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Vitamin B12 deficiency and peri menopause / menopause

Posted , 13 users are following.

jayneejay
jayneejay

useful info .... 

Mild Symptoms

Fatigue, weakness and pale skin may be the first signs of a vitamin B12 deficiency. You may notice cracked lips or a ringing in the ears, and you might experience a loss of appetite or an altered sense of taste that causes food to taste funny or odd. Alternating bouts of diarrhea and constipation are common, and some people may become dizzy when standing up. Fever or abdominal pain may also be present.

Mental Effects

A vitamin B12 deficiency can cause an altered mental state in severe cases. Advanced stages of a severe vitamin B12 deficiency can cause a state of confusion. Mild to moderate depression is a common symptom, but severe depression can also be the result of a deficiency.

Other Symptoms

According to Harvard Medical Publications, other symptoms may include a tingling sensation in the hands or feet, a stinging or burning sensation on the tongue, a bright red tongue, significant weight loss, yellowing of the skin and a rapid heart rate. It can also cause you to feel off balance or disoriented, which may worsen in darkness. Some people may lose the ability to tell the colors yellow and blue apart. You may be unable to feel vibrations in your feet or legs. Anemia may develop ..

1 like, 43 replies

43 Replies

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  • middlemuddle
    middlemuddle jayneejay

    Posted

    Thanks I do have a good B complex with 200 B6 but stopped taking as it says not for long term use and there is some Vit B in my hemaplex. I think I'll give it another go though. I've made an appointmentwith the GP to get my B12 retested and will explain again about the cancer anxiety.

    I do take a good quality probiotic but i read some recent research which doubted if any of the bacteria make it past the stomach and into the gut.

    I am reading a book about adrenal exhaustion and I definitely think that could be part of the issue too.

    I read you get B12 injections, do you know what is causing your malabsorption?

    • jayneejay
      jayneejay middlemuddle

      Posted

      Hi hun

      I use to take jarrows B12 5000mcg.

      But now have Optovite B12 injection two weekly.. 

      I have these purely for personal choice and having a 10 year natural menopause. 

      Boosts my energy ..

      I dont live in Uk ..

      Jay xx

  • middlemuddle
    middlemuddle jayneejay

    Posted

    Thanks

    I have the spray mine is 5000mcg too by Nature's Plus, very expensive so I will look out the jarrow on for next time. Do you do more than on spray per day? Just restarted my B6, I have about 20 left so I'll take daily and see if it helps.

  • martina43
    martina43 jayneejay

    Posted

    Hi my name is martina. I was diagnosed with vitamin b12 deficiency and pre menopause. I have started injections. I was diagnosed on December 12th 2014. The doctor gave me my first injection and the nurse gave me the rest. I got 1 injection every week for 5 weeks. My next injection is in 3 months April 8th.. I asked the nurse when will the doctor do a blood test again. She said she asked him and he said he didn't need to do a blood test again.. my reading was 160.. my mouth feels a lot better since the injections started. I'm getting on and of tingling in my finger tips. But I'm still lightheaded on and of with a feeling of a headache.. but it's confusing as I'm also going through pre menopause.. im taking centrum now for women to see if it will help. I'm 43 years old and scared.. Jay nee Jay please help me..
    • jayneejay
      jayneejay martina43

      Posted

      Hi Martina

      well its good your B12 deficiency has been found and being treated..

      i also have B12 injections and i dont have any side effects, B12 what you dont need you pass via urine, so I wouldnt think its the B12 injections that are bothering you, especially when you have been diagnosed..

      the only thing i notice a few hours after a B12 injection, for me, is hunger, i tend to get the hunger and need to eat..

      i dont really know what the tingling is you mention, or what other meds your taking, there are many weird and wonderful symptoms in peri menopause, that come and go, but i suggest if you are concerned to go back to your Doctor and mention this ..

      light headed feelings and tingling may be a peri symptom but its best to get checked, eat little and often and always eat a small breakfast before leaving the house in the morning, i have bouts of feeling faint still but have to eat little and often ..

      jay x

    • middlemuddle
      middlemuddle martina43

      Posted

      Tingling could be the nerves, they can be affected by B12 deficiency so could be coming 'back to life'.

      Have you read much on B12 deficiency?  Have you been tested for PA to rule that out? Loading doses are usually given every other day for 2 weeks and then you are often put on 3 monthly which is not enough for some people.  You could supplement with a B12 spray aswell.

