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Could it be b12 deficiency?

Posted , 3 users are following.

em-01
em-01

I'm gonna post my symptoms and story here. I'm 17 years old and this has been taking over my life so I would appreciate any help.

It started with numbness and tingling in my left hand, then moved to my right hand and then my feet. I also had episodes where suddenly I would become really tired at night and out of breath, heart palpitations, etc.... and after an x-ray of my lungs doctor found I have something in my left lung and been prescribed an inhaler (which didn't help that much). The tingling spread to every part of my body, I feel it in my back, my neck, my head, my face, my shoulder is tingling now as I write this. I only keep having this sensation of something crawling on my skin. One doctor gave me 1000 mcg mecobalamin tablets 2 times a day for 10 days and it really improved the numbness and tingling, I almost don't have it these days which is why I suspect a b12 deficiency. I'm gonna post all my symptoms below

•numbness and tingling and crawling sensation

•heart palpitations

•feeling tired all the time

•ringing in ear when lying down

•vision changes (increase in floaters, also seeing flashing stars in my vision, retina is fine)

•breathlessness

•headaches (I always feel like my head is heavy and get random pain at random parts of my head, also feel pressure in my ears)

•been kind of depressed and anxious recently

•jaw ache

•burning in my arms and legs, even my head

•I also had loss of appetite before (which improved with the mecobalamin tablets)

The most frustrating part is that everything turns out normal and doctors don't believe me. Thyroid tests were normal also. I keep pushing them to test for vitamins but they tell me it's not needed and it's all because of stress. I also suspect I had a sinus infection but I never got it cleared up with a doctor, so could some of my symptoms be from that?

Please if you have any knowledge about this or any similar symptoms let me know.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Dena58
    Dena58 em-01

    Posted

    I am sorry to see that you do have the symptoms of Pernicious Anemia. I was diagnosed 10 years ago with Pernicious Anemia with Intrinsic Factor Antibody.

    i don’t know what country you are in but after years of being told my tests are normal, I  found that is not an acceptable response. Get a print out of your test results.  

    Also, tests on B12 levels if you are taking or injecting B12, are inaccurate. There is a Pernicious Anemia Support Group on Facebook that has very valuable information in its files.  You must request to be accepted. Once accepted, you can go to the files. 

    I am 10 years into my journey of living with and managing Pernicious Anemia with Intrinsic Factor Antibody. I inject B12 every other day.  I am in the US and have a physician that is working with me.

    I am not medically trained, just a PA survivor.

  • clivealive
    clivealive em-01

    Posted

    Anyone at any age, can become B12 deficient. However, certain people are at an elevated risk. They include the following:

    Vegetarians, vegans and people eating macrobiotic diets.

    People aged sixty and over

    People who’ve undergone any gastric and/or intestinal surgery, including bariatric surgery for weight loss purposes (Gastric bypass).

    People who regularly use proton-pump- inhibitors. H2 blockers, antacids, Metformin, and related diabetes drugs, or other medications that can interfere with B12 absorption.

    People who undergo surgeries or dental procedures involving nitrous oxide, or who use the drug recreationally.

    People with a history of eating disorders (anorexia or bulimia).

    People with a history of alcoholism.

    People with a family history of pernicious anaemia.

    People diagnosed with anaemia (including iron deficiency anaemia, sickle cell anaemia and thalassaemia).

    People with Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, gluten enteropathy (celiac disease), or any other disease or infection like h pylori that cause malabsorption of nutrients.

    People with autoimmune disorders (especially thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Grave’s disease) Type 1 diabetes, vitiligo, lupus, Addison’s disease, ulcerative colitis, infertility, acquired agammaglobulinemia, or a family history of these disorders.

    Apart from Thyroid problems which you have ruled out do you see yourself among any of the above people?

    Symptoms of B12 deficiency tend to develop slowly and may not be recognised immediately. As the condition worsens, common symptoms include:

    Weakness and fatigue

    Light-headedness and dizziness

    Palpitations and rapid heartbeat

    Shortness of breath

    A sore tongue that has a red, beefy appearance

    Nausea or poor appetite

    Weight loss

    Diarrhoea

    Yellowish tinge to the skin and eyes

    If low levels of B12 remain for a long time, the condition also can lead to irreversible damage to nerve cells, which can cause the following symptoms:

    Numbness and tingling in the hands and feet

    Difficulty walking

    Muscle weakness

    Irritability

    Memory loss

    Dementia

    Depression

    Psychosis It is also important that your Folate level is monitored as this is essential to process the B12.

    There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.

    Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:

    symptoms related to anaemia

    reduced sense of taste

    diarrhoea

    numbness and tingling in the feet and hands

    muscle weakness

    depression

    Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body.

    The British Society for Haematology guidelines say on the Diagnosis of B12 and Folate Deficiency "I the presence of discordance between the test result and strong clinical features of deficiency, treatment should not be delayed to avoid neurological impairment".https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjcg4_zw-zUAhWTHsAKHVU2AC4QFggkMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.b-s-h.org.uk%2Fguidelines%2Fguidelines%2Fdiagnosis-of-b12-and-folate-deficiency%2F&usg=AFQjCNHIwY0LNaLa7ByDGyaCYpwKX4kwhg

    Make a list of your symptoms and present this to your doctor and ask him to treat you according to your symptoms and (perhaps) even start you on loading doses "until there is no further improvement" according to the N.I.C.E guidelines below. Click on the link, then on "Scenario: Management" and scroll down to "Treatment for B12 deficiency"

    https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=8&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjJwpuVwuzUAhWTOsAKHXj8B3sQFgg9MAc&url=https%3A%2F%2Fcks.nice.org.uk%2Fanaemia-b12-and-folate-deficiency&usg=AFQjCNFje3rEICwABYJ6ZJS4D-nMto5QTw

    If possible take someone with you who can validate your neurological symptoms as the doctor is less likely to pooh pooh you in front of a witness.I am not a medically trained person but I've had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 45 years.

    I wish you well. 

  • em-01
    em-01

    Posted

    Update: I have done some blood tests and here are my results. Keep in my mind this was done after supplementing although it has been a couple months. 

    Calcium (Ca) - Total      9.6 mg/dL     Range- 8.4-10.2

    Iron                               123 ug/dL      Range- 33-102 

    Folic acid (Folate)         10.8 ng/mL   Range- 1.2-7.1

    Vitamin B12 (Serum)    476 pg/mL     Range - 182-820

    Vitamin D Total (D2+D3) 21 nmol/L    Range- 50-149 NORMAL

                                                                            31-49 INSUFFICIENT

                                                                            <30 DEFICIENT

                                                                             >150 TOXIC

    Any insight on this? Why is my iron and folate high? I expected the opposite. Does this mean my B12 is not getting absorbed? 

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