Vitamin B deficiency, mental symptoms and injections

[Anonymous]

Female, 50s. I've had brain fog, depression, anxiety and other symptoms for years. Every doctor tells me I'm Vit B deficient. When I try to supplement, it gives me anxiety. I've tried methylcobalamin pills and lozenges and sublingual, and am now trying hydroxocobalamin lozenges for the first time, but I already feel the anxiety creeping in. I have gut issues (IBD) and the MTHFR gene mutation so my functional doctor suggested I try injections next. Have you been through this journey before and found injections to be beneficial? What effect should I expect from the injections? Is there something else I should be doing to improve my Vit B levels? Really at the end of my rope, and having brain fog/anxiety makes it so hard to figure out a way forward. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried to fix your IBD with your functional med doctor yet? I am assuming that losing nutrients due to gut issues may be the issue, and you probably could be getting way more vit B from food without IBD. Have you addressed that through diet, etc yet?

[Anonymous]

i like the b12 gel tablets

[Anonymous]

I loved the injections. I was actually hoping to continue them but I have intrinsic factor and stabilized so my doctor stopped prescribing them

[Anonymous]

I just go to urgent care and pay $40 for an injection. I go once a month. Insurance probably would cover it if I got it through my dr but the hassle of making an appointment, driving there and back makes it not worth it.

I was severely B12 deficient and don't absorb it well through the gut. The shots have been life changing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Female, 50s. I've had brain fog, depression, anxiety and other symptoms for years. Every doctor tells me I'm Vit B deficient. When I try to supplement, it gives me anxiety. I've tried methylcobalamin pills and lozenges and sublingual, and am now trying hydroxocobalamin lozenges for the first time, but I already feel the anxiety creeping in. I have gut issues (IBD) and the MTHFR gene mutation so my functional doctor suggested I try injections next. Have you been through this journey before and found injections to be beneficial? What effect should I expect from the injections? Is there something else I should be doing to improve my Vit B levels? Really at the end of my rope, and having brain fog/anxiety makes it so hard to figure out a way forward. Thanks.

WHY are you only supplementing one B vitamin? Doing that causes other deficiencies, imbalances, and all sorts of problems.

Only take a pill that contains all 11 B vitamins.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Female, 50s. I've had brain fog, depression, anxiety and other symptoms for years. Every doctor tells me I'm Vit B deficient. When I try to supplement, it gives me anxiety. I've tried methylcobalamin pills and lozenges and sublingual, and am now trying hydroxocobalamin lozenges for the first time, but I already feel the anxiety creeping in. I have gut issues (IBD) and the MTHFR gene mutation so my functional doctor suggested I try injections next. Have you been through this journey before and found injections to be beneficial? What effect should I expect from the injections? Is there something else I should be doing to improve my Vit B levels? Really at the end of my rope, and having brain fog/anxiety makes it so hard to figure out a way forward. Thanks.

WHY are you only supplementing one B vitamin? Doing that causes other deficiencies, imbalances, and all sorts of problems.

Only take a pill that contains all 11 B vitamins.

That’s not necessarily correct advice

[Anonymous]

Why are they approaching this as a “vitamin deficiency” instead of tying the brain fog and anxiety to your autoimmune condition?

[Anonymous]

Have you ever just taken a once a day without iron like CVS sells? Does that make you anxious?

[Anonymous]

Vitamin b12 deficiency is quite serious.

Longterm it can cause all kinds neurological issues including memory deficits akin to dementia. I recommend you talk to your doctor and make a plan. The plan absolutely has to include normalizing your b12 if you want to prevent serious problems. Injections are a good idea but talk to your doctor.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I just go to urgent care and pay $40 for an injection. I go once a month. Insurance probably would cover it if I got it through my dr but the hassle of making an appointment, driving there and back makes it not worth it.

I was severely B12 deficient and don't absorb it well through the gut. The shots have been life changing.

Which urgent care do you go to that does that?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just go to urgent care and pay $40 for an injection. I go once a month. Insurance probably would cover it if I got it through my dr but the hassle of making an appointment, driving there and back makes it not worth it.

I was severely B12 deficient and don't absorb it well through the gut. The shots have been life changing.

Which urgent care do you go to that does that?

You need to go to your primary care and get a blood test. Your primary care can do the shots but I found a high dose of b12 pill worked best but you need to consult with your doctor not internet.

[Anonymous]

I’d ask for a complete iron panel testing your ferritin and iron saturation, in light of your issues. Anemia can also cause brain fog.

[Anonymous]

Thanks to the two posters who actually tried to answer the question.

To the person who does the $40 urgent care shots, can you please tell me a bit more how the shots have been life changing and what short and long-term effects you've noticed?

To the person with the intrinsic factor, why were you taking the shots originally and what effects did you notice?

[Anonymous]

What is intrinsic factor and why did it make you stop the Vitamin B?