I am terrified of going to the doctor as I have such a phobia of blood tests and needles, however, recently I have been suffering from a range of symptoms which all add up to be a deficiency in B12.
I am a vegetarian and I don’t regularly take vitamins but do eat eggs and cheese.
I’ve been getting dizziness since the start of this year and getting increasingly anxious on top of having to deal with IBS symptoms I have been really struggling. Other symptoms are tingling in feet and hands, tinnitus, tiredness yet insomnia, feeling like I am going to faint and racing heartbeat at times. I just 100% haven’t been myself, I am nervous just leaving the house and I am anxious to even go to the gym and because of this I am struggling to maintain my weight and worried about weight gain. I struggle to keep on top of tasks and concentrate at work.
I would love to have the confidence to walk into the doctors and go and get tested but I am so phobic of any tests which would be done and I am terrified I would collapse in the middle of the waiting room. I guess a part of me is also scared abojt any diagnoses which I could get too.
Thanks for any advice and support anyone out there with experiences can give. I would be particularly interested in what a B12 test would involve.
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Plantlover24
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Why don't you try supplementing with a good quality vitamin B complex? I have heard that a B vitamin should always be taken with all the other vitamin B's, and not singly, but that might be outdated info. But there are vegan options for the B vitamins if you prefer.
Or even try a B12 supplement? See if you start to feel better?
Eating eggs will provide some B12, and so will cheese. Eggs are wonder foods for those who can happily tolerate them. They contain such goodness if enough are eaten . I always have two at a time and eat them about 4 days a week.
But if there's a malabsorption problem going on then maybe you aren't absorbing enough, so eating or taking more might not help? I don't know.
I just checked if B12 deficiency can be found with a urine test. This site says it can
But I don't know how reliable that website is. Maybe can you ask the doctor? It's difficult when we have a phobia about something. Then a thing which is easy for most people becomes a trauma. I hope a urine test would work.
You cannot be sure you have a deficiency in B Vitamins. You need to see your doctor for a general check up. Self diagnosis is often not correct, especially when there are symptoms that are bothering you. My B vitamin test was a blood test.
I understand that you are very anxious about seeing the doctor and about the tests. I have a similar problem of becoming very anxious when my blood pressure is about to be taken. I usually take a tranquilizer before doctor visits, and this helps quite a bit. See if this will help you.
if you’re fearful of keeling over when blood is taken, do tell them. I was a blood donor for years, but now I always ask if I can lie down as I have fainted a couple of times.
Also, if you can speak to someone beforehand and explain how anxious you are, they may be able to give you something to help. 40 years ago I was prescribed a tablet that you put under your tongue to dissolve that helped with anxiety.
I know it’s really hard, but imagine, if you can just get through the blood test, they may be able to sort out all of these health niggles and you can put them behind you. The worst case scenario is that you do nothing and your health gets worse.
One thing is for sure if you dont follow through and get a diagnosis then this will continue to grip and spoil your life, easier said than done I understand that. Could you take things a small step at a time.
You could ask for a telephone appointment with your GP and discuss your concerns from a safe space and distance. Explain your issues, write them all down first so you dont miss anything. Step one complete then you may feel able to have a face to face appointment. You could also ask about anxiety meds and or treatment like cognitive behavioural therapy or even hypnosis if your anxiety is preventing you getting a diagnosis and treatment.
If you take things step by step you will be able to get to a sound diagnosis. Remember a little progress is still progress and will start you on a journey back to full health. Doing nothing will leave you right where you sre which isnt good for you.
Be brave, you can do this and will regain a good life and all the opportunities will be open to you again that a healthy life brings. Grab your courage, deep breath and make that initial phone call. It will work, go for it. Best wishes.
Because many of your symptoms sound familiar to me I think it could be because a of your dysfunctional gut as a result of ...? I'm currently seeing a junior doctor in an university hospital for examining a disbalanced gut microbiome as possible underlying cause for my functional gut problems.
It could be that it's not a problem with the intake of vitamins and minerals in first instance but more a problem with the uptake in your gut. Also the anxiety could be linked to your gut problems, caused by dysfunctional intestines.
I think you should be checked (again) by a gastroenterologist, that you need a thorough investigation of your gut functionality. Maybe also a referral to a neurologist to exclude any neurological problem.
In the end it could mean that you need to take a low dosage multivitamine and/or need to adjust your current diet but that's also up to the physicians diagnose and of course your own experiences with what you can and can't eat and drink.
Your symptoms could be many things including anemia, vitamin and/or mineral deficiency and stress. It's a vicious circle. Of course these symptoms will stress you out and on top of that you fear the blood test. I blood test is all you need to test for all these things and more. I know it .use be awful but IF you feint at least your in the best place. These symptoms are worse than a blood test. You are more resilient than you think.
I would strongly encourage you to go to your GP and have them refer you for blood tests.
I'm also vegetarian and have been B12 anaemic twice. I'm currently in the middle of treatment for the latest deficiency and, in both instances, I also had vitamin D deficiency, though the course of high-level supplements for that was completed a month or so ago.
The symptoms you're describing and the fact you're vegetarian make it highly likely to be B12 anaemia and, if it is, the tingling and other symptoms are signs of nerve damage.
