What are vitamin b12 deficiency symptoms?

[Twoweekcruise]

I’ve not felt right for some time, kind of vague but chronic symptoms which are getting me down. My gp doesn’t seem interested so I’m constantly googling to try and find an answer. If I think I’ve found the answer, go back to gp, ask for that particular blood test find it’s ok then back to square one!
I’ve been reading about b12 deficiency and wonder If anyone has had this?
These are the symptoms I’m experiencing-
Very tired a lot of the time
Feel weak but still have strength
Feel light headed, especially if I bend down or walk up stairs etc
Breathless on my dog walks
Tinnitus in right ear (had mri scan couldn’t find cause)
IBS symptoms, every day
Very cold hands and feet and especially my fingers (gp says it’s Raynauds)
Very bad, chronic anxiety
Depression
Other niggly, chronic, non specific things I can always put my finger on!

I’ve had kidney, liver, bone profile blood test - all ok
Thyroid function - all ok
Vitamin d - 46 ( gp says to take otc tabs)
Iron - has been low for a long time due to awful periods, struggle with treatment due to my IBS so have settled on Spatone which is making it a long recovery, I was 9 but it’s crept up to 10.4.

Just wondering if vitamin b12 could be an issue although I’m not a vegan I do eat a little meat but hardly any red meat and no diary.

That's really interesting as I'm about to have bloods done as I have very similar symptoms to you !

Will be interested to see any replies to your post

I would just start taking a supplement, it’s liquid and absorbed quickly so you’d expect to see a difference in a few days.

My symptoms are tingly hands and feet and leg cramps but I assume there are other symptoms. Can’t see how IBS type issues would fit though.

How old are you? I have all those symptoms except cold fingers and gp said probably peri menopause (so deal with it). I'm mid 40s.

stressed yes hopefully someone can help shed some light for us.
make I’m going to go get a supplement but because of my IBS I have to be so careful what I take as my digestive system is so sensitive 🙁
nice I’m 45, have thought maybe in perimenopause, I joined a group on Facebook and lots of ladies do have similar symptoms. I asked GP if I could be in perimenopause, he asked if I still have regular periods, I said yes, he said ‘well then no you aren’t!’ Wtf!😤

make forgot about the leg cramps, get those too. I’m not too sure about the IBS as I’ve had it for years but I’ve found quite a few articles mentioning the connection between the two or it could be the connection between anxiety and b12 as I know my anxiety exacerbates my IBS!

A mate said that that she felt much better after taking a b12 supplement, I started taking it too and did feel like I had more energy.

Try magnesium glycinate op.
You can be peri menopausal and have regular periods.

Google NHS.uk vit b12 deficiency testing and you'll come to the site that explains why standard b12 testing is not reliable.

When patients are showing neurological symptoms that are conclusnt to a deficiency they should automatically be started on a loading dose (6 injections every other day). If the patient starts to feel better it's a very good indication of b12 deficiency. You can't overdose on b12 even if you don't need it so it's very safe.

Unfortunately few GPs know this. My rests came back at 450 so it was dismissed but all my symptoms which I've had for a couple of years now and getting worse were indicative of it so I started my own injections and indeed I feel much better. U fortunately 6 injections didn't seem to have been enough as symptoms came back so on it again and will now continue until I feel totally normal again. My GP is finally taking me seriously after I printed him all the information.

By the way I got the 'it's the perimenopause' but hrt hasn't made a difference if anything it made it worse. The injections have.

B12 pills at high dose (1000mg) can help but not if the issue was absorption which would likely be if results came back normal
What were yours?

Oh and one common reasons for b12 deficiency is celiac disease which could explain the ibs symptoms. Have you been tested for that?

I was diagnosed as being B12 deficient 13 years ago when I was 26 and my most noticeable symptoms at that point were severe fatigue and mouth ulcers. It is shocking the number of symptoms that B12 deficiency can cause - mine include fatigue, poor memory, tinnitus, hair loss, palpitations, anxiety, restless legs, headaches, mouth ulcers, and IBS.

