Does anyone have any experience of B12 deficiency or Anaemia

tiny_clanger

Hi everyone

Yes, I know I need to go to the docs, and I've got an appointment booked for tomorrow (minor miracle!), but I'm having various non-specific symptoms which fit the general bracket of B12 deficiency and/or iron deficiency anaemia, but would like to hear from anyone who has had these conditions whether it sounds plausible and I should push for some blood tests.
I'm on a low dose PPI (lansoprazole) and have been for about a year, which is a risk factor for B12 deficiency.

Anyway, for the past few weeks I've had the following
- Feeling breathless with exercise, so any exercise that is pushing me results in me feeling really short of breath. Bearing in mind in April I ran a marathon and cycle 25K every day, I wouldn't consider myself hugely unfit
- Feeling my heart racing, again with exercise but sometimes just from climbing stairs
- Legs feeling really sore and with muscle pains
- Feeling dizzy. This is on and off, but when it comes on it can be really debilitating
- Feeling tired, to the point my friends have commented on it
- Brain fog, so zoning in and out and struggling to concentrate.

I am under a lot of stress at work at the moment, so it might just be that, but it would be useful if anyone would like to share their own experiences?

Thanks

kshama2001

Sure, I'm anemic and when it's untreated I have debilitating fatigue. However, lots of conditions can cause fatigue. Your symptoms do sound like more than stress, so you should indeed push for tests.

When I think of brain fog, I think of my own experience of working in an office building that turned out to have toxic mold. I had lots of seemingly unrelated symptoms with that. Any issues with floods/water intrusion/mold at work or home?

Old_Cat_Lady

Ask your doctor if you should take a daily multivitamin.

Stacyines

My anemia made me very sleepy and consistently cold. I developed it when I became bulimic years ago. I overcame my bulimia and my anemia hasn't returned. The blood test is quick. Maybe suggest to your doctor if B12 vaccines would help significantly?

xvolution

I have anemia that's treated using iron/B12/folic acid/epogen. When I really had it bad, I'd lose breath very easily, I'd always be cold and often felt dizzy. But there are other conditions that can have similar symptoms (like dehydration, low blood pressure or Chf) so it's best to see what the doctor says at the appointment.

JaelynButterflyTale

Tiny u sound just like me and i just had my bloodwork done. My iron is very low. Ive studdied supplements and natural remedies for a long time...and i found a supplement by Jarrow mb12 with metylfolate and Floradix which is a natural iron supplment. Thats what im planning on taking. I hope we both feel better.

slickmickey

i had stopped sleeping, like 100% wasnt sleeping at all and couldnt stop crying at the drop of a hat or remember anything for more than a few minutes... i was worried it might be something like thyroid (runs in my family) since i wasnt losing weight too and my hair was thinning... nope. vitamin D AND B12 were low. no anemia. also had a tinge of depression/anxiety creeping in because of the lack of sleep. going on 2 months of taking 2000whatevers of Vitamin D, plus a b12 suppliment and a mild antidepressant to help me fall asleep. still no weight loss, but the palpitations and shakiness has stopped and i'm almost sleeping thru the night again. memory getting better again too. oh and no more crying at my desk at 9am because i cant function. totally worth going to the dr to get your bloodwork done.

spiriteagle99

I'm a runner too. Last fall I started noticing that all my runs were bad ones. I had no energy and it was a struggle to keep running. I did a HM and ended up walking a lot of the last few miles, because I couldn't breathe and even easy running felt hard. A week later I got back my blood test results - I had really low ferritin. A finger test didn't show anemia, but the ferritin test did. I started taking iron and within a month my runs were back to normal. I PRed my next marathon.

Purplebunnysarah

The last time I thought my thyroid meds may need adjusting I had a B12 deficiency. A year Of supplementing 1200 mcg per day and my levels are normal. Except now I'm borderline anemic and on 150 mg/day iron supplements...

spzjlb

Ask your physician for full bloodwork pertaining to anemia, which can have a plethora of mechanisms. If you eat meat, however, your B12 intake should be ok. Absorbing B12 can be problematic if you have a gastric ulcer, so that's worth discussing, too.

kshama2001

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

Ask your doctor if you should take a daily multivitamin.

People with anemia should get their iron levels tested regularly and supplement accordingly. The RDA of iron isn't nearly enough to treat my anemia. To stay in Low Normal, three weeks a month I meet the RDA daily with food and take an additional 278% in supplement form. Then I kick it up during the week when I'm menstruating and recovering.

Psychgrrl

The only thing that's worked for me is red meat. For some reason, I don't absorb the supplements well, even when taken in high amounts throughout the day. Seems to be a thing affecting iron only. Yeah, I'm weird.

