GP surgery think I don't need vitamin B12 injections, are they right?

[ArendelleQueen]

Lowest end of the range is 190 and mine is 174.

I'm dizzy, tired and getting tingling and numbness in my hands. GP said the dizziness and fatigue is caused by my iron deficiency anaemia, not the 'slightly low' vit B12. They said the tingling is carpal tunnel. I really think that it's worth trialing vitamin B12. They advised to take a multi-vitamin.

Should I go back and push a bit harder? I'm sick and tired of feeling sick and tired.

That is absolutely awful advice. Your B12 is under range, so they should be checking you for intrinsic factor to see if you have pernicious anaemia and offering you a loading dose of B12 by injection and then a maintenance dose.

B12 levels under 500 are likely to cause neurological symptoms and it sounds as if you are already starting to experience this.

There will be lots of advice for you on the Pernicious Anaemia forum on www.healthunlocked.com.

You need to get this sorted though.

Go on pernicious anaemia society website.

Thanks. I will look at those links.

I was just coming here to look up B12 injections.
I have been feeling so tired and my whole body is aching.... i've never felt this exhausted before.
I went to the doctors as i have an underactive thyroid and i asked for blood tests.
All my results came back ok but im still feeling the same so i asked for a print out of my results.

My vitamins B12 in 170 but they say that the 'normal' range is 160 - 800.
I also think my ferritin levels are a little low at 16.... but the normal range is 10 - 120.

I'm already on iron tablets from the doctors which i take twice a day.

I don't know if to go back and question the results, i know they are in the normal range, but the ranges are so big and i'm at the bottom end of them and feel so unwell.

I have low b12 but not pernicious anaemia. I'm just poor at absorbing it and have used up all my stocks. Had injections once, when so sleepy I could hardly stay awake. Doctor second time suggested sublingual b12 tablets instead, at least 1000mcg and put under tongue to dissolve as then goes straight into blood stream. One a day and felt better v quickly. Not as instantly transformative as the injection. But it worked. I get tablets online on Amazon. He said multivitamin wouldn't be strong enough.

GP said it's just not low enough for it to be an issue. He did prescribe vit B12 supplements, although I think that was just to placate me. I've seen a few different GPs, so I suppose there's not much I can do.

That is extremely low! But the GPs hands can be tied. My GP obviously spotted mine was low as he had me repeat the blood test a month after the first one to recheck before he was willing or able to prescribe me any.

My level was around 160ish and I felt horrific. I was given 6 injections over 2 weeks to build my levels up before continuing them every 3 months for life. So I'm not sure that supplements will do anything except raise your level a little so your GP shrugs it off even more.

Please try and find some NHS supported information showing that your level is too low and visit another GP. And another if you have to. This is a serious issue.

Also please do not take folate supplements before correcting this issue as this can falsely raise your b12 levels without correcting any neurological symptoms/damage that you may have (or something along those lines).

Good luck.

Shall I try a private GP? There is a really good local private practice that's £65 per 30 min consultation. I'm guessing the injections would be costly though?

Also, does anyone please have any links to reputable articles that a GP might take seriously? I will have a google also though.

I've had a good google but I can't seem to find anything that really indicates I should be offered the injections.

The GP I saw most recently said I do not have pernicious anaemia but not sure how he knows that.

If you go on the pernicious anaemia society website like I suggested up thread, they have links to the kind of information you require in their diagnosis and treatment sections.

healthunlocked.com/api/redirect?url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.bcshguidelines.com%2fdocuments%2fBCSH_Cobalamin_and_Folate_Guidelines_(2).docx.pdf

This is what you need!