ms_jalien
08-11-2004, 03:01 PM
Hi!
I'm 33 and for the last 3-4 years have suffered from the following:
chronic fatigue, lower back pain, numb feet, a sensation like the muscles in the back of my legs are too tight like a rubber band, muscle weakness, sensitivity to cold, loss of balance, loss of taste and smell, depression (i tried to attempt suicide twice), short sightedness, unsteady gait, aching limbs and stress incontinence. I've also developed asthma over the last six months (although i do smoke) and have had several very bad chest infections which take me weeks to shake.
I had a B12 test in February which came back low (and also folic acid) but my gp didn't really do anything and told me to go back for another test in May. He also was quite sarcastic and said he could send me to see a neuroligist but i should accept that i might just be 'clumsy'.
I had the blood test re-done a few weeks ago and i think it came back much lower than before and my gp has now put me on a course of injections - i've had five over the last ten days and been taking folic acid.
He didn't seem like he thought there was anything underlying and hasn't asked me to have any further tests. I'm going to see a specialist (at my request) who mainly deals with gastric problems as my nan has had problems with ulcers in the past which led to part of her stomach being removed.
For the past year i have felt that one half of my body is different to the other, most of problems seem to be more predominant in the left side. I also tried the Babinski's reflex on myself and it is also far more obvious on the left side.
Has anyone else had B12 problems??? Should I be asking for further tests???
My doctor doesn't seem to be taking me seriously and i dont think he realises how many problems being like this has caused me in the past.
I'm 33 and for the last 3-4 years have suffered from the following:
chronic fatigue, lower back pain, numb feet, a sensation like the muscles in the back of my legs are too tight like a rubber band, muscle weakness, sensitivity to cold, loss of balance, loss of taste and smell, depression (i tried to attempt suicide twice), short sightedness, unsteady gait, aching limbs and stress incontinence. I've also developed asthma over the last six months (although i do smoke) and have had several very bad chest infections which take me weeks to shake.
I had a B12 test in February which came back low (and also folic acid) but my gp didn't really do anything and told me to go back for another test in May. He also was quite sarcastic and said he could send me to see a neuroligist but i should accept that i might just be 'clumsy'.
I had the blood test re-done a few weeks ago and i think it came back much lower than before and my gp has now put me on a course of injections - i've had five over the last ten days and been taking folic acid.
He didn't seem like he thought there was anything underlying and hasn't asked me to have any further tests. I'm going to see a specialist (at my request) who mainly deals with gastric problems as my nan has had problems with ulcers in the past which led to part of her stomach being removed.
For the past year i have felt that one half of my body is different to the other, most of problems seem to be more predominant in the left side. I also tried the Babinski's reflex on myself and it is also far more obvious on the left side.
Has anyone else had B12 problems??? Should I be asking for further tests???
My doctor doesn't seem to be taking me seriously and i dont think he realises how many problems being like this has caused me in the past.
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brimormsbp
08-11-2004, 03:16 PM
well you have started B12 and folate supplements which is the most important thing
in addition you should probably have a Schilling test to see if you have Intrinsic factor - if you are absorbing B12 OK you don't need it by injection
in addition you should probably have a Schilling test to see if you have Intrinsic factor - if you are absorbing B12 OK you don't need it by injection
brimormsbp
08-11-2004, 03:17 PM
also puzzled by what you mean about the Babinski reflex - please expand
ms_jalien
08-11-2004, 03:29 PM
if my foot is stroked firmly on the underside my toes flex upwards rather than under. i used to get weird kind of toe cramps at night too.
brimormsbp
08-11-2004, 03:38 PM
yes but do you know the difference between a withdrawal reaction and a true up-going plantar reflex
the plantar reflex is either up-going or down-going. it is a "soft" neurological sign generally. other aspects of neurological assessment are more important
the plantar reflex is either up-going or down-going. it is a "soft" neurological sign generally. other aspects of neurological assessment are more important
sissylisa
08-12-2004, 03:55 AM
Hi there,
i swear when you wrote your message it almost scared me it sounds like me. i have pernicious anemia its a b-12 disorder have them do a shillings test. they waited to late for me to test me for it and the damage is done it can be life threating if it gets so bad your blood counts start to drop please have them test you for it.