I had reduced sensation in my fingers and face when I had B12 anaemia the first time back in late 2007 and, thankfully, it was reversible through B12 injections. If left too long, the nerve damage can be permanent, so please go to your GP as soon as possible.
The test for B12 anaemia is a simple blood test. If you're over 40, you can ask them to do the over-40 health check and they will do a full panel of tests in one go which will also cover things like vitamin D, folate, iron, liver function, etc., etc. Based on your symptoms, they would probably do a full panel anyway, irrespective of your age.
If you advise the phlebotomist that you may faint having blood taken, they should allow you to lie down for it. I've fainted before when having blood taken but have managed not to have any issues for a while since then. Drink water beforehand and don't look at what they're doing is my best advice. But definitely ask to lie down while they take it if you are worried about fainting.
The injections for B12 are not into a vein. They are intramuscular, usually into your shoulder. Like having a vaccine injection. It can sting a bit or feel uncomfortable and you may also end up with some bruising.
You get a prescription from the GP for the ampoules and the nurse will do the injections in the GP surgery. You can alternate arms for the injections if you want but I had them all in one side. The most recent round I had some visible bruising, but apart from the first injection, the others didn't really hurt or feel uncomfortable. It takes more time for the nurse to prepare the injection than it takes for the injection itself. I was generally in and out of the nurse's office in about 5 minutes.
I was vegetarian for 15 years before I had B12 anaemia the first time and it took another 15 years before it happened again. This time it was fatigue and thankfully no nerve issues. Adding the B12 and vitamin D deficiencies together meant I was napping every day, sometimes multiple times a day. Thankfully, I work flexible hours from home, so it hasn't been a major issue.
The treatment for me this time was six injections over about 2-2.5 weeks. Then one injection every three months x 3. So, nine injections overall. I've just had the first six so far, with the next one due in early January. I still feel some fatigue but nothing like what I was dealing with back in July/August when I was down to 105.
I think last time the treatment was one injection a week for two weeks; one a fortnight later; monthly for three months and then a few more three-monthly. It was spread out over a 12-month period.
As scary as it may be to go to the GP and have the tests done if it's B12 anaemia, the treatment is pretty easy and effective and should show improvement to how you feel relatively quickly.
Delaying seeing your GP and getting treatment will be worse, whether it's B12 anaemia or something else.
Good luck, and I'm happy to answer any other questions you might have about my experiences with B12 anaemia.
I recently had a B-12 test. I have had IBSC, vertigo, nausea, numbness in lower legs, clumsiness. I had a couple of events like a TIA which Neurologist determined to be encephalopathic events due to low B12. It was a simple blood draw. I was tested for Vitamin B-12 level and Methylmalonic acid. My B-12 was borderline, but Methylmalonic acid test was high which was confirming for B-12 deficiency, Neurologist advised me to take 1,000 mcg sublingual Methyl B12 tablet daily. I have taken them for five weeks now and I am feeling much better. IBS symptoms have improved greatly. Depression has improved. Not a good idea to take B12 unless u have a deficiency because it can potentiate tumor growth.
You are not the only one who is scared of needles etc. The nurses who take the blood are used to it. I am anxious about going to the Dr like you, so i got a private finger prick test done and did it myself at home. I did not feel ill like you just wanted to check iron as I was tired. The result was low Vit D and High Ferritin advised to cut down red meat and take Vit D supplement. If you are feeing so unwell you should really see your GP and explain your fears, they should be understanding. Good Luck and Take care x
When my anxiety problems really got going years ago, I had GI problems too. Each was making the other worse in a cycle. Almost all of the symptoms that you described could be from anxiety itself. So, you might want to work on some anxiety reduction techniques as well. Meditation, thought stopping, light exercise, etc.
I always feel anxiety when getting tests, but I invariably feel better when I get them (and I ask for a copy for my file). It either eliminates my worst fears or gives me something concrete to try. I had high cortisol levels, which came down as I got the anxiety and GI calmed down. I had low D and I supplement, because I never get enough from the sun, especially in winter.
Hello plantlover24, The symptoms you describe exactly how I've been feeling ,for quite a while ,like you I was worried about the unknown , and then as I have a Thyroid problem I have to have my blood check every few months , again like you I hate tests and needles , but my blood test showed I was Low on B12 and have now had a few injections , yes they do sting a bit but I have to say I am now beginning to feel much better, so it's worth braving it for a few mins , please try and go , maybe you have a husband or friend who could go with you for support , if you were close enough to me I would go with you ,just keep telling yourself you need to feel better , good luck please keep me posted xxx
Hi there, I really do feel for you, I think a lot of your problems are due to anxiety and you need to deal with that as well as any physical problems. I've suffered with anxiety all my life and it really can cause all kinds of things. I've been vegetarian for 40 years and I take a good multivitamin daily with Iron and B12. There's a lot of things I can't eat due to IBS including eggs, so I have to make sure I'm not deficient. All of my blood tests come back normal. If you can overcome your phobias about having needles etc, you will feel much better mentally and be able to cope a lot better, your anxiety will ease once you know you are getting some answers . I do a lot of walking and outdoor activities which are a great help to me.
Having a blood test is really nothing at all if you get yourself into the right frame of mind. After all, none of us go through life without having needles at some point. Much easier to have a blood test than have to go through all kinds of other medical stuff if something isn't nipped in the bud.
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