Type 1 Low Iron Low B12 ?

Hi pamK

I've read your post with interest. I've recently had annual review and, looking at the blood results which I had printed oiut for me, I noticed that my B12 is low and out of range and my Folate is high and out of range.

I've heard/read that there is a link between B12 and Folate and also there is a link with taking Metformin. I did ask the nurse when I saw her for my annual review but she just said she didn't have anything to do with bloods, only diabetes. When I mentioned this could be associated with Metformin, she just said 'it's not my job' so clearly she didn't have a clue.

I'm seeing my GP on Thursday and so I'm hoping I can get some sort of answer out of him. I already take multivits with iron, have done for several years, since being advised to do so by a different GP so I find it very strange that my B12 levels should be low.

I'll report back if I hear anything of any use. I'll try to do some more research too

J

pamK said:

Hi Energize yes would be really interested in what your Dr say's I think if you do a search for does metformin has any effect on B12 you should see it does in some people Hope all goes well for you on Thursday

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what I dont understand is why she do not give you vitamin b12 injections, that is the normal way to treat people who can no longer uptake vitamin b12 from their intestines..


Another aspect of uptaking iron, yes it can very possibly be that one has inner bleedings when it is impossible to uptake enough iron...
But did she tell you to get vitamin C in the same meal as the one you take your iron in, this has been known by doctors for ages, but most doctors forget to tell their patients that....
Iron is most esealy uptaken from beef and porkmeat... and with when being diabetic a vitamin c tablet together with the meal , parsley sause with that is also filled with iron...

I hope you already know all this... but if not give it a try and ask for vitamin b12 injections untill further is know about your condition......
I quess she og he has interwieved you about what you eat to make sure you get enought iron-filled foods also besides iron suplements.

here are some links of scientific knowledge of metformine induced vitamin b12 deficiensy if your GP can´t find it by her-himself

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/719043
http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/35/2/327
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649932/
http://ageing.oxfordjournals.org/content/35/2/200.full
http://www.webmd.com/diabetes/news/20090608/metformin-linked-to-b12-deficiency

I am glad you are getting further investigation.

B12 deficiency from Metformin usually takes a long time to develop. The number I have seen mentioned is around 10+ years. Have you been on Meformin that long? If not, there may be another cause, although I am afraid I haven't got a clue what that might be - although I do know that B12 deficiency is a growing problem, not just for diabetics.

Hope you find the answer!

It doesn't necessarily take all that long - I was only on metformin SR (and only 1 tablet) for 6 months before my ferritin became very low. I had an endoscopy and had diffuse bleeding in the stomach lining which they decided was the occult bleeding and cause of the low ferritin.

If you've been on metformin for 14 years, it could definitely be the cause of your deficiencies. Another drug that can cause B12 deficiency are the "~zole" drugs (proton pump inhibitor class).

pamK said:

Hi Indy51 thanks for the reply Did they give you anythink for it also did they give you something instead of metformin or are you still taking it

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They wanted to give me Nexium to stop the stomach damage, but I just stopped taking the metformin. I've had prior and bad experience of Nexium (it destroyed my digestion and I'm still recovering). My mission at the moment is to be on as few drugs as possible, so I control my BG with diet only. I didn't find metformin made much of a difference to BG for me anyway.

Apparently, another medication for gastric issues, other than the PPIs, is Ranitidine which I've been taking, as well as Metformin, for a number of years.

So, if not one, then could be the other!!! I don't particularly want to stop Ranitidine as I get symptoms of gastritis back so I suppose the first option may be to stop Metformin. I'll have to see what the GP has to say on Thursday.

I got tod that I had vitamin b and b12 and I got put on frolic acid tabs and b12 injection tht I got to get 2injections for three days and same thenext week then every three months