I get injections every 10 weeks but self-medicate in between my injections. Looking at your symptoms, it is definitely worth getting your B12 levels checked. As someone mentioned previously, there is a brilliant B12 deficiency support group on Facebook should you find you are deficient

Thanks all, I will ask the gp for a test (feel like a bloody pin cushion I’ve had so many blood tests recently!).
Have read quite a bit about magnesium so may get some of that too.
swing where do you get your own injectable b12 from?
I’ve been tested for coeliac was negative.
evizza yes I’ve got hair loss too and tmj disorder not sure if that’s connected to b12? Will look on Facebook.

I have all your symptoms including the IBS. I started taking the Seven Seas Trying for a Baby supplement and have found I am much less tired and less dizzy. As well as folic acid this tablet contains iron, vitamin D, B6, B12. It hasn't helped my IBS, and I wouldn't expect it to, but it hasn't exacerbated it either. But you may be more sensitive than me. Good luck finding something that works!

It’s just so frustrating when you get nowhere with your GP, I feel like I’m having to be a bloody detective and also feel I’m becoming a heart drop patient!!

swing where do you get your own injectable b12 from?
I got it from here www.versandapo.de/en/ It was the site recommended on the pernicious anemia forum.

I spent hours and hours reading reliable sources of information, but it's with this information I managed to get somewhere.

Just re-read your posts and see that you are low on iron. That would result in similar symptoms. You are now over 10, which I think is the minimum, but it might take a bit of time for it to continue to go up and see a real improvement if that's the issue. It won't help if you can take ferrous sulphate tablets which is really the best treatment for low iron.

I buy my B12 from the same place as swingofthings

I do think the low iron is a problem I’ve tried lots of different types but it’s only Spatone which I can tolerate which gp says is not much better than water! It’s why I’d like the b12 levels tested if poss as it could possibly be the iron causing the problems, it would just be good to know.

Your symptoms could well be b12 deficiency and this could be because you don’t eat much meat so a supplement will help you feel better. However if you are planning on asking your doctor for a test any supplements will raise your reading even if it’s an absorption issue. However given your diet the doc will likely tell you to take a supplement (for absorption issues only sublingual will work).
I also self inject and buy from versandapo because the 3 monthly injections really are not enough at all

versandapo are clearly very popular! It's such a pity that so many of us have to rely on their service, however efficient it is, to get proper treatment. Even those who do manage to get an official diagnosis struggle to get more than the once every 3 months injection.

In the UK the reference ranges for blood tests are really wide.

In the UK, with iron for example, I have been told that my results are in the reference range and that I don't need any supplements even though I have all the symptoms of anaemia.

In other countries, the same result would be classed as too low and needing to be corrected even without symptoms.

It isn't just iron and anemia this happens with, the reference ranges for thyroid tests are also very wide in the UK.

I am not prepared to go through the continual cycle of being very anaemic and feeling awful and waiting until my blood levels are low enough for the GP to deem worthy of treating and then coming off of iron tablets the minute my levels get into the reference range.

I am vegetarian, I have heavy periods and I know what is wrong with me so I use a good multivitamin and take three 200mg ferrous sulphate tablets a day and then I have no more of the ridiculous cycle mentioned above.

I recommend trying a good multi-vitamin and / or B12 supplements for a while and see if it makes a difference.

Here is the NHS link about B12 deficiency - www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/

These symptoms are very similar to mine.
I do take a B and D supplement but still don't feel right
Had bloods done but all came back within the normal ranges.

@BlockRockinBeats , these are the ones, although bought them in bulk so got about 10 boxes.

Initially, I injected as per NHS guidance, so 6 injections every other day. The first 2 or 3, I actually felt much worse, but read that it's called 'overload' and quite common. I started to feel better after the 4th. I stopped at 6 and for 2 weeks, felt so much better. Then symptoms came back so after 2 weeks, did 3 injections again 2 days apart, and again, started to feel better but this time, only for 5 days. I then decided to listen to my GP and try hrt so didn't inject for 4 weeks, but symptoms got gradually worse, so I've started again and this time, will continue to do so for longer.

What I realised to was that I wasn't injecting properly in that although I have the right syringes, I wasn't injecting deep enough in the muscle but too much on the surface (ie, syringe angled at 45 rather than 90 degrees).

The only downside with injecting before testing properly is that you don't get a definite diagnosis. It would require coming off any injection for 4 months for tests to be accurate.

Yes, have B12 jags 3 monthly.