B-12 deficiency...

[CWS4322]

Despite the fact I eat real food, exercise, and am generally healthy, my vit. B-12 levels in April 2014 were very low. My mother also has a problem absorbing vit. B-12, I am over 50, and was puzzled by this. I changed a bunch of things in my diet between April and Feb 2015. I had my blood drawn on the 17th. Got the results today--in April 2014 my level was 124 (low-low). The results from the Feb blood draw were 536. What I didn't know is that the inability/difficulty absorbing vit B-12 is linked to recessive eye color (blue). Got that in spades. If you are over 50, tired, have blue eyes, and having blood work done, ask that your B-12 level be checked. My mother is definitely over 50, has blue eyes, and complains about lack of energy. She also "burbs" the taste of vit B-12 tablets (like I do). I hate the taste of vit B-12. I was expecting to have to have B-12 shots--glad that's not happening. My dr. wants to monitor my B-12 levels every 6 months. I also suffer from depression when my B-12 levels are low.

 

[Steve Kroll]

As my grandmother used to say, "Eat your liver, dear." It's one of the best sources of vitamin B12 in nature.

I've never been diagnosed, but suspected I had a B12 deficiency at one time, due to having many of the symptoms. I've been taking B-complex supplements for several years now. The GNC supplement I take has no taste whatsoever and doesn't come back up later like others I've had.

 

[CWS4322]

Do you have blue eyes, Steve? I've been eating chicken, lamb, and beef liver. Maybe that helped...plus those awful supplements...sorry, but I've tried every supplement on the market, including GNC, and they all make me burp and have "back taste...like bad wine." I agreed to be retested if the test results came back low my Dr. would give me shots and I wouldn't have to gag down B-12 suppliements anymore. No shots, but I still have to keep B-12 foods in my diet and take 2-3 supplements a week. Better than taking one every day. Retest in 6 months.

 

[Addie]

Thanks for the info CWS. Both my boys, Spike and The Pirate have blue eyes. I am going to pass the info onto The Pirate. He is the one that needs it most. My doctor has had me on B12 for about eight years now. And I have brown eyes. But I do have hypothyroidism. It was found as a teenager. I would have a doctor just look at me and ask if I have been tested lately for my thyroid. I have often wondered what they were seeing. My sister used to have thyroid storms. I have never had one of them. She also had a thyroid goiter tumor. I am due for my six month checkup soon. I have to start asking more questions. Sometimes I just don't want to know. If you find a problem, fix it.

One of the things I like about the doctor I now have is that he specializes geriatrics in treating and caring for the elderly. He was instrumental in starting up the program for the elderly that I am in. Now doctors come here to do their residency in geriatrics.

 

[CWS4322]

Thanks for the info CWS. Both my boys, Spike and The Pirate have blue eyes. I am going to pass the info onto The Pirate. He is the one that needs it most. My doctor has had me on B12 for about eight years now. And I have brown eyes. But I do have hypothyroidism. It was found as a teenager. I would have a doctor just look at me and ask if I have been tested lately for my thyroid. I have often wondered what they were seeing. My sister used to have thyroid storms. I have never had one of them. She also had a thyroid goiter tumor. I am due for my six month checkup soon. I have to start asking more questions. Sometimes I just don't want to know. If you find a problem, fix it.

One of the things I like about the doctor I now have is that he specializes geriatrics in treating and caring for the elderly. He was instrumental in starting up the program for the elderly that I am in. Now doctors come here to do their residency in geriatrics.

Thanks for mentioning that, Addie, that's the other condition-hypothyroidism--my doctor mentioned, but my thyroid results are middle of normal, so still functioning.

 

[Mad Cook]

Thanks for the info CWS. Both my boys, Spike and The Pirate have blue eyes. I am going to pass the info onto The Pirate. He is the one that needs it most. My doctor has had me on B12 for about eight years now. And I have brown eyes. But I do have hypothyroidism. It was found as a teenager. I would have a doctor just look at me and ask if I have been tested lately for my thyroid. I have often wondered what they were seeing. My sister used to have thyroid storms. I have never had one of them. She also had a thyroid goiter tumor. I am due for my six month checkup soon. I have to start asking more questions. Sometimes I just don't want to know. If you find a problem, fix it.

One of the things I like about the doctor I now have is that he specializes geriatrics in treating and caring for the elderly. He was instrumental in starting up the program for the elderly that I am in. Now doctors come here to do their residency in geriatrics.

Were you brought up in an area where the water supply was low in iodine? There is, or used to be, a condition over here called "Derbyshire Neck" - in fact a thyroid goitre - caused because the water in Derbyshire is deficient in naturally occurring iodine. Nowadays it's added to water supplies and "Derbyshire Neck" is virtually non-existent except in people who have other reasons for the goitre.
peak district local history, customs, wildlife, transport - Peakland Heritage

 

[taxlady]

Our table salt is iodized so everyone in N.A. should be getting enough iodine.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

Our table salt is iodized so everyone in N.A. should be getting enough iodine.

Unless you exclusively eat Kosher or Sea Salt. Last time I had table salt...no idea, it had to be in a restaurant. Thyroid is fine.

On edit: Oops, I get iodine from this:
Sardines 24%
Salmon 21%
Cow's milk 19%
Eggs 18%
Tuna 15%
courtesy of www.whfoods.com

 

[Addie]

Were you brought up in an area where the water supply was low in iodine? There is, or used to be, a condition over here called "Derbyshire Neck" - in fact a thyroid goitre - caused because the water in Derbyshire is deficient in naturally occurring iodine. Nowadays it's added to water supplies and "Derbyshire Neck" is virtually non-existent except in people who have other reasons for the goitre.
peak district local history, customs, wildlife, transport - Peakland Heritage

I don't know what the water supply had in it. But I do know they added fluoride in the 70's. I was told to stop using the salt with iodine in it. I had the thyroid deficiency since I was a kid. And the table salt with iodine was playing havoc with me. Sometimes my iodine level was too high, then too low. So they put me on iodine pills. Now it stays level and at the right level it should be. The pill takes care of it for me. My sister had a goiter. She would have thyroid storms. It would go crazy. One day the iodine level would be dangerously high, then too low. They wanted to remove the goiter, but she wouldn't let them. Since the both of us had thyroid problems as children, I honestly think we were born with lousy thyroids. It might have been passed down from my parents.

 

[Addie]

So I took a look at the site and looked at the whole of the Peak. Thanks for keeping me up. 3:30 a.m. and I am off to bed now.

 

[Gravy Queen]

CWS it's also linked to coeliac disease , just wondered if that has been ruled out ?

 

[CWS4322]

I put a lot of energy into making sure I added as much B-12 foods as possible to my diet and gag down a B-12 every day. There is nothing I can do re: my mom. She had her thyroid checked. But celiac...isn't diarrhea associated with that? Perhaps her "issue" isn't related to age, but something else. I'll mention it to my dad. What type of test is done?

 

[Gravy Queen]

Coeliac can produce many symptoms , extreme tiredness being one as well , but yes stomach problems if you eat gluten , wheat , barley , rye , oats (you can get gf oats now though ) . It can be diagnosed through a blood test .

 

[taxlady]

I have read that it causes problems with the diagnosis of celiac disease if the person being diagnosed has already cut down on gluten in their diet.