B-12 Deficiency/anemia? Injections best method?

[sirensiren 67]

The story: Last August, on a camping trip that consisted of many days of drinking, myself and my fellow VSGed friend both had weeks of vertigo/equilibrium issues that were accompanied by confusion.

The vertigo seemed to subside, so I stopped concerning myself, then whenever I'd drink aout 24 hours later the weird sensation of vertigo showed up again! Same for her!

It's resurged this month, alcohol or no alcohol, and after finally doing some reading I suspect it's likely we are both anemic. Alcohol can deplete B-12, so i made sense to me that drinking was making the issue far worse.

I started taking B-12 under the tongue 4 days ago, with minimal results. I started with a normal dose, then upped it to 4x the regular dose. Still dizzy.

My question to anyone who experienced this before- is this common, to get little absorption through the under-the-tongue method? Are injections the only way to go for us VSGers?

I am in part concerned because it's still a mystery if I am in fact B-12 deficient. I do not have health insurance, and seeing a doctor, particularly a neurologist, is going to be extremely expensive!

I am going into a clinic for B-12 injections today, so hopefully this helps. I am also now supplementing with Iron.

I am scared. I am generally full of energy, clear headed, conversational..but the past month I've been experiencing waves of depersonalization and disinterest due to this. I really hope to get some answers and feedback.

[Jakat 25]

you should have been taking B12 since you were one month. I go with injections once a month. My Doctor said that it is the most effective. You should also be on a multi Vitamin, Iron, Calcium and Vitamin D supplements. If not you definitely need to start. You can't just take any Vitamins they have to be chewables. Our stomaches cannot absorb the regular tablets and the iron and calcium need to be taken 2 hours apart. Good Luck

[sirensiren 67]

Good to know Jakat!

Well, I feel a little weird today but the dizziness feels like it's "changing"- not quite gone away, but hopefully after these injections I'll be on the road to recovery. I bought some swallowable Vitamins, I did not get chewable- I guess the absorption is much better when you break something down. :/ Guess I better pick those up!

I am hoping this remedies my confusion and dizziness, I thought with all the juicing I do and how well I eat I would not be deficient in anything.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Could it be dehydration? Dehydration can definitely cause dizziness and drinking can bring about dehydration which would explain why it got worse when you drank. It's time of year dehydration is more prevalent because the air is cooler and dryer so we are less thirsty, but still losing fluids.

Just throwing that out there.

[Jakat 25]

be careful with the "juicing". I take it you mean fruit juices. Those are very high in carbs. An 8oz glass of OJ has like 28 carbs. The reason for the chewable vitamins is that are stomachs dont produce a lot of acids and can't break down Vitamins and minerals like other peoples. That is why our diets are set up like they are. Like butter said it's very important to keep your Fluid intake (water) up. the alcohol flushes Water out so minimize that and drink 48-60 oz water

[Luanne 32]

I've pretty consistently taken B shots from the get-go plus my liquid Life Vitamin are my tickets to being 'n feeling healthy!

[sirensiren 67]

Jakat- I juice veggies with small amounts of fruit in a juicer. I'm at a healthy BMI right now fortunately.

As I type this I am having a pretty bad wave of this dizziness, it's quite alarming.

I had the B-12 shot about 48 hours ago, I've also been taking the sublingual tablets, and chewable vitamins/minerals...I am worried. Having no health insurance is a bummer, if I did I would have seen a doctor and neurologist months ago.

[Trishn 5]

I don't know what could be causing your problems, but I do know that during my pre surgery class, they told us that B12 is a must (sublingual 1 time per week) starting right after surgery because if you are deficient for too long, it can cause permanent, irreversible neurological damage. They also said you cannot ever 'overdose' on B12 because your body just eliminates the excess through urine. Also, the darker yellow your urine is, the more dehydrated you are!

