B 12 deficiency

[Fragilewend]

I have seen a Consultant today due to high liver blood test readings and loss of weight. She told me I have pernicious anaemia B12 deficiency.wants to do a Gastroscopy Why? No way is anyone sticking tubes down my throat. I'm sure I have heard Metformin can cause B 12 deficiency any one else heard this.

 

[douglas99]

I have seen a Consultant today due to high liver blood test readings and loss of weight. She told me I have pernicious anaemia B12 deficiency.wants to do a Gastroscopy Why? No way is anyone sticking tubes down my throat. I'm sure I have heard Metformin can cause B 12 deficiency any one else heard this.

I'd rule everything out to be honest.
A Gastroscopy isn't bad.

 

[Freema]

I have seen a Consultant today due to high liver blood test readings and loss of weight. She told me I have pernicious anaemia B12 deficiency.wants to do a Gastroscopy Why? No way is anyone sticking tubes down my throat. I'm sure I have heard Metformin can cause B 12 deficiency any one else heard this.

yes metformin can certainly create pernicious anaemia... and I am not sure it will be stopped just by stopping taking the metformin.. if the cells in the gut is detroyed by metformin, but that I don´t know if metformin does or if it just hinders the uptake of vitamin B12 from the intestines...
there could be other reasons for getting the condition but metformin is wellknown to create a deficiency from B12 .. and in top of that , that can create neuropathy ..

you should ask for injections of vitamin B12 monthly

 

[douglas99]

yes metformin can certainly create perniciou anaemia... and I am not sure it will be stopped just by stopping taking the metformin.. if the cells in the gut is detroyed by metformin, but tat I don´t know it metformin does or if it just hinders the uptake of vitamin B12 from the intestines...
there could be other reasons for getting the condition but metformin is wellknown to create a deficiency from B12 .. and in top of that , that can create neuropathy ..

you should ask for injections of vitamin B12 monthly

I would suspect a consultant dealing with diabetics on metformin would also have heard about the possible connection though, and considered all the scenarios before recommending a course of action.

 

[Freema]

I would suspect a consultant dealing with diabetics on metformin would also have heard about the possible connection though, and considered all the scenarios before recommending a course of action.

yes maybe... they do not always do their job at tiptop level... but having a look inside the stomach can also be a good idea to be sure there is not anything worse being the matter..

 

[Jamesuk9]

yes maybe... they do not always do their job at tiptop level... but having a look inside the stomach can also be a good idea to be sure there is not anything worse being the matter..

It's only a good idea of there is a justifiable reason.

Endoscopy whilst straightforward can cause no end of nasty symptoms afterwards so should only be carried out when absolutely necessary. It is known for metformin to cause b12 deficiency, so that cause should be ruled out before endoscopy considered.

 

[Fragilewend]

I will NOT be having an endoscopy already had ultrasound scan and CT scan. Nobody is sticking tubes down my throat end of. Will discuss my GP re B12 injections.

 

[douglas99]

It's only a good idea of there is a justifiable reason.

Endoscopy whilst straightforward can cause no end of nasty symptoms afterwards so should only be carried out when absolutely necessary. It is known for metformin to cause b12 deficiency, so that cause should be ruled out before endoscopy considered.

What 'nasty symptoms' afterwards?

 

[Jamesuk9]

What 'nasty symptoms' afterwards?

Perforation, irritation, bleeding, infection, pancreatitis..... As a said, a procedure that quite frankly should only be considered when every other cause has been ruled out.

 

[douglas99]

Perforation, irritation, bleeding, infection, pancreatitis..... As a said, a procedure that quite frankly should only be considered when every other cause has been ruled out.

Er, just no.

However, it's academic, the op has 100% ruled out this procedure anyway.

 

[JohnEGreen]

My wife's sister had pernicious anaemia it was diagnosed by obtaining a biopsy sample via endoscopy she is neither diabetic nor has ever taken metformin.

