B12 deficiency!

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fth
Posts: 45
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2020 7:37 am
Location: the Netherlands
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B12 deficiency!

Unread post by fth »

I don't know if this information is helpful or useful in any way but I still wanted to share it.

For about two years I've been suffering from extreme fatigue, brain fog, dizziness (when walking or standing up) and just a whole range of vague symptoms. These symptoms worsened when I got a concussion a year ago. After having all kinds of doctors and therapists and psychiatrists tell me it's just a burn-out, I got my B12 tested and it's too low (127 pmol/l).

Now the reason I've decided to post this is because one of the causes of B12 deficiency is bacterial overgrowth aka SIBO. I don't check this forum often but I did see the theory about SSRI's causing SIBO but the testing where I live is pretty expensive so I didn't check it out for myself.

B12 deficiency can cause loss of libido and it can cause neurological symptoms similar to the ones I see described here (which can become permanent if not treated fast enough) and loads of other things. It tends to creep up slowly and can take a long time to recover from.

I don't know if this will be the answer to my non-existent libido (since that started two years before I got the fatigue symptoms) but I do think it will be to my fatigue and brain fog. And again, I don't know if this info is of any use, but there's no harm in getting a blood panel done just to make sure if you experience symptoms. Especially since long-term deficiency can cause serious damage.

If you're deciding to go get tested, make sure to test for the following ones:
- Total vitamin B12
- Active vitamin B12, or holoTC (holotranscobalamin)
- Methylmalonic acid (MMA)
The reasoning being that the regular B12 test isn't always an accurate indicator so lots of B12 deficiencies get missed. There's some articles about it if you google, I'm too tired to explain lol. Also I'm going to a specialised clinic where they adjust the treatment according to the patient's blood work instead of using the standard protocol like the GP's where I live, plus they look for the cause of your deficiency which is more important to me than just fighting the symptoms.

I can give updates in regards to my symptoms when I start treatment (April 26th) if anyone is interested. Will definitely update if it helps with my libido.
► Fluoxetine & methylphenidate (03/2016 - 07/2019)
► Symptoms started somewhere in 2018
► Social phobia (formerly), OCD, ADHD
► Dexamphetamine (06/2021 - now)
🇳🇱
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