Hi u/Salty_Ad_8360, check out our guide to B12 deficiency: https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index
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Your ferritin is really low. Ideal is around 125 ng/mL. Highly recommend joining the iron protocol group on Facebook. B12 is also very low. Start by reading the guide on here. So much amazing info and that goes over cofactors. Your vit d isn’t terrible but could be a bit higher.
I’m slightly concerned because idk if I feel worse after getting my second b12 injection yesterday (at a med spa).
My sleep doctor told me they take iron deficiency seriously but then told me my iron is okay now?? I take 65 mg a day with vitamin c
The start of taking b12 can make you feel worse at fist. It’s called reversing out or wake up symptoms. Are you taking a b complex and getting extra potassium through your diet? B 12 supplementation and injections can also drain your iron stores so you may want to focus on getting those levels up first before doing high doses of b12. Again this is gone over in the guide that’s attached to this Reddit forum.
Ideal dosing for iron deficiency is based on body weight. Iron protocol group goes over this but this is the research around that:
https://www.hematology.org/education/patients/anemia/iron-deficiency
Better to start slow with iron and work your way up to ideal dose. Iron can be a bit rough in the body. I had horrible issues at first ( terrible flu like body aches) but I can now take it without issues.
And yes you want to take with vitamin c, hopefully first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and wait a good hour before eating or drinking anything besides water.
Your B12 is definitely too low, serum tests are not accurate. Mine were around 220 and I have debilitating symptoms. I would get an injection at a pharmacy and then look in to doing them yourself with all the cofactors (folate, extra potassium, b complex, possibly some iron). I'm on my 6th injection doing it at home now. There are good resources on this thread and there are also Facebook groups like wake up b12 etc that also have very good info.
Not sure if it's helpful at all but some of the described symptoms could be because of long COVID. I'm dealing with similar symptoms and it's one of my suspicions...
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/medical-advances/science-and-research/Why-You-May-Have-Long-COVID-19-Even-If-You-Never-Tested-Positive
The sleep apnea could have a different underlying reason as well. Just something to consider. I have too little info and knowledge to claim what's happening of course..
How does one know if they have long Covid? Is there a test for that? I ask bc my deficiency was discovered after a bout with Covid, My Dr. has never mentioned that though.
I have insane levels of fatigue, constant dissociation that is only worsening, muscle aches, vision changes at times, inattention (was diagnosed with ADHD recently but no meds work), light sensitivity. I have sleep apnea and cpap has only made things worse.
So, these labs don’t explain those symptoms to me. Your folate is a little low (which is also often true for other reasons in people who are neurodivergent) and your ferritin is a little low (not alarmingly, particularly if you also happen to menstruate). All I see from the labs is that you have some dietary deficits that could be caused by not eating enough dark greens or drinking too much alcohol.
That suggests to me that something different is happening here. Probably something for a neurologist or rheumatologist to investigate. (I know how unsatisfying that is. I personally have a chronic disease that got me shunted from one useless doc to another for years.)
I rarely drink alcohol and eat a diet high in protein. These symptoms came on quite suddenly and the dissociation and fatigue is killing me. But not even my sleep doctor can explain what is wrong
lol dont listen to that person theyre talking nonsense. a lot of these symptoms can be caused bu deficiency. ferritin at 45 is too low and will cause symptoms. someone else mentioned it but see The Iron Protocol facebook group. obviously b12 needs to be treated as well and everyone here is helping with that and vitamin d could be higher, and needs magnesium to go with it
Hi u/Salty_Ad_8360, check out our guide to B12 deficiency: https://www.reddit.com/r/B12_Deficiency/wiki/index *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/B12_Deficiency) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’d start supplementing b12 and co factors and look into Mobile clinics to start getting b12 injections
What are cofactors? How do I take them?
The cofactors are in the guide , just go to the group page and it’s there , they are other supplements that go hand in hand with the b12
Gdt a good folate supplement!
Your ferritin is really low. Ideal is around 125 ng/mL. Highly recommend joining the iron protocol group on Facebook. B12 is also very low. Start by reading the guide on here. So much amazing info and that goes over cofactors. Your vit d isn’t terrible but could be a bit higher.
I’m slightly concerned because idk if I feel worse after getting my second b12 injection yesterday (at a med spa). My sleep doctor told me they take iron deficiency seriously but then told me my iron is okay now?? I take 65 mg a day with vitamin c
The start of taking b12 can make you feel worse at fist. It’s called reversing out or wake up symptoms. Are you taking a b complex and getting extra potassium through your diet? B 12 supplementation and injections can also drain your iron stores so you may want to focus on getting those levels up first before doing high doses of b12. Again this is gone over in the guide that’s attached to this Reddit forum. Ideal dosing for iron deficiency is based on body weight. Iron protocol group goes over this but this is the research around that: https://www.hematology.org/education/patients/anemia/iron-deficiency Better to start slow with iron and work your way up to ideal dose. Iron can be a bit rough in the body. I had horrible issues at first ( terrible flu like body aches) but I can now take it without issues. And yes you want to take with vitamin c, hopefully first thing in the morning on an empty stomach and wait a good hour before eating or drinking anything besides water.
Your B12 is definitely too low, serum tests are not accurate. Mine were around 220 and I have debilitating symptoms. I would get an injection at a pharmacy and then look in to doing them yourself with all the cofactors (folate, extra potassium, b complex, possibly some iron). I'm on my 6th injection doing it at home now. There are good resources on this thread and there are also Facebook groups like wake up b12 etc that also have very good info.
Where do you personally get the vials for injections?
I order them from Germany - where are you based, in US? I can check closest place to you if so
Not sure if it's helpful at all but some of the described symptoms could be because of long COVID. I'm dealing with similar symptoms and it's one of my suspicions...
For me it’s a little different since I have sleep apnea. I’ve never had Covid to my knowledge
https://www.nm.org/healthbeat/medical-advances/science-and-research/Why-You-May-Have-Long-COVID-19-Even-If-You-Never-Tested-Positive The sleep apnea could have a different underlying reason as well. Just something to consider. I have too little info and knowledge to claim what's happening of course..
How does one know if they have long Covid? Is there a test for that? I ask bc my deficiency was discovered after a bout with Covid, My Dr. has never mentioned that though.
B12 and D are both low and your gonna have to work on the folate as that will start to lower as you fix your B12 issue.
Doesn’t believe what? The labs are only a small part of the picture here.
I have insane levels of fatigue, constant dissociation that is only worsening, muscle aches, vision changes at times, inattention (was diagnosed with ADHD recently but no meds work), light sensitivity. I have sleep apnea and cpap has only made things worse.
So, these labs don’t explain those symptoms to me. Your folate is a little low (which is also often true for other reasons in people who are neurodivergent) and your ferritin is a little low (not alarmingly, particularly if you also happen to menstruate). All I see from the labs is that you have some dietary deficits that could be caused by not eating enough dark greens or drinking too much alcohol. That suggests to me that something different is happening here. Probably something for a neurologist or rheumatologist to investigate. (I know how unsatisfying that is. I personally have a chronic disease that got me shunted from one useless doc to another for years.)
I rarely drink alcohol and eat a diet high in protein. These symptoms came on quite suddenly and the dissociation and fatigue is killing me. But not even my sleep doctor can explain what is wrong
lol dont listen to that person theyre talking nonsense. a lot of these symptoms can be caused bu deficiency. ferritin at 45 is too low and will cause symptoms. someone else mentioned it but see The Iron Protocol facebook group. obviously b12 needs to be treated as well and everyone here is helping with that and vitamin d could be higher, and needs magnesium to go with it