• Guest - w'd love to know what you think about the forum! Take the 2025 Survey »

How can I make my doctor listen?

Anonymous Question

Anonymous Question

Well-Known Member
Messages
290
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Anonymous question submitted:

I've been complaining of tiredness and pins & needles for just over a year. I had several regular blood tests done and it was found that my vitamin D levels were extremely low. Since that is one of the causes of tiredness, as well as many others, and pins & needles is one of the signs you can get when you've had diabetes for many years (25 years + on insulin), they stopped looking and just treated the Vit D. My vit D levels are OK now, but I am even more tired and still have pins & needles every so often. After doing some personal research I have finally been able to persuade them to do a test for vitamin B12. I have been vegetarian for 40+ years and also on metformin for the last 4 years and anti depressants for the last 2, so in a higher risk category anyway. I feel like I've wasted so much time (& energy that I don't have) having to diagnose myself (possibly, not yet confirmed) since my Doc doesn't seem interested to look at more than one thing at a time. This problem is applicable to both my GP and consultant. How do you persuade your Doc to do tests that they think are not worthwhile? Does anyone else get treated one illness at a time rather than as a whole person? How do you cope with it? Thanks

To submit a question, please go to http://www.diabetes.co.uk/ask-an-anonym ... stion.html
 
I thought it was their credo.

First, do no harm.

Second, only look for one thing at a time.
 
they don't have the time or money to treat everything all at once... that's what it seems like anyway.

I have found our health system severely lacking in terms of having an 'overall picture' of a patient - each thing is looked at separately and it feels like nobody gives two hoots if one thing influences another. No joined-up thinking.... it's very frustrating sometimes.


I'm sorry I don't have any advice, but you're certainly not alone in feeling like this.
 
If you believe you lack vitamin B12, then I suggest you purchase some 'Meridian Natural Yeast Extract with added Vitamin B12'. (Any health-food shop will have some.) I've got some on my kitchen shelf - I tend to eat some every evening, last thing.

If you feel better soon after, then that would probably mean your diagnosis is correct. And you can take pleasure in telling your doctor about it.

It tastes good, too.
 
One of the most unmistakable clues to a B12 deficiency is the loss of the moons in your finger nails. For some reason it starts with your little finger and works it's way to your thumb as time passes. They tend to look very faint as though they've faded into the darker pink nail bed. If you had moons at the base of your nails, particularly you little finger and ring finger, and you no longer do then you very likely have a B12 deficiency.

It's very difficult to overdose on B12 so you could try taking it for a month or two just to see if it makes a difference. Most people start to feel better in a few days. In my experience some of the symptoms of B12 deficiency take a little longer to resolve. My glasses prescription changed and it's taken almost a year for that to get back to normal. My handwriting is still a bit sloppy, but my energy levels returned within two weeks. Some symptoms went away almost immediately, within 48 hours all the gastrointestinal symptoms were gone.

To overcome a deficiency using tablets you will need a high dose, I take 1500 micrograms a day. And that's based on recommendations from two reliable sources, one being the Mayo Clinic. Holland & Barrett offer 500 microgram tablets at a reasonable price. And you should take the B12 with a calcium supplement because the part of B12 uptake process that is disrupted by metformin involves calcium. The alternative is to have monthly injections but you would need to convince your GP before you could get them. I chose tablets over injections just because it's more convenient. Also monthly injections tend to wear off towards the end of the month.
 
i wouldnt take any supplements at the moment has you need a proper result first not a distorted one, also if you are b12 anemic it may be due to malabsorption in the intestines and only the injections will deal with this. i had alot of pins and needles in different body places and they have cleared up since having regular injections also had regular mouth ulcers also now cleared up, hopes this helps, was only tested because of a switched on consultant at the hospital, that my dentist referred me too. talk about swings and roundabouts :lol:
 
Geocacher said:
One of the most unmistakable clues to a B12 deficiency is the loss of the moons in your finger nails. For some reason it starts with your little finger and works it's way to your thumb as time passes. They tend to look very faint as though they've faded into the darker pink nail bed. If you had moons at the base of your nails, particularly you little finger and ring finger, and you no longer do then you very likely have a B12 deficiency.
Click to expand...


That's very interesting! I hadn't heard that before. I'm fairly certain I used to have moons and now I only have one feint one on one thumb... I think I need to investigate this B12 thing more. Thank you!
 
Me neither, and me too. Only my thumbs show the faint sign of moons. I shall get some vitamin B12 supplements immediately.
 
Back
Top