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B12 loading a month ago

Posted , 3 users are following.

angiemac19
angiemac19

I felt so much better, but yesterday the breathlessness came back, I'm lethargic again, I just want to sleep.

Does this happen after the loading? I'm not due another jab until December.

So upset all over again I've had 3 brilliant weeks and now this agsin. Help please ....

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • marion29181
    marion29181 angiemac19

    Posted

    Unfortunately the symptoms do sometimes get worse as the injected B12 brings everything back to life. It's because your body has been crying out for  B12, then suddenly it is flooded with it.

    Have you spoken to your doctor about this? If you have neurological symptoms the guidelines recommend more frequent injections anyway. Is your GP arranging a blood test to check how much B12 is still in your blood? Did they check your folate levels when it was found your B12 was low? We need folate to ensure the B12 can be used by the body?

    Have you read any books that explain B12 deficiency, there are several good ones on the market? 

    • angiemac19
      angiemac19 marion29181

      Posted

      Thank you so much for your reply - they didn't mention folate at all - I will make another appointment with my GP to try to sort this out.

    • angiemac19
      angiemac19 marion29181

      Posted

      Have now thankfully had a blood test to see how much is still in my system.  My folate was fine but my iron was on the low side, i think it was 22, shes given me iron tablets... Just wish they would sort me out, 3 years ago i was out riding my horse, sadly not any more.... Just looking at some books regarding B12 deficiency. Thankyou for your help.
    • marion29181
      marion29181 angiemac19

      Posted

      I hope the iron tablets will help, it's a good idea to take a good quality B complex tablet too, as it keeps the B vitamins in balance. I hope you will be back riding your horse, I used to love horse riding when I was younger. I content myself with painting pictures of them now. Wishing you well. Marion

  • clivealive
    clivealive angiemac19

    Posted

    As Marion says Folate is essential to process the B12 you are having injected and she is also correct that some of the symptoms can appear to get worse before they get better - ironically it is a sign that the repairs to your damaged nervous system are actually working.

    Come back if you have any more questions

    Be assured there is life after P.A. as I've had it for 45 years and I'm still "clivealive" at 75.

    • angiemac19
      angiemac19 clivealive

      Posted

      Thankyou Clivealive too! Today has been like a nightmare, all I want to do is to wake up and feel fairly normal again... Ive got an appointment to see gp in the morning....  will definately be asking her about the folate - shes never mentioned that before. Ive actually booked to see another doctor, hoping he/she might be a little more informed.... Thanks again everyone its really helped knowing im not on my own here.
    • clivealive
      clivealive angiemac19

      Posted

      Sadly many Doctors are ill informed about Vitamin B12 Deficiency and P.A.

      My own doctor six years ago refused to believe that after nearly forty years, I could feel the return of some of my P.A. symptoms in the run up to my next scheduled injection.  He actually said "It can't be the P.A. becuase you are getting the B12 injections" and he steadfastly refused to increase the frequency.  This "one size fits all" stance is all too common amongst GPs as is evidenced by members of the Pernicious Anaemia Society which I joined after the above (one sided) conversation with my doctor where I discovered that I was not the only person in the world with this problem - there are thousands of us....

      I hope you have a successful interview with your doctor - oh, and by the way I have since managed to get an increased frequency of injections simply by "educating" my doctor in the ways of P.A.

    • angiemac19
      angiemac19 clivealive

      Posted

      Thats really interesting because I do feel as though Im sometimes im talking to a brick wall - a similar thing happened when I mentioned this to my hospital consultant " it cant be your P.A. because you are having the suggested dosage" - as if one size fits all.... Im so glad I joined this group because I was honestly starting to believe it was me over-reacting... I just hope she listens - its an early morning appointment so I will be her first patient tomorrow.... Thanks again.

    • clivealive
      clivealive angiemac19

      Posted

      You might consider joining the Pernicious Anaemia Society.

      It costs just £20 for a year's membership and the staff will give you good advice and will even intervene by 'phone at your doctor's level if it is deemed necessary.

      I wish you well.

    • angiemac19
      angiemac19 clivealive

      Posted

      Thankyou again, yes I think i will join the Pernicious Anaemia Society - there seem to be a lot of things i need to look into. I went back to my doctor this morning to have a blood test to check the b12 level in my body at the moment... She looked back to my last bloods, the folate was normal but found my Iron levels ( i think thats what she said)  were quite low at 22, so now she has prescribed meds for that too... The blood results wont be back until wednesday and so in the meantime she topped up mu b12 with another jab, in case it is that..... Suddenly feeling so tired, time for a nap i think.... thanks for your advice
    • clivealive
      clivealive angiemac19

      Posted

      Well done for persevering and maybe your doctor is learning a thing or two which will help the next patient who comes along with the same problems.

      It is not unusual for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better - take it as a sign that the B12 you are having injected is working at repairing the damage done to your nervous system.

      Sleep well.

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