      There are some great resources online and a very supportive group on facebook and people to follow on twitter if you use any of those.

    • martina43
      martina43 middlemuddle

      Posted

      Hi middle muddle.. I had blood test taken my vitamin b12 deficiency came back at 160.. I got 1 injection weekly for 5 weeks. Next 1 I get is April 8th.. and every 3 months after that.. never thought of the nerves waking up.. I look up sites trying to find answers to this deficiency what I can.take..etc..A doctor on health tap said get the tablet that goes under the tongue it by passes the gut.. I can't absorb vitamin b12. . I'm in Ireland can i buy stuff like spray etc or do I need the doctor for that.. Thanks for replying to me I really really appreciated this
    • middlemuddle
      middlemuddle martina43

      Posted

      Got to pop out but when I get back I'll try and point out some links for you to read.  B12 spray or tablets for under the tongue are called sublingual and yes they are absorbed through the mouth membrane so avoid the gut.  B12 is quite a complicated subject your 160 figure - do you have a printout of your blood results?  (always get this) there are different measures, mine is 148 - not low enough for injections on scale here so you need to know the ranges - I got mine up to about 1500 with subling spray and iron tablets.  You can get them online or in health food shops - you want a high dose 5000mcg.

      I shall return.

    • martina43
      martina43 middlemuddle

      Posted

      Hi middlemuddle.. I don't have a print out of my results.i never knew I could ask for one.. would I get sublingual in a chemist..do I need permission from my doctor.. so 160 is not that bad.. so centrum for women are good but I think I really need iron tablets..
    • middlemuddle
      middlemuddle martina43

      Posted

      160 is low on either scale but on one scale it is more low than the other if that makes sense. You can still ask for a copy now and I would do so, I just get mine from the reception desk.

      No you do not need permission or a perscription, a chemist may stock them somewhere like Holland and Barratt may too, I'm not sure what store you have in Ireland, the internet may be easiest for you.

      Re iron was you tested for this? Again you need to know your levels. Your iron store Ferritin is the important number and it needs to be high for you to absorb B12 efficiently along with your folate levels. I would not supplement iron unless you need to, I did and there is a great iron and blood supplement with Bvits in which you could try.

      How is your diet? Do you eat animal products? We should not just take supplements but improve our diets too. Curly Kale is a great food for you and possibly asparagus. A good site is world's healthiest foods (WHfoods).

      I will find you the NICE agreements on B12. Can I ask what prompted your first visit to the GP and what made them test your B12? How is your digestion? Have you been tested for celiac disease. It is good to rule out reasons for your B12 deficiency.

    • martina43
      martina43 middlemuddle

      Posted

      Yes I eat animal products. I went to the doctor with a sore throat he said I had swollen glands in my neck.. he gave me antibiotics but 5 days later it still felt wrong I was told my throat was fine but still red and inflamed and I would be fine for my dentist appointment but I didn't feel okay. . So my dentist looked and decided to give me flagl antibiotics.. I went back to my doctor when I finished them because I had abdominal pain.. then he took the blood.. It came back everything was fine except my b12 was low it was 160 and I have started pre menopause.. He told me my stomach can't absorb b12 I would need injections for life.. that's how I found out this.. hope this makes sense to you. ..
    • martina43
      martina43 middlemuddle

      Posted

      Yes I eat animal products. I went to the doctor with a sore throat he said I had swollen glands in my neck.. he gave me antibiotics but 5 days later it still felt wrong I was told my throat was fine but still red and inflamed and I would be fine for my dentist appointment but I didn't feel okay. . So my dentist looked and decided to give me flagl antibiotics.. I went back to my doctor when I finished them because I had abdominal pain.. then he took the blood.. It came back everything was fine except my b12 was low it was 160 and I have started pre menopause.. He told me my stomach can't absorb b12 I would need injections for life.. that's how I found out this.. hope this makes sense to you. ..
    • martina43
      martina43 middlemuddle

      Posted

      I just phoned my doctor my iron levels were perfect.. but he did agree with b12 spray or sublingual tablets.. I've to have a blood test again in 6 months.. so that's something.. he thinks my lightheaded is because of pre menopause.. Thanks for that site
    • martina43
      martina43

      Posted

      I just phoned my doctor my iron levels were perfect.. but he did agree with b12 spray or sublingual tablets.. I've to have a blood test again in 6 months.. so that's something.. he thinks my lightheaded is because of pre menopause.. Thanks for that site
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