i swear when you wrote your message it almost scared me it sounds like me. i have pernicious anemia its a b-12 disorder have them do a shillings test. they waited to late for me to test me for it and the damage is done it can be life threating if it gets so bad your blood counts start to drop please have them test you for it.
ms_jalien
08-12-2004, 08:58 AM
are you in the uk???
i'm frightened i already have permanent damage, my doc has been next to useless.
do you find it is worse when you are due and for the first days of a period? i honestly could not think straight and could literally sleep all day if i'd have been allowed to for about 2 weeks of the month. I also found the winter cold absolutely unbearable, i couldn't sleep because if my feet and legs got cold i couldn't get them warm in bed for about 2-3 hours.
last year i went to glastonbury festival and i wore new shoes the first day with no socks on. I got blisters that turned into massive craters on the back of my heels and i realise now they went like that because i couldn't feel the initial damage.
not ideal when you have a job as a sales rep selling building materials, and even worse as a lone female in a mainly male environment. i actually felt so bad i quit my job last year and sold my house so i didn't have to work for 8 months. i had to go back in february as i ran out of money and nothing else would pay as well (i'm a single mother, but in all honesty this illness probably helped to destroy my relationship 2 years ago - he said he was fed up with me always being tired and that i was an 'old woman') but i've had to take a demotion anyway as i've felt so dreadful recently.
did the shots make you feel instantly better???? i've had the five over ten days and i can feel a bit of effect. i feel like i can think a bit clearer now, although i have to say, considering the job i was doing i've done damn well because it felt like a struggle to remember things - really hard as i've always had a near photographic memory.
i have a bit more feeling in my feet also, my legs still feel like they belong to a half of someones body.
please stay in touch!!! it's really, really nice to talk to someone who understands. since i was diagnosed i've gone through some difficult emotions - i've actually felt quite angry.
i'm frightened i already have permanent damage, my doc has been next to useless.
do you find it is worse when you are due and for the first days of a period? i honestly could not think straight and could literally sleep all day if i'd have been allowed to for about 2 weeks of the month. I also found the winter cold absolutely unbearable, i couldn't sleep because if my feet and legs got cold i couldn't get them warm in bed for about 2-3 hours.
last year i went to glastonbury festival and i wore new shoes the first day with no socks on. I got blisters that turned into massive craters on the back of my heels and i realise now they went like that because i couldn't feel the initial damage.
not ideal when you have a job as a sales rep selling building materials, and even worse as a lone female in a mainly male environment. i actually felt so bad i quit my job last year and sold my house so i didn't have to work for 8 months. i had to go back in february as i ran out of money and nothing else would pay as well (i'm a single mother, but in all honesty this illness probably helped to destroy my relationship 2 years ago - he said he was fed up with me always being tired and that i was an 'old woman') but i've had to take a demotion anyway as i've felt so dreadful recently.
did the shots make you feel instantly better???? i've had the five over ten days and i can feel a bit of effect. i feel like i can think a bit clearer now, although i have to say, considering the job i was doing i've done damn well because it felt like a struggle to remember things - really hard as i've always had a near photographic memory.
i have a bit more feeling in my feet also, my legs still feel like they belong to a half of someones body.
please stay in touch!!! it's really, really nice to talk to someone who understands. since i was diagnosed i've gone through some difficult emotions - i've actually felt quite angry.
mother4
09-25-2004, 01:15 PM
I can only comment to the B-12 deficency. I also had a deficency. Now that I am better I know it was there for years, during the time my kids were small and I worked nights. I thought that was the reason I was tired all the time and did not think much of it but as the years went by I would say I had depressive signs. Once I started taking the B-12 I was a new person. Like I was born again.
DON'T EVER LET A DOCTOR DOWN PLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF B-12 DEFFICENCY!!!
DON'T EVER LET A DOCTOR DOWN PLAY THE IMPORTANCE OF B-12 DEFFICENCY!!!
Losec20mg
09-25-2004, 02:36 PM
all your symptoms are related to celiac disease..its a malabsorption..go get screened..im almost positive you have this disease...
ms_jalien
10-20-2004, 04:31 PM
all your symptoms are related to celiac disease..its a malabsorption..go get screened..im almost positive you have this disease...
Been screened for it! Negative.
Been screened for it! Negative.