My diet and lifestyle are both healthy, my T2 is well-controlled and yet I’ve just been diagnosed with pernicious anaemia caused by vitamin B12 deficiency. Until now (after consulting Dr Google), I had no idea that this is a well-known side effect of long term use of metformin. I’m lucky but for those people who don’t get diagnosed in time, the effects of pernicious anaemia can be horrid.
If deficiencies are found early enough, we can easily boost our diets with B12 supplements to keep our levels healthy - and help keep NHS costs lower. But now, I’ve got to have B12 injections for the rest of my life.
Why isn’t B12 a standard check during our annual diabetes reviews?
Why aren’t we advised by our care teams to take B12 supplements?
Why don’t the makers of metformin do something?
If deficiencies are found early enough, we can easily boost our diets with B12 supplements to keep our levels healthy - and help keep NHS costs lower. But now, I’ve got to have B12 injections for the rest of my life.
Why isn’t B12 a standard check during our annual diabetes reviews?
Why aren’t we advised by our care teams to take B12 supplements?
Why don’t the makers of metformin do something?