Lack of vitamin B12 can cause permanent Brain dammage

[Txjaybird]

You'd think a person with diabetes & on 2 types of insulin.......... High blood pressure.........High cholestaral  {welll s**t} I can't even spell it!  And rapidly advancing arthritis would have enough problems......not me I always need one more thing!

My symptoms of "severe  B12 deficiency" are.    #1 tiredness.....#2 shortness of breath with out doing a lot at one time, even walking......#3 headaches.....#4  feel like vomiting........#5 burping.....#6 unexplained weight lose....#7 forgetfulnes

Most of these symptoms can be attributed to other health problems and you don't have to have all of them, a blood test for B12 will show if there is a problem.

Until today I did not know the long range  effects.......In a study older people were the ones with the highest level of brain shrinkage.  Lack of B12 can cause permanent damage like anemia....I found this info by googling "low vitamin B12".

My DRs office just left me a message " you have severr B12 deficiency"  we sent a prescription in...you need to pick it up and make appts. to come in every 2 weeks for an injection for at least 2 mo.......and then I couldn't  reach them because they close at 12 noon on Fridays....they left the msg. at 11:45am.   Some people have to have "booster" B 12 shots 3 or 4 times a year for the rest of their lives.......I just have to wait and see.

I'm posting this because I've had a number of these symptoms for several mos. and even discussed some with my health care providers earlier.  These symptoms are so simple and I think many people have them without knowing how serious they can be.

A headache can just be a headache.........if you're tired you may just be tired....etc.
I'm not trying to diagnose anyone.  Just having low B12 can cause a lot of other health problems.

No matter my outcome maybe by putting this out there my experience may help someone else.
                                                                            Texas Jbird

 

[RVTravel]

Typically you have 10+ years of B12 stores if you eat red meat, so deficiency mostly seen in odd diets or other rare circumstances. Subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord is the illness.

 

[Queen]

My old boss had Crohns and a big B12 deficiency,went in for shots regularly, he ate plenty of red meat but overall had a pretty awful diet (lots of fast/junk food).

 

[SoulRaven]

There are also genetic factors that can contribute.

B12 deficiency runs in my mom's side of the family, right on down to me. Thus far it's been relieved easily enough by sublingual supplementation. For us irritability is the most noticeable symptom, and ever since discovering it, if someone is being unusually cranky for no reason the others will inquire as to when's the last time they took B12. It's pretty hilarious, whether it's my sisters, my mom, my aunt, or my cousins, we all know there's this weird B12 thing with us. Whomever's cranky at the time usually protests that it's not going to do any good...and then an hour later they're back to their normal self. And next time around it's someone else and they're right in the thick of it trying to convince that person to just try one anyway...

I've encountered B12 advocates who insist that sublingual or ingested supplementation gets hardly any of it in your system, to which I shrug and say it's worked for me

I try to always have some on hand, and simply take one whenever I realize I'm more crabby than normal.

 

[GotSmart]

The first thing I did was to check my meds.  I take 1,000 mcg a day.  

And I can be a huge ******* when provoked.  

So I cant blame it on that.  My blood panels have been OK so far.

 

[Bast]

Hi
I almost bled out over Thanksgiving and my B12 was almost nonexistent after that. I have been a large prescribed dose of it since then and it is still low.
Bast

 

[Cheli]

Several years ago I found out I had a B12 deficiency. I didn't know but you only get B12 from red meat and I am a vegetarian, I had know idea I should have been taking a daily B12 supplement but now I do. At the time I found out, I also had to go in weekly for two months for shots and then a once a month for a couple of months.

It can cause serious neurological problems so now I make sure I take that supplement every day.

 

[IanC]

Several years ago I found out I had a B12 deficiency.  I didn't know but you only get B12 from red meat and I am a vegetarian, I had know idea I should have been taking a daily B12 supplement  but now I do.

I never knew that either. I'm vegetarian too, but eat fish, eggs  and dairy. I have been feeling very tired lately and I wonder if that's the cause. Gittin me some of that B12 tomorrow

 

[Cheli]

I never knew that either. I'm vegetarian too, but eat fish, eggs  and dairy. I have been feeling very tired lately and I wonder if that's the cause. Gittin me some of that B12 tomorrow

Yes you should, and take it every day.  I found out when I went to my primary care for my yearly physical and had mentioned how I had been feeling generally crappy and tired all the time and some other symptoms.  She suspected right away a B12 deficiency so did some blood work which confirmed it.  And then when I found out about how it could cause neurological issues I really decided it was nothing to mess around with.  haha  

Now it's a joke with me and my sister because I first told her about it and said something like I need to start taking B12 so I don't get stupid.  Now if I say something that just doesn't make sense she asks if I took my stupid pill today.

