I do think I have some worsening regarding fatigue and brain fog, but that could also be contributed to external factors, so I'm not 100% sure if it's the B12 causing it. Libido has been non-existent since 2020 and something that doesn't exist can't get worse lol, so nothing remarkable there.Sofa wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 8:20 amDid you Feel a worsening of symptoms? Or have they stayed the same?fth wrote: ↑Sun May 22, 2022 8:08 amHello! I did start the injections on the 26th of April, so almost four weeks ago. I personally got prescribed 1000 mcg twice a week intramuscular. This for 6 weeks, and then I'll have to lower to once a week (unless this exacerbates my symptoms, then I'll go back to twice a week). I personally think I'll be on them for the rest of my life since I have gastrointestinal issues, but we'll see!
Up until now I haven't had any improvement (neither in libido nor my other symptoms like fatigue and brain fog). I'm getting my folate levels checked again next week, as B12 uses up folate as some sort of fuel, so those two need to be balanced as well. I haven't taken folate supplements yet because of the risk of neuropathy when taking too much folate with a B12 deficiency so I wanted to wait a while and take folate supplements according to my bloodwork (some people don't even need additional folate when taking B12, it really depends).
I haven't given up hope yet though. I know some stories from people I know in real life. One person was even in a wheelchair from B12 deficiency. For her it took months to notice an improvement, but as of today she's able to walk again and no longer needs a wheelchair. She was also suffering from libido problems and those have gone away as well. It can take a really long time, sometimes years.
Because my B12 was really low for my age (127 pmol/l) and because I have gastrointestinal issues I decided to go for injections as opposed to supplements, because with GI issues there's a possibility that supplements/nutrients don't get absorbed. With the injections I don't need to worry about that. Hope this helps! I will update on this forum if I start to get improvements.
An initial worsening isn't unheard of though, I think it affects 1 in 10 people if I remember correctly. This should subside after a few weeks or months. I wouldn't let that hold you back. If you have a B12 deficiency and you don't treat it it can lead to irreversible nerve damage, so temporary worsening definitely outweighs whatever you could get if left untreated.
I don't know how this plays into the whole PSSD thing though. I do think that people with a B12 deficiency take longer to recover from PSSD because of the big role it plays in our bodies (just like with regular brain injuries, which can actually deplete your B12 levels because of the amount of B12 that gets used to heal it). Can't think of any negative effects of taking it if you're actually deficient. But I'm no professional obviously, just speaking on what I've researched on this subject.
Edit: Make sure to regularly check your folate levels too. It could be that because of the B12 supplementation that folate is going down and they need to be balanced. Folate deficiency can also cause symptoms. Like I said in the previous comment, not everyone needs to supplement folate as well, so keep an eye on it and talk to your doctor about it. Never take folate on its own if you're deficient in B12 though because of the neuropathy risk.