Geocacher
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 165
- Location
- Birmingham
I agree with Toksik about B12 deficiency.
I found I had that just over a year ago and it made me very moody and quick to anger, it also made it more difficult to control my BG. B12 deficiency can be treated through monthly B12 injections, or by taking a high dose supplement along with a calcium supplement. Within 24 hours of treatment I was already on the way back to my normal opinionated but generally non-volatile self. All of the odd symptoms that had been dismissed by my GP as the result of poor BG control have also gone away. Something I questioned because my HbA1C has always been good and my daily readings are rarely too high. My vision is back to normal, no more numbness in my toes, my BG readings have stabalised, and I have more energy.
It's worth asking for a blood test to find out if low B12 is the cause. You could have low B12 through diet or because you're susecptible through genetics. And taking metformin, which disprupts the body's ability to take in B12, will be just enough to cause a low enough level to affect your health. We are all different. The average for finding for low B12 in metformin users is four years, but if you are vegetarian, don't eat a lot of meat and milk, or have a family history of B12 deficiency (also knowns as 'pernicious anemia') then it could show up earlier than four years. I had been taking metformin for seven years before I found I had B12 deficiency. My GP had no idea, he wanted to increase my metformin and start another medication, I had to ask for a B12 test based on my own research. And I was right to do so.
The relationship between metformin use and B12 deficiency is published in the British Medical Journal and long term metformin users and any metformin user with susupect symptoms should be tested.
I found I had that just over a year ago and it made me very moody and quick to anger, it also made it more difficult to control my BG. B12 deficiency can be treated through monthly B12 injections, or by taking a high dose supplement along with a calcium supplement. Within 24 hours of treatment I was already on the way back to my normal opinionated but generally non-volatile self. All of the odd symptoms that had been dismissed by my GP as the result of poor BG control have also gone away. Something I questioned because my HbA1C has always been good and my daily readings are rarely too high. My vision is back to normal, no more numbness in my toes, my BG readings have stabalised, and I have more energy.
It's worth asking for a blood test to find out if low B12 is the cause. You could have low B12 through diet or because you're susecptible through genetics. And taking metformin, which disprupts the body's ability to take in B12, will be just enough to cause a low enough level to affect your health. We are all different. The average for finding for low B12 in metformin users is four years, but if you are vegetarian, don't eat a lot of meat and milk, or have a family history of B12 deficiency (also knowns as 'pernicious anemia') then it could show up earlier than four years. I had been taking metformin for seven years before I found I had B12 deficiency. My GP had no idea, he wanted to increase my metformin and start another medication, I had to ask for a B12 test based on my own research. And I was right to do so.
The relationship between metformin use and B12 deficiency is published in the British Medical Journal and long term metformin users and any metformin user with susupect symptoms should be tested.
