Metformin and B12

[AndyS]

About 18 months ago I was having horrendous problems with sore mouth, gums, tongue, really tired and kept getting palpitations. After visiting my Doctor (you have higher odds of winning the lottery than getting to see him\her, you go through triage first with a nurse practitioner). I was told to visit my dentist. 7 months of Doctors and dentists visits later and numerous courses of antibiotics the technicican at the local surgery suggested I had some sort of vitamin deficiency. She included test for this and I waited a week and went to the surgery to discuss the 3 month results with the Nurse (trainee diabetic nurse)

She said I had a b12 deficiency and this was 'probably' the cause of my problems.

I was given the six b12 hydroxocobalamin injections and told I would need one every 3 months. Everything was okay for about 8 weeks then the symptoms re-appreared. Reading the leaflet that is given with metformin it suggests that it can cause a b12 deficiency and this should be checked regulary.

I managed to speak to my Doctor last week who suggested I am suffering from anxiety! - has anyone had similar experiences with a b12 problem or am I going mad!

Type 2 on Glargine and Humalog

 

[kojack]

Many years ago this was suggested when I was developing mouth ulcers and a raw tongue.
They had been stuffing me with nystatin to cure a non-existant fungal infection.

A course of vit B12 sorted it. This was over 35 years ago and I wasn't diabetic.

I assume you have regular dental checkups and see the dental practice hygeinist. I see mine every three months.

 

[AndyS]

Hi John, many thanks for the reply.

Yes, I see the dentist every 6 months. She said my teeth are fine. She keeps suggesting I go back to my Doctor. Whenever I mention it to the Doctor or diabetic nurse they dismiss it saying it's unusual. I have the injection every 3 months. I know we shouldn't really compare but my brother is diabetic too. He's at a different surgery and was having the same problem. His doctor gives him the injection once a month and he's fine.

Regards

Andy

 

[AndyS]

I almost forgot.... I had my back left hand side teeth taken out. My dentist was insisting it wasn't my teeth causing the problem, I was in so much pain there I asked her to take them out which she did, not a good idea the pain still persisted.

Regards

Andy

 

[Hazel]

I have been getting quarterly B12 jabs for years, even before I became diabetic. The reason I was prescribed them was that I do no digest vitimins from green leafy veg, no matter how much I eat and I can eat 'sprouts like most folk eat Malteesers.

I start feeling 'run down' 2 or 3 weeks beore I am due a jab.

My teeth are fine and I am not on metformin

Hope this helps

HAzel

 

[nicky_too]

Hi Andy,

I've had B12 trouble for years now and usually this is accompanied by too low level of iron in your blood as well. Since you didn't say anything about it, I'm just wondering: did they check your blood regularly for both iron and B12 as well? That would obviously give the best indication.

It's true that Metformin makes your body absorb B12 less than it should. It is not necessarily the sole cause for too low a level, however. I think you should definitely insist on good research. They need to find out where your low levels come from!

In my case it's quite obvious:
- I'm a vegetarian;
- I'm on Metformin;
- my father has a problem with his stomach because of which he can't absorb B12 at all (I might have something similar, maybe a mild version);
- I suffered from anxiety.

I mention the last point because you did as well.
I've had anxiety attacks for years as well and in October 2008 I moved to the UK. The anxiety is practically gone, far less stress (I almost dare say none!) and B12 levels have shot up from 218 tot 2000! 2000 is very, very, very high! I do get the B12 jabs, but my current GP has told me he wants to look into all this, since it's very strange.

Basically, the bottomline is: make sure they look into it and that they look at every possible angle to find out where it comes from in your case. Prolonged B12 deficiency is very dangerous. And usually it does take down the iron levels as well, which is also dangerous. Not trying to scare you here, just making sure you know you have every right to have this checked thoroughly.

Good luck!

 

[AndyS]

Hi Andy,

I've had B12 trouble for years now and usually this is accompanied by too low level of iron in your blood as well. Since you didn't say anything about it, I'm just wondering: did they check your blood regularly for both iron and B12 as well? That would obviously give the best indication.

It's true that Metformin makes your body absorb B12 less than it should. It is not necessarily the sole cause for too low a level, however. I think you should definitely insist on good research. They need to find out where your low levels come from!

In my case it's quite obvious:
- I'm a vegetarian;
- I'm on Metformin;
- my father has a problem with his stomach because of which he can't absorb B12 at all (I might have something similar, maybe a mild version);
- I suffered from anxiety.

I mention the last point because you did as well.
I've had anxiety attacks for years as well and in October 2008 I moved to the UK. The anxiety is practically gone, far less stress (I almost dare say none!) and B12 levels have shot up from 218 tot 2000! 2000 is very, very, very high! I do get the B12 jabs, but my current GP has told me he wants to look into all this, since it's very strange.

