Sneaky Signs of a B12 Deficiency
And troubleshooting how to fix it — I’ve gone through all the fits and starts, so you don’t have to.
Boy oh boy – do I have an update for you all. After a year of being tested for a thyroid disorder, hormonal imbalance, and a litany of other things that may be causing my fatigue, anxiety, and the like, it turns out I’m just B12 deficient.
Yup.
That’s it.
All my other bloodwork was perfect, which is really confusing, because I’ve had bouts of feeling absolutely a-w-f-u-l for the last year or so, and I was certain something was seriously wrong.
Well, that’s somewhat true. A B12 deficiency can become serious if untreated, and I can’t believe the laundry list of symptoms a lack of B12 can cause in both the body and mind. Let me explain —
My B12 deficiency symptoms
My “symptoms” had probably gone on longer than I even knew, to be honest, and B12 deficiency can persist for years before symptoms occur. Here are what I believe were my earliest symptoms:
Unexplained weight loss
Anxiety (more than usual)
Fatigue
And here are the symptoms that made me get checked out, once and for all:
Heart palpitations
Tingling limbs
Fainting
The more serious my symptoms got, the more desperate I got for an answer (because, trust me, these symptoms could really screw up my day when they hit at inopportune moments).
Not all supplements will work for you
As soon as I was diagnosed with a B12 deficiency, the first thing I wanted to know was how to fix it. I began taking B12 supplements, at a very high dose, in sublingual drops under the tongue. However, this really didn’t help me much, because sometimes too much B12 can “overshoot” the target (which is what happened to me), leading to a worsening of my symptoms for a few days. The anxiety, sweating, nausea, and other strange symptoms got very intense before I decided to back off the B12 straight-up, and switch to a multivitamin (with my doctor’s guidance) that includes B12 (but not at such a heroic, massive dose).
In other words — for some people, straight up B12 works wonders. For others (like me!) it can actually complicate the situation even more. Point is, always work with a medical professional to figure out what works best for you and your body.
B12 injections vs tablets vs multivitamins
That said, I tolerate multivitamins a lot better than regular B12, but so many folks who take straight-up B12 injections or sublingual (which means, under the tongue) tablets find great symptom relief and achieve optimal health with these methods.
So, that’s what I’ve been dealing with lately. As I’m flushing this heroic “overshot” dose of B12 out of my system (and boy, what a ride that’s been), I’m still feeling head-achey and a little more anxious than usual. However, since I’ve started my multivitamin regimen, my physical symptoms are much better and I’m beginning to feel more like my old self again (and in a matter of days I know I will be back at 100%).
All this to say, B12 deficiency can be sneaky, dangerous if left untreated, and there’s no one-size approach that will work for everyone when it comes to treating it. Always work with your doctor to figure out what’s right for you, and if you’ve experienced similar symptoms, I encourage you to get checked out ASAP.
Xoxo,
MM.