Anaemia

[ladybird64]

Hi all. I know there have been many posts on this but I could do with your thoughts please.
About 8 or 8 years ago, I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia and started on B12 jabs. I had them for about 18 months, then due to my "falling out" with the NHS, declined to have any more. Fast forward a few years, some blood tests which showed I was not anaemic - even though I'd been told I'd have it for life.

I've only had anaemia once since then, after chemo when I required a blood transfusion. I've felt quite out of sorts for a while now, very weary, lots of pain, pins and needles and breathlessness. The last has been getting to me because my asthma is well controlled but yet I still struggle to breathe at times.

Blood tests done this week have shown anaemia, I have to go back for a second lot - really hoping they don't come up with the pernicious anaemia diagnosis again, because of last time I'll have trouble believing it. Anyway, I looked online and see Metformun is often a culprit! If that's the case, it's going. Does anyone have experience of Metformin causing anaemia?

Ta x

 

[Freema]

Hi all. I know there have been many posts on this but I could do with your thoughts please.
About 8 or 8 years ago, I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia and started on B12 jabs. I had them for about 18 months, then due to my "falling out" with the NHS, declined to have any more. Fast forward a few years, some blood tests which showed I was not anaemic - even though I'd been told I'd have it for life.

I've only had anaemia once since then, after chemo when I required a blood transfusion. I've felt quite out of sorts for a while now, very weary, lots of pain, pins and needles and breathlessness. The last has been getting to me because my asthma is well controlled but yet I still struggle to breathe at times.

Blood tests done this week have shown anaemia, I have to go back for a second lot - really hoping they don't come up with the pernicious anaemia diagnosis again, because of last time I'll have trouble believing it. Anyway, I looked online and see Metformun is often a culprit! If that's the case, it's going. Does anyone have experience of Metformin causing anaemia?

Ta x

and yes metformin is know for causing a deficiency in B 12... I haven´t experienced it yet ... but it worries me as well...

vitamin B12 deficiency is a very special matter...

it is so that if one gets ones level of vitamin B12 up to a good level the liver can keep a reserve for the body for up till 5-6 years.... the problem about adequate levels is though that the level said to be the riquired level is only the level at which point one does not get emediately damage in the body, and many more reacent scientists in nutrients believe the optimal level is much much higher and that one should have B12 in maybe 3-4 times the amount recomended daily to have an optimal Health...
it is of cauce ones own choice what to believe and if one will follow the recomended jabs , but I personally think that those jabs are a very fine offer to people WHO can not uptake B12 in high enough levels from their foods... and also it could if one is Lucky not to have added reason of getting it it could prevent one from getting neuropathy from lack of vitamin B12 ..

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/guide/vitamin-b12-deficiency-symptoms-causes#1

http://www.prevention.com/health/signs-of-b12-deficiency

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=107

 

[Sid Bonkers]

Long term prescribed Metformin can cause a B12 deficiency but that is not the same as pernicious anaemia.

I was found to be deficient in Vit B12 but my red blood cell count was fine, with anaemia both red blood cells and B12 are deficient. So it would seem that Metformin does not cause anaemia as such, just a B12 deficiency.

That said it doesnt necessarily mean that someone on metformin cant have anaemia too but it is generally not caused by metformin, hope that makes sense.

I am fast approaching the end of my second course of Vit B12 supplements, the first brought me up to just over the min level so I was prescribed another to hopefully get me a bit higher into range.

Edit: I was also taking omeprazole regularly which can also cause a B12 deficiency so for me on both that and metformin it was a double chance of developing a vit B12 deficiency, I have temporarily stopped taking metformin and only take an occasional omeprazole while on my B12 treatment.