 

[FALCON]

I didn't know but you only get B12 from red meat

Things other than Red meat have B12. But it's almost only animal products that have B12:

- Eggs, cheese, milk, and yogurt have some (but fairly small amounts).
- Fish has a lot. (more than beef). 3oz of fish has one to three times the recommended daily value of B12 (depending on what kind of fish).
- Turkey has a LOT
- Shellfish and crab have a lot.
- Beef liver has a TON (10x daily rec. in 3 oz)
- Chicken has some

"Fortified" foods will likely have B12 (such as cereals or fortified soy)

 

[Txjaybird]

I had my first B12 shot this monday morning  5-23-16

I learned something,  well really several things, new today

1.   B12 #s usually 300 to 400...mine is 81

2.   That maybe the B12 injections will help with the Diabetic Neuropathy  which is swelling in the legs and feet with the nerves being inflamed and it's painful, also can have it in arms and hands . I already have trouble  & cannot feel heat well in my feet and did't realize it until while standing in the tub in the middle of the nite,  & crying in pain, while trying to get muscle cramps to release in my foot & without falling down in the tub.   I looked down and my feet were very red and the hot water was really hot when I stuck my hand in it.   I've been told by a friend that the nerves  will  "burn out" and stop sending pain signals to the brain.   His is so bad he can barely fell his legs and feet

3.   Depression and schizophienia are linked to low B12 and injections may help.

4.   My nurser gave me  printouts from a site "brainblogger.com"

My main concerns now are......How long have I needed B12 and do I already have permanent brain damage caused by my brain shrinking?

In case anyone is thinking I'm "sitting on my pity pot"  I am not.  I am just so surprised at the wide range of symptoms and that how serious this can/get from just a vitamin defeinecy { yeah my speeler is broke}.

I thany everywho has responed to this threa and has shared their experiences on this matter.  I left these mis-speelings on purpose to show wgat i'm dealing with....in my brain/mind I was typing perfectly.  

I hope all the info. we've posted here will help others who may have low B12.

Have a good week.   It's 3:19am and I'm going to eat re-heated lasagna and call it a day, or is it a nith   :huh:  TJB

 

[Cheli]

Things other than Red meat have B12. But it's almost only animal products that have B12:

- Eggs, cheese, milk, and yogurt have some (but fairly small amounts).
- Fish has a lot. (more than beef). 3oz of fish has one to three times the recommended daily value of B12 (depending on what kind of fish).
- Turkey has a LOT
- Shellfish and crab have a lot.
- Beef liver has a TON (10x daily rec. in 3 oz)
- Chicken has some

"Fortified" foods will likely have B12 (such as cereals or fortified soy)

Yes other foods have some B12 but the majority of people get it from red meat, not everyone eats seafood or beef liver.  I didn't mean to imply that it's only from red meat.

Either way, I'm a vegetarian who eats almost no dairy as well so I basically don't get B12 other than my daily supplement.

 

[Cheli]

I learned something,  well really several things, new today

1.   B12 #s usually 300 to 400...mine is 81

If it helps you feel better, mine was 52 and I don't seem to have any long term effects. I'm not saying that to sound like "mine was worse than yours" I'm saying that to show you that once I found out and got treated for it, I started to feel better quickly and now I'm aware of it. You will start to feel better quickly once you get a couple of shots in you and start taking the daily supplement.

If you ever need to vent or chat, I'm here.

 

[cherterr]

Hmmm.... While filing thru my computer and cleaning up some pics/videos etc. I began to wonder.."what happened to me since last year?"  Then.. I see this thread and remember the huge (organic) bottle of B12 that got slowly shoved to the back of the fridge.

Hmm.  Cheli:  Is there a particular source of B12 you prefer?  I keep hearing ads on a show I listen to about how pure theirs is and have been tempted.  Somebody somewhere, a couple years back when I looked into this stated that Most B12 comes from 'sewer sludge'.  REALLY??

Thanks in advance.  BTW: My mom used to be one of those emotionally handicapped people w/o her B12.

 

[Spirituallifetime]

This is why I started doing a multi vitamin and mineral complex daily. Our body is complex and needs many vitamins and minerals to function properly, if the body doesn't get these then over time things start to go wrong in the body and cause problems. The real problem is that most people don't get all the vitamins and minerals they need from the food they eat even if they are eating healthy. Almost all the muti vitamin suplements in the stores don't have all that is needed, there are as many as 77 different minerals the body needs and these need to be from plants because raw minerals will not be absorbed in the body.

 

[Txjaybird]

If it helps you feel better, mine was 52 and I don't seem to have any long term effects.  I'm not saying that to sound like "mine was worse than yours" I'm saying that to show you that once I found out and got treated for it, I started to feel better quickly and now I'm aware of it.  You will start to feel better quickly once you get a couple of shots in you and start taking the daily supplement.

If you ever need to vent or chat, I'm here.

Cheli,  While reading your post it never even crossed my mind that you were "one upping me' or "one worse-ing me".       Thank you for the info. and your kind offer.    Queenie would have something to say except she's busy making a chew toy out of a pot holder.  She is so sensitive to me when I am in distress that I think I've worn us both out in the last few weeks.                                                                    Jewellann

 

[lambchopxoxo]

Ive been vegetarian for a looonnggg time flipping back and forth between that and vegan. Ive always taken supplements, even as a meat eater. I guess I should probably get my B12 (and D3) tested. Even with the supplements you just never really know till ya see the numbers