B12 deficiency??

[CoQ10]

I have posted before about my chronic fatigue, which came on in November 2021 after a chronic bout of Covid. My doctor initially diagnosed long covid and I was off work for 3 months and then subsequently changed the diagnosis to peri menopause and put me on HRT. However, I am still suffering chronic fatigue, headaches, brainfog, achy legs, and other parts of my body. If I exert myself even slightly, I regress massively and have to sleep during the day, so I have been unable to exercise or lead a normal life for over 18 months.

By complete chance today, my occupational health nurse I am under at work asked me whether I have been tested for B12 deficiency. She has told me to get tested at my gp next week.

Please could anyone who has been in this situation give me some advice around what I need to do to get a diagnosis and what treatment i will need if I am diagnosed.

Thank you in advance.

While you’re having bloods, mention your iron levels.
There is research that found a link with people admitted with severe covid also had very low iron (myself being one). Once I found out 2 months later after leaving hospital, I started taking a daily gently iron tablet and went from being vegan to eating meat again. Worked a treat and my iron went right back up.

My iron was 8 and at its worst, I could barely walk 50 meters without feeling weak and holding on to someone. Might be worth mentioning.

Ask for a B12 blood test, levels are set really low in this country so you could be marked as normal at the lower end of the normal range but still be symptomatic. I’d ask for the actual figures, if better yet ask for a print out of your blood test results so you also have the labs reference range (labs are slightly different)
If you are deficient it’s a loading dose of 6 B12 injections over a couple of weeks.
If you are deficient they should do a second blood test to see if your intrinsic factors are normal -if they are normal you can absorb B12 so once boosted by a loading dose just take OTC supplements or make dietary changes. If intrinsic factors show you can’t absorb B12 you will have an injection every 3 months for the rest of your life.

If the dr says all normal and won’t agree to injections you can pay to have them, some beauty places do them now for around £15 per injection, you might benefit from a boost if you are lower end of normal.

It would be beneficial to have ferritin and Vitamin D also checked as I’ve known people be deficient in all 3 post covid.

marmite

Vit B12 deficiency can't always be corrected by foods as it is due in part to something called intrinsic factor. VitB12 tablets are little use as well. I use a spray but your GP can also give 6monthly injections. I also eat Marmite daily cos it's delicious.

I would ask for full vitamin tests. I had your symptoms and was vitamin D deficient (I actually thought it was iron or b12 but they were fine). I had to really push for the tests. Now I've taken a very high dose for 5 months I'm feeling much better than I was.

Thank you all. This is helpful.
I've got blood tests this morning and seeing gp next week.
I also got some results from a medical I had through work two weeks ago, which showed MCV and MCH as elevated. The nurse rang and told me yesterday. I don't know what that means, but let's see what the other tests show and take from there.