[nurse1993 1]

I take B12 injections every week. You can get a script and either do them yourself or have another do them. I sure know when I miss a week. Some of us are cursed with not being able to absorb B12 any other way but through the muscle. I say its worth a try? Have you had your B12 levels checked??

[clk 3,519]

I wouldn't beat yourself up about not taking the sublingual when you could have. It never did enough for me, anyway. You can't change the past, so addressing the deficiency now is the best you can do.

I took my B12 and Iron and still experienced the same issues. I was dizzy, fatigued, forgetful and just felt sluggish for months before I finally got my doctor to do some tests.

I am on B12 injections. For four months I was on one a week but then I had my levels retested and found that once a month would be enough. I am also on a prescription Iron supplement (I've taken both Ferralet and Bifera) and that helped immensely. Ferrous sulfate only made me feel sick and caused terrible side effects.

Within a week of starting my new supplements I felt like a different person. I was amazed that I had been dragging myself around in misery when something so simple could address the issue.

I do sub-Q injections and I do it myself. It's far cheaper this way, especially living where I live. I can buy twelve doses of B12 for less than five dollars and I get syringes from my local clinic for free. Having already lived with diabetes and undergone fertility treatments, giving myself an injection was nothing to worry about, but there are a huge number of videos online demonstrating how to do it if you're nervous.

Good luck. I'd check into a better iron supplement, too, if you're not already on something better than ferrous sulfate. And make sure you're taking your iron separately from your multi because Calcium affects iron absorption.

~Cheri

[clk 3,519]

Wait a second - after drinking juice or alcohol you're feeling lightheaded and dizzy? Check your blood sugars. It could also be hyperglycemia.

You could either have already had a problem with being borderline diabetic prior to surgery OR if you're living on a very low carb diet your body could be totally unused to processing sugars normally.

In any case, get it checked out. Without insurance, perhaps finding one of those clinics that makes it's rounds doing free testing is your best option. Either that, or call a small local clinic (not a large practice) and explain that you're self pay and need some tests done. My father is self employed and has never had insurance for anything but serious medical concerns and when he self pays he pays a fraction of what the doctor would charge an insurance company.

Good luck.

~Cheri

[isajck 229]

I am currently suffering from vertigo, diagnosed after an urgent care and er visit. This is the wildest thing ever and I do not like it. I have an follow-up appointment with my PCP next week, she will probably run labs and we'll see if there is anything wrong there. This must stop, I cannot continue on like this.

[leeann71 539]

I had vertigo 9/13/11. Vertigo has ti do with a tiny bone that has become like out of alignment in a sack of Fluid in you ear drum. There are excersizes that can be done to put it back in place. Vertigo will come and go until that little bone is back where it is subpose to be. It can last for months at a time.

[sirensiren 67]

Wait a second - after drinking juice or alcohol you're feeling lightheaded and dizzy? Check your blood sugars. It could also be hyperglycemia.

You could either have already had a problem with being borderline diabetic prior to surgery OR if you're living on a very low carb diet your body could be totally unused to processing sugars normally.

In any case, get it checked out. Without insurance, perhaps finding one of those clinics that makes it's rounds doing free testing is your best option. Either that, or call a small local clinic (not a large practice) and explain that you're self pay and need some tests done. My father is self employed and has never had insurance for anything but serious medical concerns and when he self pays he pays a fraction of what the doctor would charge an insurance company.

Good luck.

~Cheri

Thank you Cheri, your posts were very helpful and insightful!

Update: No alcohol for over a month now. I am not anemic as far as a CBC can determine, and I am not B-12 deficient. I just got insurance, and will insist on getting tested for other nutrients as well as for hyperglycemia when I get a physical.

I am better, but the vertigo-like symptoms come in waves, as does some brain fogginess as well as panic.

Some have suggested dehydration, but I get quite a bit of Water.

Thank you all for your input, it seems like I am not alone! I hope that I get answers and will update so anyone else going through these frightening symptoms can have some guidance.