B12 Deficiency

[iloverobbrydon]

Hello!

I went to the doctors 3 months ago with some symptoms I have been having for a long time. They did a full blood test and it came back that I was deficient in B12. They put me on 50mg tablets which have not helped in the slightest.

I went back for more blood tests yesterday but I have heard that injections are actually better, as it may be that I can't absorb the B12 in tablet form. I have read up on it and heard that a lot of people self inject or get it done privately because their 3 monthly injections do not help as they aren't enough.

I have a few questions about this. First one is, I have heard that you should also supplement with other things such as folic acid. Is this true and how much should I take? I wasn't told that I was low in this so do I still take it? Also, if I self inject how do I know how many times to do it? I have heard about loading doses etc but I have no idea how much I would need. The doctors never gave me my results, so I don't exactly know how low I am but i'm just all a bit confused and overwhelmed with it atm and could use some advice from people that have this deficiency and especially if you self inject.

Thanks!

In my consultation tomorrow I will ask about the ferritin level. I've been taking 5mg folic acid for around 2 months now but that was off my own back.

Exactly

Do you feel the benefit?
Dya know what it takes your levels too ?

I ask as im likely down the injection route soon

Yes, because I get extremely tired in the week before my injection.

Glad its helping u

As well as my B12 being low.. my ferritin is 19 when the range is 11-307ug/L

I'm not sure which is giving me the symptoms, the low B12 or the low ferritin. I'm guessing the B12 as I'm actually deficient in that but with ferritin being so low I would like to get it higher.

Does anyone know how I can get my ferritin up without prescription from the doctor's? Dr won't give them to me because I'm within the range (barely!) Would anything be strong enough OTC to make a difference?

Feretin wise - if you tell the drs how meh you feel - they should help..

Its most likely a combo of b12 low and feretin low...

Foods wise -
Brown bread - brown pasta
Cereal - Kelloggs cornflakes
Red meat
etc

Omega 3 stuff is also important - tuna / mackeral

Also your body needs vit C to help absorb iron

Vit c and vit D also important

Nhs ranges are so wide
But meh cuz 19 is low
& getting that up with iron iv would help a lot

Dya take zinc tablets ? - often low feretin means brittle nails etc

@worldwidetravel2017 they didn't help at all.. however I have now changed drs so I think I will call them and see if they're any more helpful.

I could probably do with taking vit C and D.. I don't take anything other than magnesium and atm I'm taking floradix as it's gentle iron but it doesn't help enough. Are iron infusions available on the NHS?

There's a doctor at Spire in Manchester who runs an anemia clinic and they offer the transfusions. I was thinking of making an appointment with her, but if I could speak to my new doctor and get it on the NHS instead that may be preferable.. but will take longer

Yes to iron infusions on nhs -, my feretin was only 8 - and i got mine on nhs

Likely to have a 2nd in aug or sept

( Hence under the 11 cut off but tbh - anything under 80 4 a female Isn't ace )

Vit D - drink an actimel a day - has 1 /3 of daily vit D in , & take a 1000ug supplement.. available from holland and barrett or boots etc

Flax seed can be gd 4 magnesium

Banana a day too.
2 satsumas
Yoghurt
All daily necessities

Blueberries are a superfood that helps many

You can buy prescription strength iron tablets over the counter in the pharmacy.

I really appreciate all of the advice and information, thank you.

It's very overwhelming. Especially when the doctors say I'm fine and won't help me, because now I am just left to deal with it on my own. B12 deficiency with low ferritin but normal haemoglobin is a bit confusing. If I take iron tablets will that raise my ferritin? But it will also raise my haemoglobin so then it will get too high? I don't know what to do

Have u ever done a qfit test / poo test ?

Dya have bowel cancer in your fam at all ?

They were looking for a bleed in me.

Re low feretin

Then i had a qfit / poo test that was positive
.had urgent colonoscopy
Had 3 polyps removed from bowel
6 biopsies - 2 per polyp
All came bk ok..
Then re did poo test/ qfit test - now poop number is normal.. menna be under 9
Now its 4

2 others were 14 and 20

B4 polyp removal.

You could ask 4 ca125 blood test to check if thats normal - mines abnormal - they duno cause yet
Just that its not ovarian cancer
Some maybes could be linked 2 low feretin tho

@iloverobbrydon your ferretin will be low as a result of your low b12. Sometimes it doesn't affect haemoglobin, mine wasn't affected either. My full blood count always comes back satisfactory even though I was rock bottom on vit d,b12 and ferretin.

How have you been doing..? What treatment are you currently having?

It will take at least 4 months for you to get a full set of new red blood cells

@Rainbowgirrl thanks for asking how I'm doing. I have been taking daily iron tablets and B12 injections once a week along with some floradix.

I have noticed a slight improvement, but it's only been two weeks so no massive changes yet.

@iloverobbrydon did you not get the every other day loading doses..? You should have every other day for two weeks

are you self injecting or through the gp..?

What are your symptoms and have they got any better or worse..?

I would suggest you need to be on a high level of folic acid or methyl folate as b12 needs folate in order to be taken up in the body. They are interdependent.

The body uses up more magnesium and potassium when on b12 injections so if you can increase these in your diet. I try have a banana most days (even though I hate them).

Are you saying you are on iron tablets and floradix? That might be abit too much iron, be careful because too much iron can be dangerous because it can build up in the body and we can't flush it out like water soluble vitamins.

@Rainbowgirrl thanks for this! I will stop taking the floradix as well. I am taking a high dose of folic acid and magnesium tablets. I take my iron tablet with vitamin C too

In regards to the injections, I can change to every other day but I haven't got the guys to inject myself. I have been getting my sister to come round and do it, hence only once a week. My boyfriend said he is a bit scared to do it as well so I don't trust him, I'd rather someone do it who is confident 😂 my sister is training to be a nurse so I feel good about her doing it but I also don't want to drag her to my house every other day

@iloverobbrydon yes just the iron tablets should be enough. Have you had your vit d tested as that can be linked to b12d. I would suggest try to have magnesium, potassium and vit c through diet...these vitamins are easier for the body to absorb and better in more natural forms than taking a load of tablets full of fillers and bulking agents.

Probably request the doctor to do your bloods once a year atleast to check where all your levels are at. Keep an eye on bloods for: folate, ferretin, iron profile, vitamin D, full Thyroid function, magnesium, potassium.

I know exactly what you are saying. I was on 8 weeks and was so unwell I just found a load of videos and plucked up the courage. If you don't feel you are improving it might be something you would want to consider but see how you get on with once a week. It's scary at first but really not as bad as I worked up in my head. I'm not going to sugar coat it but I'm already seeing improvement.