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norma72045
norma72045

Hi All,I'm new to this forum so I'm hopeing you'll be patient with me.                    I have quite a few health issues,but one that concerns me is the lack of B12 . I take Sulfasalazine for Rhuematoid Arthritis, which I have now found takes Folic Acid out of your body.  But because I've also got Thyroid problem would anyone know if I may lack B12  or have I got this wrong and Folic Acid is another name for B12 ? 

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  • marion29181
    marion29181 norma72045

    Posted

    Hi Norma, I'm sorry to hear about your health issues and hope I can answer some of your questions. Folic Acid is needed by the body to help absorb B12 from your food. It is worth asking your GP for a blood test to check B12, folate, & ferritin levels. I also have a thyroid problem, mine is under active, and this can also mean your vitamin levels will be depleted. Do you take a multi-vitamin at all? Sometimes we have a digestive problem too, this means we fail to absorb B12 in the gut, and so need to have injections for it. Hope this helps? Best wishes Marion
    • norma72045
      norma72045 marion29181

      Posted

      Hi Marion,thank you for your reply. I was diagnosed with an Underactive Thyroid after taking Amidrone after a heart attack, I also have chronic IBS.  Well I was on the IBS site when someone with good informative information on thyroid problems picked me up. She told me to insist on the GP doing them tests you mentioned.( thyroid problems to me was all new).  So I did have these tests done and the next thing I know my GP telling me to pick up a prescription for folic acid. Then just after Xmas I seen my Endo who said all was well,two weeks later he's sending me for tests for Parathyroid which he never mentioned. So now that's another problem I don't understand .  So really I was reading up to see if there was anything I could do to help myself. And because I'd had a blood test for B12 I was thinking now am I lacking that.  And from what I can understand even if you was lacking B12 GP won't tell you because they won't prscribe it.  As I've said I have a lot of health issues but the IBS really gets me down with constant pain.  Sorry I've ranted on. I just can't understand it al and somehow I just think if I could link the dots up Id feel better. 
  • marion29181
    marion29181 norma72045

    Posted

    Hi again Norma, certainly the IBS could mean you aren't absorbing B12 properly. You are entitled to know what your level of B12 was in your blood test, in fact we can ask for copies of our blood test results from the doctor. Sometimes they ask for payment towards paper and ink. I've recently begun to do this, to try and keep track of what's going on. If your B12 is low you need loading injections of around six over two weeks, then you go on to regular three monthly injections. I can recommend the book by Martyn Hooper (founder of the Pernicious Anaemia Society) called "Pernicious Anaemia The Forgotten Disease" he covers all kinds of B12 deficiency. There is lots of information and advice in the book, even what supplements are available to buy. If we have digestive issues, we need to use sublingual or nasal sprays, or patches. Pills don't help. Good luck with getting your results from the GP, and don't be fobbed off without some answers. Marion
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