B12 deficiency at max

[Pebbles16]

I have been diagnosed with pernicious anaemia for nearly 20 years For some reasons (which seemed reasonable at the time), I'm not getting my B12 until Tuesday. I have NEVER had such bad symptoms (are they possibly exacerbated by menopause?) It is like being pissed without the pleasure and nothing is making sense. I think my main question (because I can't make sense of anything )is: do pernicious anaemia and menopause work against each other? Shall I ask for extra help?
Bloody heall how many hours does this take this to type?

You could try buying a b12 supplement spray on Amazon to keep you topped up in between your injections. Sorry not much help other than the spraybut it really helps my cousin.

I have injections every two months rather than three. Could you explore that with your Dr?

I sympathise, I'm another PA sufferer who is perimenopausal (although GP doesn't agree!). I self-inject B12 daily at the moment and still feel pretty awful.
Do you also take folate? I'd recommend that as a minimum, if not iron supplements as well.
I'd go back to the Gp and get them to test your levels of everything but B12 and see if there's anything else contributing. And if not, ask them to increase the frequency of your jabs (as per the guidelines they should treat symptoms not levels but this seems largely theoretical!).

Thanks for the advice. I will definitely look at folate. I asked the dr about it before and was told it was only recommended if I was going to get pregnant! I can't absorb iron from supplements sadly.

Folate is needed for the body to utilise B12. It generally should be in the top quarter of the range for a B12 def sufferer. Same with ferritin ideally.
I take folate daily (high strength ones) and notice the difference if I don't.

Is your thyroid ok? If you've got one autoimmune disorder, more likely to develop another
Maybe worth thyroid function bloods too?

I found my perimenopause symptoms were v similar to low B12 symptoms. Foggy brain, knackered and a bit doo lally.

HRT helped.

This is slightly different so sorry. I have v painful pins and needles in my hands and feet very often particularly when I sit down - find it too painful to move. I also have fatigue and headaches etc. I'm hypothyroid and vit d deficient. I'm also vegan and was vegetarian 8 years before. Only become vitamin aware recently. Could it be b12 deficiency? I have many unrelated ailments and will have cost the NHS a fortune in blood tests and scans but don't think they've tested me for this yet.

Yes, vegans are at risk of B12 deficiency so it could well be that. It also often goes together with thyroid issues too so I'd go to your gp and ask them to test you

Thank you xx they haven't tested for this but have for so much that I feel v awkward but I don't want to mess around with b12

Many pernicious anaemia sufferers also have an altered MTHFR gene which affects your ability to breakdown and utilise hydroxycobalmin to its bio available form methylcobalamin

I have this problem and now use jarrow b12 losenges, along with metafolate which is the bio available form of folic acid

As others have mentioned you have to have a good level of folate available to assist with B12 absorption, without it your B12 just sits there un absorbed

Care mummy, your symptoms are classic signs of deficiency, if you go to www.b12d.org there is check list you can do to see if you are at risk

Had my injection (also had a blood test as the nurse said I really don't have to suffer like this - yay nurse!). I am a NEW woman