Basically, the bottomline is: make sure they look into it and that they look at every possible angle to find out where it comes from in your case. Prolonged B12 deficiency is very dangerous. And usually it does take down the iron levels as well, which is also dangerous. Not trying to scare you here, just making sure you know you have every right to have this checked thoroughly.

Good luck!

Hi Nicky

Many thanks for your reply.

I need to change Doctors I think. It's virtually impossible to see a Doctor. The surgery is terrible, there is a different Doctor every time I go.

The last Doctor I saw said "your blood pressure is high, we will monitor it next time you come and perhaps prescribe a tablet to help it" - I pointed out that I was already taking ramipril for blood pressure, she looked at the screen again and said "oh yes I see".

I manage to get as far as seeing the trainee diabetic nurse who isn't interested in B12, whenever I mention it she dismisses it immediately. When I was with her in December I asked what the B12 level was, she said it was sky high.

In January I was referred to the diabetic clinic at the hospital. Whilst I was with the diabetic nurse there I mentioned the B12 problem. She had a look on the computer and said the last time it was tested was April last year!

I seem to be going around in circles and getting nowhere.

In the meantime I have bought b12 tablets from the health food store, I don't know if they will work but giving them a go.

Thanks again for your reply

 

[AndyS]

I have been getting quarterly B12 jabs for years, even before I became diabetic. The reason I was prescribed them was that I do no digest vitimins from green leafy veg, no matter how much I eat and I can eat 'sprouts like most folk eat Malteesers.

I start feeling 'run down' 2 or 3 weeks beore I am due a jab.

My teeth are fine and I am not on metformin

Hope this helps

HAzel

Hi Hazel

Thanks for your reply, you mentioned maltesers. I'm sat looking at a packet now thinking 'should I or shouldn't I?' hehe

My brother is with a different surgery, he was having simliar problems. His Doctor has precscribed the B12 injection once a month and he's fine.

Regards

Andy

 

[Rach]

Hi Andy, How long after starting metformin did it make an impact on your sugar levels.

I took my first tablet sat after bfast, everyday since, but yest aft my sugar levels went up to 14.7. then crashed, making feel unwell.

I'm anaemic, but they seem to be ignoring that at mo and how do you get access to a diabetic clinic?

Rach

 

[AndyS]

Hi Rach

Apologies for the delay in replying. I have had a rough couple of days.

When I first started taking Metformin about 6 years ago it took about a week before it starting making an impact on my sugar levels. I was undiagnosed for quite a while, I had all the symptoms but ignored them (silly I know).

I saw my Doctor who told me I should see the 'diabetic nurse' at the surgery. I made an appointment and saw her about a week later. She does the 3 monthly blood tests etc but can't change the insulin or anything like that without speaking to the diabetic clinic at the hospital.

When my levels started increading, the diabetic nurse at my doctors surgery referred me to the diabetic clinic at the hospital. I'm not sure if its the same in all areas but only the diabetic clinic at the hospital can prescribe insulin in the first instance. after that my doctor was able to give repeat prescriptions.

Hope this makes sense and helps.

Andy

 

[Karsten]

normal/natural B12 (cyanocobalamin) won't help unless its methyl B12 which is methylcobalamin in certain fruits.

These types are active B12 and usuable by the body if they are absorbed.
hydroxocobalamin (B12 injections), methylcobalamin (sublingual tablets) , and adenosylcobalamin.

try justvitamins or phoenixnutrition or search for methyl B12 or methylcobalamin

read the ingrediants on the vitamins you have.
If it says cyanocobalamin its no use.

Also you need 1000ug tablets as if deficient you should absorb as much as you can via your tongue.

Make sure you don't chew them as they won't help in the stomach they need to dissolve under your tongue which absorbs the B12..
The taste cells under your tongue are super sensitive so the tabs seem very sweet to me but on top of the tongue they aren't.

 

[mikeyB]

On top of the tongue, they wouldn’t work. They work under the tongue because there is a network of veins close to the surface of the sublingual area. There are no taste cells on the undersurface of the tongue to be super sensitive or otherwise, though there are some in the cheeks and epiglottis.

You should make every effort not to swallow till the tablet is completely dissolved.

 

[robert@fm]

@mikeyB, did you realise that the post you're replying to is another bit of Thread Necromancy (nearly 10 years, this time) from this forum's B12 troll?

Any more, and I may be putting him on my ignore list -- something I rarely do.

 

[mikeyB]

Oh aye, I did know, but it’s like cockroaches- they spring up everywhere, just when you thought you were clear. Got to be dealt with.