Does anyone know about b12 deficiency and injections?

[SagaNorenMalmoCountyPolice]

After a hellish few months of heart palpitations, severe fatigue, feeling dizzy and faint a doctor arranged for me to have blood tests to check my iron and b12 levels. Both have come back low, I have started to take iron tablets and had my first b12 injection yesterday, have 5 more injections over the next few weeks. Does anyone have any experience of this? If so how long did it take to feel better? Will I have to have these injections forever? Any advice would be much appreciated.

Wow, that is low. Good luck with the SI - hope you feel better soon

First SI done although I cheated and a nurse friend did it for me.
I had to see GP nurse this morning for my contraceptive jab and she asked about my b12 so I showed her what I was using. She said she was angry that I was having to resort to SI and sent a note to my dr saying so! Don't think it will do any good though.

Well done Bonkerz! I agree, it's crazy that we have to resort to this, it's so frustrating. it's not like it's a load of fun injecting ourselves all the bloody time.

It is bonkerz (do you see what I did there ) that so many people have to SI. I even went looking to see if anyone did it at a private clinic or health centre, but no one does near me. Guess that's because we can't buy it over here

Had a SI on Thursday, Saturday and this morning and already feel less tired and am making it through the day till atleast 9pm!!!!!! My mood is better and I'm just functioning better all round. Got doctors Thursday for my NHS jab.

That's great news Bonkerz, glad to hear the extra b12 is perking you up.

How are your injections going MegGriffin? Hope everyone else is ok.

I am still up and down, good days and bad. Sometimes I feel normal and then crash with a bang. Dizziness is still the biggest problem for me. I'm waiting on blood test results for Intrinsic Factor and Coeliac.

That's fantastic Bonkerz! I'm so pleased for you

Sorry you're still suffering Saga Have you looked at SI yet?

I've been shocking for the past week and a half. The fatigue is keeping me in bed for all but a few hours a day. And my other symptoms are getting worse again, especially the tinnitus. My appetite has all but upped and left, and I lost over 6lbs last week. Which to be fair I needed as I've out on well over a stone since April, but was a bit extreme! I think not being able to just grab a slice of toast to force down hasn't helped, and I don't have the energy to make a proper meal. My bowel has changed massively as well, which I don't think helps (sorry for TMI!). Back to the doctors on Friday so I'm wondering what she's going to suggest next.

Not really Davina, I've been holding out for the results of my Intrinsic Factor blood test, I phoned today and the receptionist said they are back but the doctor hadn't seen them yet so she couldn't tell me. If it does turn out I have Pernicous Anemia I guess I'm going to have to think about it, I do feel unsure about self injecting though. I'm having a super tired day and have been in bed all afternoon, it's the most overwhelming exhaustion isn't it?! Sorry to hear you are struggling too, how did you get on at the doctors?

Hi there, tanks for asking. i have had 5 now and am starting to feel a bit better but feel nervous as I only have one more. I have booked to see the doctor to follow up as and the nurse said book the next one for 12 weeks time. I also have a pelvic and abdo ultrasound booked for half term as I have been getting pain in my right side. I am wondering if its linked or not?

I know what you mean Saga, I've been the same. I guess I just want to know what it is that's causing my deficiency before I go down that route, as if it's something that's fixable, then I'll feel a bit daft and probably wasted money I can I'll afford to at the moment When will you find out about your IF?

Glad you're feeling a bit better Meg What have the doctors said about your pain? I've seen some people that have had problems with the liver/gall bladder on the B12 Fb page, but I can't remember if they're on the righthand side, so I could be waaay off there.

Well, I actually got worse this week again, to the point where I couldn't hold my kindle up to read if for more than aminute or two, and I had to have a break brushing my teeth . I did the bicarb rest and it turns out I have low stomach acid. So I've been taking all these supplements for no reason! I've tried to do some research on it, but there is bugger all out there. The NHS don't even make reference to it! There are snippets on all the usual site (PA, thyroid etc), and similar to many things related to B12 like H Pylori, candida etc. But if anything that has just confused me more. It could be PA causing low stomach acid causing B12 deficiency, or it could be another reason that's causing the low stomach acid and the B12 deficiency that can be fixed. So I'm finding out more, but getting more confused . The doc has recommended that I take some stomach enzymes, so I'm just waiting for them to arrive. Ive also stopped all the extra supplements until then as there doesn't seem to be much point taking them! I'm going to slowly reintroduce them one at a time, just in case there is anything in there that caused me to feel so bad.

But the good news is that I can relax the diet slowly, and reintroduce everything except gluten, dairy and sugar (so all the good stuff!)

Great that you are feeling a bit better Meg. I'm sorry I don't know anything about the pain in your side, good they are checking it out.

Oh crikey Davina, sounds awful that's ridiculous levels of tiredness isn't it. I don't know what I would do if I couldn't hold my iPad it's the only thing keeping me sane with all this bed rest!

I've been reading this website and it talks about stomach acid, this might be useful to you:

www.drmyhill.co.uk/wiki/Hypochlorhydria

I was reading about the bicarb test, might do it myself. I just hate the taste of bicarb!

Have you asked your GP about having the tests for Pernicious Anemia? I'm going to phone back on Monday, hopefully the doctor will have looked at them by then. I feel totally confused as well, the lack of information is frustrating. Glad I have you to talk to about it!

I managed to sort of prop it up a bit, but it is one of the few things keeping me sane too!

The bicarb wasn't actually that bad - not overly pleasant, but bearable to find out the answer. The first time I did it, I just grabbed the bicarb out of the cupboard, did the test and it took 10 minutes for me to burp. Then I realised that the bicarb I'd had in the cupboard was BBE March 2009 Clearly I do a lot of baking So I bought some fresh and redid it. It was 11 minutes this time so I guess it wasn't off!

I've not asked for the PA test yet, and I'm not back to see her for 4 weeks now. My doctor is actually on the list of good doctors on the Facebook group, so I'm hoping that's because she knows something about it! If this next lot of tablets doesn't work, then I'll ask her for a lot more testing. Pa, H Pylori, Candida (although I have to do that privately as is not available on the NHS). I might also ask if I can do a parasite cleanse to rule that out.

It's a hard journey isn't it, but I do think I'm lucky that this has only been going on for me for 6 months, and not the years and years that many people have had. Not helped by the fact that all my family and friends think I'm a bit loopy with all the random health comments I keep coming out with