 

[douglas99]

Stop posting rubbish when you clearly have no knowledge of what you are on about.
Leave medical advice to the consultant who performs the procedure safely every day, and don't post scaremongering garbage you've found on google.

edited by mod to remove deleted post

 

[Jamesuk9]

Stop posting rubbish?

You asked the risks of endoscopy, I replied with fact. Justify that comment?

 

[douglas99]

My wife's sister had pernicious anaemia it was diagnosed by obtaining a biopsy sample via endoscopy she is neither diabetic nor has ever taken metformin.

Yes, a very safe procedure, carried out every day on many people, with good results.

 

[Jamesuk9]

Have a good evening. Take care.

quoted post deleted as has been deleted by mod.

 

[desidiabulum]

B12 deficiency can be caused by many things. The wonderful news is that it is easily treatable (the doctor will assess what sort of top-up you need -- no need to demand monthly injections). The concern I have always had is that my catastrophically low B12 was successfully treated (and some of the neuropathic damage reversed) but no one then wanted to investigate WHY it was so low and whether this reflected other things going wrong in my stomach (none of the normal causes of B12 deficiency pertain to me). There are increasing numbers of minerals that my system doesn't seem to be able to absorb -- something is clearly wrong. It is entirely up to you what you do next, but I would actually see it as a positive sign that your doctor wants to investigate further. It is sad but understandable that our hard-pressed NHS concentrates on relieving symptoms rather than researching underlying causes -- I would seize the opportunity to have this. Early diagnosis is the key to treating most medical problems. There are far worse treatments than tubes being inserted.....

 

[Johnjoe13]

I have seen a Consultant today due to high liver blood test readings and loss of weight. She told me I have pernicious anaemia B12 deficiency.wants to do a Gastroscopy Why? No way is anyone sticking tubes down my throat. I'm sure I have heard Metformin can cause B 12 deficiency any one else heard this.

I take Metformin and after reading about this very issue I started taking B12 supplements because I wanted to avoid this as a possible side effect. I can't say taking B12 will completely stop this but it can't do any harm I thought, besides given the very vague chat from my DN on what metformin may do and the fact they were leaving it up to me to decide and not doing any follow up checks to make sure i was ok, I thought what the hell. Maybe there is no requirement for check ups on this medication and I was just being overly sensitive but still I wasn't taking any chances.

 

[catherinecherub]

@Jamesuk9 and @douglas99.
if you want to have an argument then please do so via pm rather than aggressive postings. some posts have been edited deleted.

 

[donnellysdogs]

It is a normal everyday procedure and the vast majority of us will actually have one done at some point in their lives.

I've had 4 done both top and tail and not had any problems at all.

To be honest I am so glad I had all of them done as each time they have slfound something else wrong.

I was given a diagnosis of pernicious anaemia a long time ago. Had injections til I moved to Wales and GP there stopped them. Went years without anything, moved back to England and thought.. instead of paying out for infusions etc that I should be getting free let my levels drop.. they didn't. They climbed and climbed and climbed... unkiwn to me at the time high B12 can be an indicator of cancer in organs and breast and luekaemia. One consultant said to me you dont look
Like you have luekaemia. I didnt. I had breast cancer...

Please, please reconsider having test done.... it is important.

I also had other things wrong with my stomach that would not have been realised throughout these ongoing regular tests for me.

Its like saying That the GP thinks you have colon cancer but you would rather die a certain death from that from leaving it untreated than the very tiny small risk of having a camera up your bum!!

I have more fear of the dentist than a top n tail job...

Please reconsider. They are unlikely to want to give you any injections without the test.

 

[DavidGrahamJones]

She told me I have pernicious anaemia B12 deficiency.wants to do a Gastroscopy Why?

I suppose the real answer to that question is that the consultant is the best person to ask. I get the impression that the way the NHS is going these days you're not offered any procedure unless there is a need to do so. The final decision is obviously yours, nobody can make you do anything you don't want to.

I didn't particularly want to have a colonoscopy, but I knew there was a good reason for it being done, and although what they found wasn't malignant, at least I know that I won't be costing the NHS any more money had I left it to develop into something requiring much more serious surgery and a lot more inconvenience to me personally.