Anyone has experience with B12 deficiency?

LKArgh
LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
edited November 24 in Food and Nutrition
It is not a food and nutrition question, but I still suspect this might be the right board to post.
I was yesterday diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder affecting B12 absorption among other issues.
I am currently feeling constantly exhausted, sleepy, starting to experience memory loss and am very irritable.
Has anyone dealt with B12 deficiency, and if yes, how long did it take for symptoms to be start getting better when treatment started?

Replies

  • cherub14
    cherub14 Posts: 63 Member
    Hello I have also been diagnosed with B12 deficiency. I take 3000 micrograms in tablet form daily. I've been doing this for about 2 months now. I do not see any noticeable changes since taking the supplements. In 4 months I go back to my doctor to do blood work and see if the supplements are making a difference.
  • Original_Beauty
    Original_Beauty Posts: 180 Member
    I have a type of anemia which requires me to take b12 shots weekly and sub lingual sprays. Sub lingual sprays absorb a lot better then tablets. Maybe try that?
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    edited September 2015
    Original_Beauty wrote: »
    I have a type of anemia which requires me to take b12 shots weekly and sub lingual sprays. Sub lingual sprays absorb a lot better then tablets. Maybe try that?
    Thank you. I am waiting for my dr to get back to me to tell me how to proceed, she wanted to get back some more lab results before deciding.
  • rainbowbow
    rainbowbow Posts: 7,490 Member
    Me!


    I took a prescription called "CEREFOLIN NAC". It contains a combination of Vitamin B complex, Folic Acid, and N-Acytlcistene(spelling?).


    Anyway, it took about 8 weeks to have significant results.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    rainbowbow wrote: »
    Me!


    I took a prescription called "CEREFOLIN NAC". It contains a combination of Vitamin B complex, Folic Acid, and N-Acytlcistene(spelling?).


    Anyway, it took about 8 weeks to have significant results.

    Thank you
  • TheopolisAmbroiseIII
    TheopolisAmbroiseIII Posts: 197 Member
    I have an autoimmune disorder which is resulting in low thyroid. I have mad irritiability and low grade depression. I wonder if B12 would be of help. That's the stuff that makes you pee bright yellow, right?
  • southhamptonmike
    southhamptonmike Posts: 61 Member
    just had a blood test and my b12 was low, but not in the danger zone, and they want me to come in for a shot. this happened before and i started taking a supplement. this time after the shot I'm going to start taking a product called zippfiz which is very high in b12 and see what happens
  • woodybush
    woodybush Posts: 55 Member
    They thought I had a B12 deficiency but while I was waiting for the blood test results, I decided to try over the counter tablets.

    The tablets worked almost instantly - maybe after 2 or 3 days. However, after about 2 weeks I got acne all over my face - I didn't even get acne when I was a teenager!

    I stopped taking the B12 tablets and it took about 4 weeks for my skin to clear up.

    Although this isn't a very common occurrence, I wish it didn't happen because I felt great and more alive on the tablets!
  • anglyn1
    anglyn1 Posts: 1,802 Member
    I had a B12 deficiency when I was diagnosed with celiac disease. I had several months of B12 shots and then I started the sublingual forms. Within a year of going gluten free I was able to discontinue the supplements and now my levels are great! Good luck!
  • quilter46
    quilter46 Posts: 6 Member
    I too have that problem with not being able to absorb B12 and I also have celiac disease. I am not perfect in following a gluten free diet. I give myself B12 shots twice a month, but I am going to talk to my doctor about doing the sublingual forms, as I hate giving myself the shot. Although the shots are not expensive. I get the B12 from my oncologist. When I don't get the B12 when I am supposed to, I do feel sluggish and out of sorts. Good luck to you.
  • skinnymalinkyscot
    skinnymalinkyscot Posts: 174 Member
    Currently being investigated for a low thryoid deficiency, one more blood test and then onto tablets. Was also diagnosed with iron deficiency anaemia, folic acid deficiency and B12 deficiency. In my case I believe the tablets im on for a hernia called Lansoprazole are blocking uptake of my vitamins although the Doctor said no, I still think its possible . I eat greens, eggs, almonds, red meat, spinach, dried apricots, orange juice, oily fish, fortified breakfast cereals, marmite, I had no reason to be deficient in anything.

    Regardless he gave me various tablets which were ten times the strength of anything available over the counter, grammes rather than microgrammes, within 2 weeks I felt 100 % better.
  • ki4eld
    ki4eld Posts: 1,213 Member
    I've been taking injections for almost a decade. I can tell when I miss an injection, although less so these days with my levels actually within a normal range.
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  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    I had several deficiencies and a serious lack of thyroid hormone and had thyroid-related breathing problems, so it's hard to say which was responsible for what part of my problems, but...

