled to answer you massively long post. I read to the end. I think the reason you may not have had any replies is that we do not know the answers. Many on here are sufferers and not health professionals. We talk about what we feel like and what tests we have had done. You maybe need to talk with a specialist or someone who knows the things you are after.

If on the other hand you need to just vent how you feel, or maybe to ask if anyone else suffers the same symptoms as you do and you were wondering if they were normal, then this is the place for it.

Hope you find the answers you are looking for.

[Boynotwell in reply to Hidden]

Hey motherof sufferers,

I immediately got two good replies and one of them (Gambit62) almost answers most of my questions.

Probably you wrote your reply w/o checking.

Thank you anyways !

[borborigmus]

How complicated. My first thought was Vitamin D deficiency but you have been on supplements and even correcting your B12 deficiency has not resolved all your problems. You will, however need to continue to take supplements. Your family problems have clearly upset you and psychological trauma will light up any ongoing physical illness/weakness.

[Boynotwell in reply to borborigmus]

Hmm Thanks !