Your B12 deficiency probably began sometime before you were diagnosed. The nervous symptoms occur when the myelin sheath has already broken down, whether they show as pains, numbness, memory loss, or depression. It is only a matter of time before the nerves themselves die, after which there isn’t much you can do to put it right.
Some of the other conditions that could be diagnosed, which might be B12 deficiency include (NOTE this web site is prepared by the B12deficiency Patient Support Group so the information may not be accurate, and certainly does not reflect current medical practice or there would be no need for the web site):
Depression |
Depression due to something happening in your life can be traced back to the moment that caused you stress, eg the loss of a loved one. Time is a great healer, and CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) should get to the root of the problem and help you overcome it (or in the case of a loss, to carry on in spite of the pain of the loss - time isn't a great healer but you live to make them proud). Depression without an obvious cause could easily be due to B12 deficiency, and the best way to check is to take B12 replacement therapy. Post-natal depression is extremely likely to be due to B12 deficiency - B12 is so important to the growing baby that the mother sacrifices her own stocks to make sure the baby has enough. Of course if B12 replacement doesn't make enough difference then you should think again, but it doesn't do any harm and only good to both mother and baby so it is a sensible first choice |
Fatigue |
The most common cause of fatigue is not enough rest. This can happen because stress is preventing you from sleeping, or simply because you don't allow yourself to rest enough. The obvious solution is to rest more (and eat healthily, reduce your caffeine/alcohol/tobacco/other drugs), and extra B12 is no substitute for proper rest. Fatigue where you have to sleep or lie down during the day is likely to be due to anaemia/anemia, or iron deficiency. This is particularly common in women because they lose iron in the monthly period. This is easy to check and to put right. Fatigue due to B12 deficiency, often diagnosed as ME or CFS or Post-Viral Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, is also common. This is when neither of the more common conditions is the case, and you can take B12 to put it right. Fatigue can also happen with a number of injuries and illnesses, including of course cancer. Don't shy away from getting it checked out - cancer is usually put right if your doctor diagnoses it early enough and is nothing to be afraid of - far better to diagnose and get treated than to leave it too late. We believe that B12 helps in any case, but you still need a diagnosis to get all of the other treatments you will need. |
Memory Loss / Alzheimer's / confusion |
Could easily be entirely to do with B12 deficiency, though of course you should accept other treatment and the support packages that help you live a good life. Again, B12 does no harm, and has certainly made a difference for some people. |
Multiple-sclerosis - like presentation |
Scalabrino in a series of experiments depriving mice of Vitamin B12 found that not only do they develop the symptoms of MS, but also the characteristic plaques in the spinal column. He did a series of detailed experiments involving injecting nerve growth and nerve guidance hormones into the spinal column along with nerve nutrients, and showed how this was happening. His conclusion is telling - "we now know the mechanism in some detail. However it is much easier just to supplement B12 in the diet". When he fed mice on B12 again, in many cases the symptoms remitted and the mice gained their health |
Palsy of one sort or another Nystagmus |
These are names given to symptoms. Since they are symptoms of neuropathy (death of nerve cells, or at least destruction of the myelin sheath so the nerve cell doesn't conduct a signal), the cause of the neuropathy needs to be found. We don't have the research, but there are probably many cases where neuropathy is caused by B12 deficiency and nerve function can be restored by supplementing B12 by injection. Certainly, cases of facial paralysis, shaking limbs and head, eye twitches and lazy eye, difficulty swallowing and other neuropathic symptoms have been relieved with B12 replacement therapy. Of course it doesn't work 100% of the time, so you still need to go and get a diagnosis, but B12 works on some cases and doesn't do any damage in the others |
Paralysis of limbs, paralysis of anywhere else |
We all know how to recognise the symptoms of a stroke (FAST - Face, Arm, Speech - Time to call 999 (or 112 everywhere outside UK)). You still need to do this. But B12 deficiency can cause similar symptoms, so if the hospital cannot find signs of a stroke after checking someone out, then at least consider B12 deficiency. NEVER EVER delay getting someone to hospital who might have a stroke! |