I now eat about 4oz of red meat 3-4 times per week.

RedSierra

While I don't have experience with B12 deficiency or anemia, I think your concern about your medicine is valid. I had two medicine reactions in the past year that had alarming symptoms.

I looked up your medicine and it does have side effects with all your symptoms and B12 problems. It sounds like a good idea to tell your doctor your thoughts and ask to go off the medicine for a while or try a different med. The doctor might want to run blood tests and other tests as well since your symptoms could be something else.

RedSierra

slickmickey wrote: »

i had stopped sleeping, like 100% wasnt sleeping at all and couldnt stop crying at the drop of a hat or remember anything for more than a few minutes... i was worried it might be something like thyroid (runs in my family) since i wasnt losing weight too and my hair was thinning... nope. vitamin D AND B12 were low. no anemia. also had a tinge of depression/anxiety creeping in because of the lack of sleep. going on 2 months of taking 2000whatevers of Vitamin D, plus a b12 suppliment and a mild antidepressant to help me fall asleep. still no weight loss, but the palpitations and shakiness has stopped and i'm almost sleeping thru the night again. memory getting better again too. oh and no more crying at my desk at 9am because i cant function. totally worth going to the dr to get your bloodwork done.

This is important about low Vitamin D. I asked for a Vitamin D test this past year and found out it is separate from other bloodwork -- you could request it. Vitamin D deficiency has many symptoms including aches and pains, brain fog, etc.

zjpq

It would probably be worth having vit D, ferritin studies, FBC and thyroid checked too. I had issues for about a year with fatigue etc, my GP had only been checking FBC for haemoglobin and my thyroid both of which were fine (I do take thyroid meds though). It wasn't until they sent me to a haemotologist/oncologist for further investigations in case of leukemia etc and they took NINETEEN tubes of blood that someone actually looked at my ferritin and found it was low (often ferritin has to bottom out before your Hb/FBC is impacted). Had a ferritin infusion and felt 100% better. I still teeter on the edge of low so up my red meat and take a supplement a few times a week as my bowels allow my Vit D was also low so started with a supplement for that too and is normal now

Your symptoms are pretty much spot on for what I had going on and how I know my Fe is low again and ask for a recheck

bribucks

Following along because I am in the same boat as you and suspect either low iron or b12 anemia for myself too. But my appointment isn't for a whole month ...

With the crampy muscles, I believe that is a symptom of Vitamin D deficiency? So I agree, ask for that one specifically as well.

KaroshiQueen

I had all the same symptoms. Tests showed I was severely deficient in iron, B12 and I had like ZERO Vitamin D in my system. I use HemaPlex for anemia, D supplements, and get B12 injections. These all helped.

Old_Cat_Lady

I had no idea so many people did not take a multivitamin. I don't have insurance, so I take one.

Lgcoulter33

I'm anemic and have a b12 deficiency. I get injections of both once every 3 weeks.

spiriteagle99

I take a multi-vitamin, though I know that generally they aren't recommended. I still ended up with low ferritin and osteopoenia. Some people just don't absorb vitamins well. Plus the amounts of iron and calcium are low in most multi-vitamins so people don't OD.

bribucks

@tiny_clanger Be sure to let us know when you get the results!

rhenry24

zjpq wrote: »

It would probably be worth having vit D, ferritin studies, FBC and thyroid checked too. I had issues for about a year with fatigue etc, my GP had only been checking FBC for haemoglobin and my thyroid both of which were fine (I do take thyroid meds though). It wasn't until they sent me to a haemotologist/oncologist for further investigations in case of leukemia etc and they took NINETEEN tubes of blood that someone actually looked at my ferritin and found it was low (often ferritin has to bottom out before your Hb/FBC is impacted). Had a ferritin infusion and felt 100% better. I still teeter on the edge of low so up my red meat and take a supplement a few times a week as my bowels allow my Vit D was also low so started with a supplement for that too and is normal now

Your symptoms are pretty much spot on for what I had going on and how I know my Fe is low again and ask for a recheck

I had a doctor automatically check my ferritin years ago and I was extremely low. Now with any new doctor I automatically have them check my Ferritin. It seems like most don't even think to check for it. I asked my new dr. to check a couple weeks ago because I could tell it bottomed out again. He didn't even question it, he checked along with a few other things. Sure enough, it was just the ferritin that was low.

ruqayyahsmum

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

I had no idea so many people did not take a multivitamin. I don't have insurance, so I take one.

