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Does This Sound Like Anemia Or B12 Deficiency?

ami27

By ami27
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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ami27 Apprentice
ami27
Posted

I had been feeling better since going gluten free and finally figuring out I'm corn intolerant as well. Now I'm having some weird symptoms again. I'm cold all the time, but was giving it some time as I am hypothyroid and been on Armour since 1999. I was hoping it was just some weird phase and it would correct itself. In addition to this my hands have been numb and tingling. Then the past 2 weeks I've been nauseated and have had no appetite. I've also had little energy and feeling weak. I went to the doctor today and she did some blood work on me. I know she said she was going to test my b12 levels as they were low in the past, but I never felt like this. She's also checking iron levels and thyroid function. But, the woman drawing blood said 2 time 'wow she's testing you for a lot of things'. I'm curious what else she could be testing for. It will be 1-2 weeks before they get results back. I'm so impatient.... Another thing that's odd to me is my results from Enterolab were negative to malabsorption, but this would seem to be malabsorption to me. I eat really healthy. I don't understand why I'd be having issues like this.

Ami

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Ursa Major Collaborator
Ursa Major
Posted

Ami, I hope your doctor is testing for vitamin B6, magnesium and vitamin D as well. Especially a lack of vitamin B6 can cause the tingling and numbness.

I hope all the tests will show what the problem is, so it can be corrected.

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

Yes it could be anemia...I am anemic but my main symptoms were just being fatigued a lot. The other symptoms don't fit anemia.

Check into anxiety as well. I had a lot of nausea, stomach pain, and other odd symptoms and most of it ended up being anxiety. I was floored....I never felt scared or nervous or had any sort of anxiety attacks. When my doctor suggested it I laughted at her! But it turned out she was right and I am now feeling better than I have in years.

debmidge Rising Star
debmidge
Posted

I am not calling anyone "old" but the older we get the less our bodies make "intrinstic factor" which is needed to absorb Vitamin B12. Since we all age differently at differing rates we do not know when or if this will be occurring to us.

Someone please make observation on this if I remember this incorrectly, but I thought B12 was related to anemia.....

jknnej Collaborator
jknnej
Posted

According to my doctor, iron deficiency is the cause of anemia, unless you have cancer or some other disease. I am currently taking iron supplements because of mine.

I know a lack of B vitamins can do various other things to your body, though, so if you're lacking it you definitely want to make sure you're getting enough of it somehow.

rsm Newbie
rsm
Posted

I have had pernicious anemia (b12) for about 10 years. Tired and weak are part of it as well as numbness and tingling in the arms or legs. B12 shots, easy to give yourself, will help tremendously.

lob6796 Contributor
lob6796
Posted

B12 is an "easy fix". My B12 was a little low so my doctor gave me a shot right in the office. He said "If you call me in two days to tell me you feel like a million bucks, we know that was your problem!" Unfortunately that wasn't the problem, lol. I am on an iron supplement as well since that was a little low. The B12 is a nice fix because you inject it directly into the blood stream, it doesn't have to be broken down like if you took a pill, etc.

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ami27 Apprentice
ami27
Posted
  • Author

When my B12 was low before I went to the office 3 weeks in a row to get a shot. I never could really tell a difference. Then all these symptoms have started after the shots. It was about 2 months ago when I had the shots. It will be interesting to see what the blood work results indicate.

Ami

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