Pls guide me..

Hi praful50064

We note from a recent post which you have made to our forum that you may be experiencing thoughts around self-harm. If we have misinterpreted your comments then we apologies for contacting you directly. But if you are having such thoughts then please note that you are not alone in this, and there are people out there that can help.

If you are having these suicidal thoughts then we strongly recommend you speak to someone who may be able to help. The Samaritans offer a safe space where you can talk openly about what you are going through. They can help you explore your options, understand your problems better, or just be there to listen.

Their contact details are on our patient information leaflet here: https://patient.info/health/dealing-with-suicidal-thoughts, which also offers lots of other advice on how you can access the help you may need.

If you are having such thoughts then please do reach out to the team at the Samaritans (or the other people detailed in our leaflet) who will understand what you're going through and will be able to help.

Kindest regards

Patient

Sorry you're feeling so low mentally and physically. I am in a similar situation where as I can not afford medical tests. My physical symptoms eased after 2-3 months of regular injections. I now take 1000mcg cyanocobalamin every 2 weeks, I initially stated at one a day for 10 days then one every 2 days for 7 days, then once a week for a month, now once every 2 weeks. Keep taking the B12 injections regularly. Physical symptoms improve over weeks to years depending on how prolonged your deficiency was, for me most of the worst symptoms disappeared within a few months, some still linger but are not as bad.

Unfortunately I don't feel B12 helps with depression and suicidal feelings , this is something I'm looking to address separately and if you can afford to see a doctor and explain things this would be the best thing, You can opt for older and generic brand name antidepressants, I know that trazadone is especially cheap in India (as it is manufactured in bulk there) under non brand names (search for Trazodone Hydrochloride). I also live in Asia and we are lucky that we can buy many of these medications over the counter, this is not the case in the EU and USA, so do try and get the money together for a doctor and get a recommendation for medication to help your mental health. I mention Trazadone as it's something that is cheap and has been on the market for over 50 years the side effects and benefits are well documented. I hope you can find some peace of mind Praful50064, I am going through much of what you are as well. Keep us updated and take heart that people care and you are not alone xx

Hi Praful, I really don't think you should be self medicating. i am in the UK and have had this condition for nearly 30 years. I  receive injections every three months from my GP surgery. But initially it was more frequently. A lot of your symptoms could cover a whole host of other conditions. I understand that things may be different in India but you must be able to get some assistance with medical treatment. Having searched the internet free treatment is available at government hospitals. Do not despair, get professional advice and also seek help to deal with your anxiety. 

Can you get your Folate tested?

It is 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 .

It is not uncommon for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better as the B12 starts repairing the damage done to your nervous system and your brain starts getting multiple messages from part of the body it had "forgotten about" or lost contact with.

I sometimes liken it to a badly tuned radio on which you have turned the volume up high trying to catch the programme you want when all of a sudden the signal comes in loud and clear and the blast nearly deafens you.

A lot will depend on the severity and longevity of your B12 deficiency as to how long before there is no further improvement or recovery.

Some symptoms will "disappear" quite quickly whereas others may take months or even years. There is no set timescale as we are all different.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