Ive been taking multivitamins for years. I still cannot absorb vitamin b12 and am regularly deficient in iron, calcium and vitamin d

I have regular bloods done to check it along with thyroid function (hashimotos) and my gp then prescribed high dose vitamins as needed

jgnatca

Your symptoms fit a few conditions including magnesium deficiency, thyroid, and kidney failure.

lisabellnc

I have very low B12, Vitamin D and magnesium. The thing is I had to MAKE my doctor test for these as I had similar symptoms as you but also, pins and needles feeling in my hands and feet. Doctors never think we are vitamin deficient . My B-12 and D was so low I was almost dead! And a multi vitamin will not do it for you if truly deficient. I take 10.000 mg of vitamin D and you can't OD on D . Most supplement has 1,000. I buy mine on Amazon. I was getting the B12 shots , but I also supplement with 5.000 mg of drugstore brand that dissolves under your tongue. I don't get the shots very often anymore. I also, take 1.000 mg of magnesium gel caps. These work great , especially if you have constipation. Take at night though! If that is too much, I alternate 500/1000 ever other day. I feel so much better after about 7 days.

Also, you could have the type of anemia that causes you to have large red blood cells which don't bring oxygen and blood to your organs which make you tired, cranky, can give you migraines. I have this . Some mess cause this. Maybe yours does as well.

I recommend a book by Sally Pocholok. It's all about how serious B12 deficiency is and all of the diseases and disorders it can cause and cure. MIND BLOWING. It was a movie also.

Ainadan

My mom takes vitamin B to great effect. Without it she has brain fog and gets really anxious and irrationally angry.

zjpq

rhenry24 wrote: »

zjpq wrote: »

It would probably be worth having vit D, ferritin studies, FBC and thyroid checked too. I had issues for about a year with fatigue etc, my GP had only been checking FBC for haemoglobin and my thyroid both of which were fine (I do take thyroid meds though). It wasn't until they sent me to a haemotologist/oncologist for further investigations in case of leukemia etc and they took NINETEEN tubes of blood that someone actually looked at my ferritin and found it was low (often ferritin has to bottom out before your Hb/FBC is impacted). Had a ferritin infusion and felt 100% better. I still teeter on the edge of low so up my red meat and take a supplement a few times a week as my bowels allow my Vit D was also low so started with a supplement for that too and is normal now

Your symptoms are pretty much spot on for what I had going on and how I know my Fe is low again and ask for a recheck

I had a doctor automatically check my ferritin years ago and I was extremely low. Now with any new doctor I automatically have them check my Ferritin. It seems like most don't even think to check for it. I asked my new dr. to check a couple weeks ago because I could tell it bottomed out again. He didn't even question it, he checked along with a few other things. Sure enough, it was just the ferritin that was low.

Yes, I have mine always check fe now too. My fe can be really low but hb and Rbc size etc fine but I will be miserable

kshama2001

TheWJordinWJordin wrote: »

I had no idea so many people did not take a multivitamin. I don't have insurance, so I take one.

Again, the amounts in multi-vitamins are likely insufficient to treat serious medical conditions. People who suspect serious medical conditions should get tested and proceed from there, rather than relying on a multi. Taking a multi in this case would be penny wise, pound foolish.

Old_Cat_Lady

I never said a multivitamin would treat a serious medical condition. I take a multivitamin as preventative medicine since I can't afford doctor's visits. I don't eat much meat, so I know I have to be careful. One pill a day is all I can handle.
Wow- can you imagine anyone saying to take multivitamin for a serious medical condition? Glad I cleared that up.

ChercherCreighton

I've been struggling with anemia for a few years and your symptoms sound like anemia to me. I have struggled with the dizziness, the heart racing and feeling short of breath after climbing one set of stairs. I've had to quit running as I couldn't catch my breath. I've had the brain fog and confusion. A simple shower was enough to make me lie down for an hour.

I hope you went to the doctor and asked for a complete blood count. If your ferritin is very low you can ask for an iron infusion. Mine was 3 at it's lowest and I felt like death. My hemoglobin was also very low at 105. I was given an iron infusion for these numbers which brought me up to 22. It took a good month and a half after the infusion for the shortness of breath to go away. Not surprising since it can take 2-4 months to re-build red blood cell stores.

More important would be to work with your doctor to find out why you are anemic. Mine was due to heavy periods and I just had a hysterectomy in July to correct the problem. I'm currently trying to re-build my hemoglobin as I was anemic again when I left the hospital so I feel your pain! Good luck and let us know how it went!

tiny_clanger

This is really helpful thank you so much to everyone who's replied. So, went to the docs yesterday, she thinks it's just asthma exacerbation, stress and labyrinthitis. However, she did agree to order the general set of bloods - liver, kidney, thyroid, B12, iron, VitD, etc. So we'll see what comes from that.