What were your symptoms of vitamin b12?

[RedPandaWanda]

I’ve not felt right for some time, kind of vague but chronic symptoms which are getting me down.
I have had IBS for 24 years but the symptoms (now also including acid/indigestion/nausea/burping) have been so much worse the last few years and on a daily basis.
I am quite anaemic, HB is 9 and ferritin is just 4 (very heavy periods and am waiting for an ablation)
But I have also been reading about b12 deficiency and wonder If anyone has this? I can tick off many of the symptoms, such as,

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 when I walk my dog or climb the stairs
Tinnitus in right ear (had mri scan couldn’t find cause), sometimes pulsatile tinnitus.
IBS symptoms, every day (gassy, gurgling, diarrhoea/constipation, severe bloating, acid etc) All tests come back clear.
Very cold hands and feet and especially my fingers (gp says it’s Raynauds)
Very bad, chronic anxiety
Depression
Random sore patches on skin like it’s been rubbed with sandpaper yet no marks or sores.
Other niggly, chronic, non specific things I cant always put my finger on like tingly/fuzzy finger tips on left hand, very sore tongue, headachy, hot feet in bed at night, sore feeling on soles of feet, aura migraines and visual disturbances etc

Thyroid function - TSH 1.44, Free T4 13.0 - GP says all ok
Vitamin d - 46 ( gp says to take otc tabs which I have for 2 years now)
B12 is 319 and folate 5.9 and GP says these are within normal range.

Can’t understand how I have so many b12 deficiency symptoms but all come back clear!?

B12 symptoms I had before diagnosis:
Couldn't feel the floor when walking, I regularly lost my balance
Electric zapping feelings all over body
Choking feeling in throat
Extreme tiredness and exhaustion
Widespread numbness which has been permanent, difficulty in fine motor skills
Visual disturbances, inability to focus, blurred vision

I was put on injections and folic acid 5mg as I was deficient in that too.

Maybe ask GP for another test?

It helps us to comment if you can provide the reference ranges for those results, but it does look as if folate and B12 are both too low and thyroid might be iffy too, depending on the range for FT4.

With Hb and ferritin so low, I would expect you to be symptomatic. Are you on iron supplements. If you aren't, you should be while you wait for your ablation, and if you can't tolerate oral iron, you should be being referred for an infusion.

I've had low b12 before and have been taking supplements for a while. It does seem to make a difference. For me the main symptom was exhaustion and then collapsing and being told I was in ketosis at hospital but I think it does something funny to my blood pressure too. Anyway upshot is the tablets contain b12 and folic acid plus a few other bits and I would highly recommend. I feel human again!

Oh and have you tried spatone? Seems to be easier to take than the tablets and 2 sachets a day should be a decent amount.

319 is the low end of normal so you might find you feel better at the top end. If you’re not eligible for jabs then use a sublingual supplement (I take Jarrow tropical ones, just let it dissolve under your tongue).

My main symptoms were numbness - toes, fingers, face and then finally clitoris, which was what prompted me to get it checked!! Luckily when the level is back up at 900-1000 I don’t have those issues anymore. Mine was also about 300 (290 I think) and I was told it was fine at first, but then they said I could have jabs to get it higher. Had a course of several then they withdrew them again so I now use the tablets.

@DeedIDo

It helps us to comment if you can provide the reference ranges for those results, but it does look as if folate and B12 are both too low and thyroid might be iffy too, depending on the range for FT4.

With Hb and ferritin so low, I would expect you to be symptomatic. Are you on iron supplements. If you aren't, you should be while you wait for your ablation, and if you can't tolerate oral iron, you should be being referred for an infusion.

I can’t tolerate any of the supplements as they wreck my stomach (I have IBS). The hospital refused an infusion as they said my HB at 9 isn’t too bad, totally dismissed the very low ferritin. The range for the B12 was 197-771. For the TSH 0.27-4.20 and T4 12-22.0 so all within range.

Isonthecase I think I need to try some to see if it helps. I do take Spatone everyday but it’s not doing much.
RoyKentsChestHair Thanks, I will check out the Jarrow ones.

@RedPandaWanda did you ever get to the bottom of this?