Vitamin B12 deficiency - any experience?

[Gabriella]

Hi everyone,
Today I have been going over in my head the first time we took mum to doctors, She had lost 2 stone in weight (down to 7st in 4-6 mths).This is why we took her. ( we did have some concerns about her memory and behaviour at this time)She is tablet controlled diabetic and takes metformin and gliclazide.
When they took bloods the results showed she was dangerously low in vit b12 - and had to have 6 booster doses to stabilise it.
She was then tested for many other things, xrays, scans etc, they were really concerned about the weight loss.
I looked up the b12 deficiency and it stated that this is sometimes a 'rare' side effect of metformin, and if left untreated can cause neural damage.
Guess I'm just going over everything in my mind - as it is since this time that mum has become fully dependant. 6 months ago we were able to leave her for short periods, not feeling she was not safe - now today, she need 24hr care. Has a diagnosis of AZ/VD.
Has anyone had experience around this please.
With Love, Gabriella.

 

[Grannie G]

Hello Gabriella

My husband is Type 11 diabetic and also takes Gliclazide and Metformin.

Our GP made an initial diagnosis that his diabetes was the cause of his memory loss as the blood circulation to the brain would be affected.

I read about B12 B6 and B9 having an effect on memory in older people and asked if this was checked during routine blood tests. I was told his B12 levels were normal.

Last year he had an episode of severe confusion and was hospitalized for assessment. His blood was tested four times daily for 19 days.

He is now prescribed B12.

I have started to take it myself.

 

[Margarita]

I looked up the b12 deficiency and it stated that this is sometimes a 'rare' side effect of metformin, and if left untreated can cause neural damage.

My daughter has a B12 Vitamin Deficiency Anemia, so take iron tablets , she can get Anemic quit bad sometimes .

She is tablet controlled diabetic and takes metformin and gliclazide.

So does my mother , but has never been told that she has B12 deficiency after having blood tests, but then it must effect people in different ways .

Can't they give your mother iron tablets to build up her B12?

what your mother eating patten now, compared to how she was before the Dementia ?

 

[Chrissyan]

Tillygirl posted about this a while ago & how it sorted out her Dad's problems with eating. I have tonight been Googling it & am seriously coming to the conclusion that this might be my Dad's problem. The symptoms are confusion, numbness in feet & hands, loss of appetite, nausea & dizziness. Nothing to do with metformin in my Dad's case, but could be connected to his gastritis.

I got the impression from what I have been reading tonight Gabriella, that the confusion stopped once the injections were given, but these were were most younger people & without a diagnosis of dementia.

 

[nellbelles]

my husband started his b12 injections the same week as he started the galantamine.. Which has made the improvement I have no idea, but it looks like I'm b12 deficient so possibly starting the injections myself. so we will see how I get on.
Sunshine.. love and hugs

Helen

 

[citybythesea]

don't know anything about the b-12 deficiency nd all that...but can tell you that if you take something for gastritis regularly that helps control the bile in your stomach to keep production down you can start having a problem there. Bile is needed to absorb the b vitamins into the body. So a lack of bile eventually leads to a lack of some b vitamins.

Nexium-for severe acid reflux is known for causing this problem if not controlled by a dr. and taken for an extended period of time.


HHugs

Nancy

 

[Annoula]

my mother was diagnosed with B12 deficiency many years ago. so she has an injection every month. she has also low folic acid but her iron levels can be ok.

we were told that my mother cannot - i think - make B12 out of food, so she needs the injection for the rest of her life. we haven't checked her B12 levels for a couple of years but i remember when we did it was pretty high because of the injection.

i am not sure if by taking iron you boost B12. they are probably connected in a way..

i have to make some more tests for my mother.. thanx for reminding me..

 

[tillygirl]

Hi Gabriella,

So sorry to hear about your mum. It is very difficult in someone with dementia to know whether certain symptoms they have are due to the dementia or to something else.

I think that this is a case of you now have a diagnosis, next you need to speak to your doctor re your concerns about any damage the deficiency may have caused.

The B12 injections did help my dad with his symptoms (eating, confusion etc) but he still has dementia.

Tilly

 

[Gabriella]

Thank you all,

Sylvia, the gp said that mum was severely low, had a block treatment of injections 6 days in a row. Gp has said she will need a booster every 3 months. I wonder if thats enough, is your husband prescribed oral meds of b12.

Maggie, we had no idea that she was deficient till they started to explore her weight loss - bloods showed b12 very low. They did give her iron for about a month, then said she shouldnt need it anymore. Her appetite has never been 'big', she eats what we prepare for her mostly, but is still very underweight.
I think it may be the metformin that prevents her body from absorbing the b12.

Chrissyann, we hoped that her confusion may decrease after the 6 day injections, that didnt happen. But I think what still keeps coming into my mind is the 'rare' side effect of metformin can lead to neural damage - that would be irreversible. Are you going to ask for his b12 levels to be checked? So many people are not aware how dangerous this deficiency can be.

Helen, I think I may start on a supplement with all the b vitamins, its a difficult thing to measure isnt it.

Nancy, mums never had gastritis or treatment for it, seems there can be a variety of causes.
Probably a good thing to bring to peoples awareness, particularly if taking metformin.

Annoula, I'm not sure about the iron/b12 link either, I think iron can be ok but still have deficiency b12? Good to have a reminder, always best to keep getting it checked.

Tilly, thats true what you have said, theres no way of knowing how things would have progressed, but feel the deficiency may have speeded it up in some way - I dont know.
I have mentioned it to the Gp, she seems to either try to say that her current presentation is 'unlikely' to have been caused by it, but I 'feel' when she is talking to me that she knows it should have been checked months and months ago.
Some gps have a tendency to not like patients suggesting things to them (my experience anyway).

Thanks to you all, I know it doesnt help to keep reflecting back, but I guess we need to know as much as we possibly can.

With love, Gabriella x

 

[Grannie G]

Dear Gabriella

My husband is prescribed B12 in tablet form.

 

[Margarita]

But I think what still keeps coming into my mind is the 'rare' side effect of metformin can lead to neural damage

metformin can lead to neural damage

Does neural mean nervous system?

If so

I was wondering as the Demetria progresses the person decline, it dose damage the neurological nervous system ?

Are you worried that it make the decline faster ?

So how can the doctor tell 100 percent the decline is due to side effect of metforim or the .
Demetria.

Have you spoken to doctor about it, your worry of the side effect, neural damage?