Still tired after weekly B12 injections.

Posted , 2 users are following.

I have been getting weekly b12 shots along with taking 5000 IU of vitamin D everyday but I still feel tired. I am really worried something else is wrong. He did tons of blood work and getting more next week so I hope nothing worse shows up.

1 like, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Posted

    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.

    If you can get to see a doctor please also ask him/her to check your Folate level 

    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.

    Lower level Vitamin D deficiency can lead to a number of non-specific symptoms, including possibly chronic fatigue (experts have for many years noted an association between sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome or myalgic encephalitis (CFS or ME) and low blood levels of Vitamin D). It has been estimated that between 50-70% of people living in the northern Europe (where daylight length reduces your chances of receiving adequate sunlight in the winter) are deficient in this vitamin by March each year.

    Symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include chronic pain, weak bones, frequent infections (recent research has detected an association between vitamin D deficiency and severe pneumonia), depression and fatigue.which may explain some of your tiredness.

    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. 

  • Posted

    I’ve had six b12 injections n feel no better still tired etc, need to have more bloods done Monday n an ecg also have low folate levels, what could still b the problem?
    • Posted

      Are you supplementing with folic acid along with your Vitamin B12 injections?

      Initially, replacing B12 will lead to a huge increase in the production of blood cells and platelets (which occurs in the bone marrow) and can lead to rapid depletion of folate and iron stores; this can then limit the expected recovery of Haemoglobin.

      Both iron and folate may be needed so please have these levels checked by your doctor.

      It is not uncommon for some symptoms to appear to get worse before they get better as the B12 you are having injected 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 Pernicious Anaemia (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 46 years.

      I wish you well.

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.