Anyone know anything about b12?

[goodnessgraciousannie]

Been having stomach pains for over ten days so dr sent me for some blood test. Nothing came back that help sort out what the pain is but she said my b12 levels are 45 which is apparently very low so I've got to go and have injections.

She said it could be diet but I eat a varied diet including lots of meat. Is there anything else that could have caused it?

I am 43 and have the same problem OP, even with a good diet. There's something called intrinsic factor in your stomach that helps to absorb b12, a lack of this causes a deficiency. Mine is assumed to be because of autoimmune disease.

You should have a loading dose to begin with, and then at 3 month intervals. Be prepared, it's a horrible injection, I say it's like a bee sting.

If you are on omeprazole/lansoprazole that can affect absorption, if you are vegetarian/vegan it’s common to be deficient (I know you’re not), drinking a lot of alcohol can affect B12 absorption too, as can coeliac disease.
They really need to do an intrinsic factor blood test now to see if it is diet/lifestyle or if you have pernicious anaemia, which means your body can’t absorb it at all.

My DS has an autoimmune disease which means her body doesn't absorb b12. I have pernicious anemia so body doesn't absorb b12 either. Injection takes seconds and for me no different to any other jab.

Look up pernicious anaemia and see if that fits.

A relative has this and needs B12 injections every few months.

Off the top of my head I'm pretty sure you need vitamin C to absorb B12.
So have a steak followed by an orange.

Just googled apparently I'm wrong on the vitamin C and B12 link.

The NHS limit for injections is 140 and under. Diet plays a huge part in B12 levels and gastritis and associated medications can cause malabsorption issues

My B12 levels dropped to a similar level to yours and I was incredibly symptomatic (stumbling and loss of coordination) I'm surprised you've not noticed yourself! I get injections every 8 weeks for life and my Dr says I'm one of the few they're not going to tell to swap onto dietary supplements.

I think you mean iron absorption is aided by Vit C 😬 so yes, if iron deficient then steak and broccoli washed down with a shot of OJ.

re B12 def: if eating a good diet and not on acid suppression meds then most likely pernicious anaemia. A blood test can help differentiate. At 45 the injections are probably the best call. Once replete you could trial switch to high dose (prescription dose) b12 tablets with a recheck blood test in 3 months (and if falling the back to injections) or just take the 3 monthly maintenance injection…

Thanks all. I will look up about the anemia. I do take two omeprazole daily but I have done for ages and it's never caused an issue before.

@Usernameundiscovered part of the reason I went to the drs about my stomach pain was because I was also getting leg numbness which now make sense. I've also been absolutely exhausted, really dizzy most days and just generally feeling rubbish for a while but put that down to work and having young kids!

If you are getting numbness then I’d definitely embark on the loading regime for injections asap btw. B12 deficiency affects certain nerve tracts in your spine…

The b12 will fix 80% of that (the exhaustion through kids it can't help with). But I would put money on it being the omeprazole.

@Boomarang sorry if this is really dumb but what do you mean by loading regime?

For 2 weeks you'll receive injections every other day. Did your GP not tell you this? It's the standard treatment.

This is a recent paper on treatment of B12 deficiency from the BMJ. Moving people off injections to an oral supplement is not effective if the deficiency is caused by malabsorption. Blood tests for intrinsic factor aren't that great for diagnosing pernicious anaemia, and malabsorption can have other causes anyway. Hope this link works: article here

I started having vit by injections nearly 4 years ago. I told the doctor I was vegetarian and he said it's more to do with my long term underactive thyroid. I didn't know that was an issue but apparently so

I'm on b12 for life when i am due i start to feel very tired exhausted bit stumbling and slurring about 48 after i feel like i have a new lease of life.

I don't find the injections painful. I have them every 12 weeks and had the loading dose which made a terrific difference.

I was diagnosed with a b12 deficiency my mid 40s. I had pins and needles, numbness and dizziness. The doctor tried me on supplements to start with but they didn’t help. I was tested for pernicious anaemia but I don’t have it. I am not vegetarian, I don’t smoke and have a fairly healthy diet and lifestyle.

So I had loading dose injections, which worked,thankfully, and now I have 3 monthly injections and I’m fine. My GP explained that some people just don’t absorb b12 very well, and therefore need injections

I have B12 injections every 8 weeks. I have macrocytic anemia. Plus i have IBS which surely contributes to the fact i cannot absorb nutrients.

its a wonderful jab!!

Oh plus i has pernicious and coeliac test which were negative. I had rarely been platelets when pregnant which is when I found out about my B12

I have B12 injections every 12 weeks. I was 3 weeks late for the last one (forgot to go to the appointment, menopause brain but that’s for another thread). I felt like utter shite!! Absolutely exhausted and no amount of sleep helped. I’m picking up again now. They were a game changer for me. X

45 is so low - you must have felt horrific.
As an op said, some people just don’t absorb it very well and need the injections.

After you’ve had the loading dose - think it’s 5 over 10 days - you’ll feel a lot better & then have them every 8 or 12 weeks.

As to whether it hurts - that depends on who gives it, but even at its worst it’s bearable.

There seems to be massive resistance from some GP practices to give patients these injections as tablets are cheaper but if you can, stay on the injections as the absorption is far superior.

On a slightly separate note, I’d be having a chat with your GP about your acid blockers for your stomach. Sometimes the high dose you are on is needed and the risks are offset by the benefits. But it’s a worthy conversation.

High dose PPIs (the name for that group of medications) do come with some increased risk long term- bone density being the one that I always consider.

I've been having the injection for years. Doc mentioned intrinsic factor and warned of pernicious anaemia. Every 12 weeks for me. Don't look forward to it tbh, delivered into the upper arm so I rub the area briskly to warm up the skin just beforehand and swear that helps. 🙃

Thanks everyone, I've been booked in to have five injections over the next two weeks with the first one being tomorrow so hopefully I will start to feel the benefits soon!

@Boomarang yes I do worry about the long term effects especially because I have a family history of osteoporosis! I'm in so much pain daily from acid reflux though that I would really struggle without them.