    After I began the thyroid pills, B-12, D and iron supplements and the breathing cleared up, I was SO MUCH better. More energy, clearer-thinking...everything improved. I knew I was in a bad way, but didn't realize how bad off I was until I got better and looked back.

    Vitamins for no reason are silly. Vitamins that clear up a deficiency - a godsend!!
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  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    leolibby233 wrote: »
    why were you low in B12 (This is a test)

    What do you mean this is a test ????
  • Angelizz
    Angelizz Posts: 1 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    It is not a food and nutrition question, but I still suspect this might be the right board to post.
    I was yesterday diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder affecting B12 absorption among other issues.
    I am currently feeling constantly exhausted, sleepy, starting to experience memory loss and am very irritable.
    Has anyone dealt with B12 deficiency, and if yes, how long did it take for symptoms to be start getting better when treatment started?
    I hear yah! I have same diagnosis. I have been diagnosed with Pernicious Anemia. I don't process B-12 properly and never will. I have self-administered B-12 injections weekly and it has made ALL THE DIFFERENCE in my life. I now have energy, not irritable (well, not so much) and am not constantly tired and wanting/needing a nap mid-day. Pills you dissolve under the tongue didn't do anything that I could feel. Get on with your life and just take the injections. Good Luck! PS: I wish Myfitnesspal. app could list the B-12
  • InCHarmsWay
    InCHarmsWay Posts: 103 Member
    I have a B12 deficiency, but most likely caused by a medication I take. I do take supplements, and I've noticed they help a lot with my energy levels. I'd say after about 2 weeks or so I noticed the difference.
  • TinyTexn59
    TinyTexn59 Posts: 96 Member
    A good source of vitamin b-12 in natural form is nutritional yeast. I sprinkle it on salads and popcorn. It is very tasty.
  • paulaviki
    paulaviki Posts: 678 Member
    edited September 2015
    I have an underactive thyroid and B12 deficiency. I can't absorb B12 directly from food so have injections every 3 months. I've definitely felt less tired and had less gastro problems like bloating since I started these and since my thyroid meds were stabilised. When I'm a few weeks off the next injection of B12 I always feel more tired, like my batteries are slowly running down. Not sure if that's psychosomatic though!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    aggelikik wrote: »
    leolibby233 wrote: »
    why were you low in B12 (This is a test)

    What do you mean this is a test ????
    It is a test. It is only a test. For the next thirty seconds, that poster will be conducting a test of the emergency broadcast system. Beeeeep. This is a test. It is only a test. Had there been an actual emergency, you would've been instructed where to tune for information. This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system.

    (Of course, when there actually was a nationwide emergency, there was no use of the emergency broadcast system. The one and only time it might have served any purpose, it wasn't used. But it was tested a LOT!)
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    Kalikel wrote: »
    aggelikik wrote: »
    leolibby233 wrote: »
    why were you low in B12 (This is a test)

    What do you mean this is a test ????
    It is a test. It is only a test. For the next thirty seconds, that poster will be conducting a test of the emergency broadcast system. Beeeeep. This is a test. It is only a test. Had there been an actual emergency, you would've been instructed where to tune for information. This has been a test of the emergency broadcast system.

    (Of course, when there actually was a nationwide emergency, there was no use of the emergency broadcast system. The one and only time it might have served any purpose, it wasn't used. But it was tested a LOT!)

    When was there actually a nation-wide emergency?
  • khhregister
    khhregister Posts: 229 Member
    leolibby233 wrote: »
    tHE OPPOSITE. I hAd too much B12 in my blood

    I'm curious about this, because I tested off the charts for B12 on my last two blood tests. After googling, I was alarmed to see it associated with liver dysfunction, so I called my doc back in a bit of a panic. He said they didn't know why it was high (I don't take vitamin supplements), but it wasn't because of any liver problems, because my other liver tests were fine.

    I went to see an endocrinologist for something else (I am borderline low-thyroid), and she wanted me to see an oncologist because high B12 is sometimes associated with leukemia and other white blood cell disorders (I did also test high for eosinophils). I went to the appointment, only to have that doc kind of chuckling because apparently my white blood cell levels weren't anywhere close to those that indicate cancer.

    So it remains a mystery. Why am I testing off the charts for B12. 3 doctors say they have no idea!

  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,699 Member
    I have a genetic disorder for which I need B12, folic acid, and magnesium. Not huge amounts, but I do notice it if I go a week or two without ... and I start to feel better within a week back on again.
  • ruqayyahsmum
    ruqayyahsmum Posts: 1,513 Member
    i cannot absorb vitamin b12 so i have the injections, im lethargic right before im due a shot and takes me a couple of days to feel "normal" after them

    i also get lethargic when my thyroid meds need adjusting
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