to B or not to B...

For about the last 6-8 months I have just not felt like myself. Before that I chalked it up to having a baby, lack of sleep etc. I thought it was stress, having an 18 month old or just that I was getting older and not aging well. I have been tired, edgy, having trouble focusing, my hair has been falling out not to mention being very dry and brittle. 


In the last two months it has gotten worse. I was starting to get really worried but didn't say anything because of all the random drama/stress we have had in our lives. I have been more tired than I ever have been in my life...even when I was in my first trimester, been losing my balance (?), having horrible headaches and just felt weak among other things. I seriously thought I had a brain tumor or a serious disease. This past month has been awful. I haven't been DRAGGING myself out of bed and off the couch and feel like I can't concentrate on anything or anyone. So I made a dr. appt on Mon because I was so worried about it. I didn't tell anyone, even Slade because he had enough stress. Turns out, I don't have any of the above but I am severely Vitamin B-12 deficient. The normal "number" is somewhere around 1,000... my Dr. likes it to be at least 400...mine was 190. 


Basically you need B-12 to  to make red blood cells, which carry oxygen through your body. Lack there of, leads to anemia. You need vitamin B12 to keep your nerves healthy. If you have a short supply of vitamin B12, your body won't make as many red blood cells, they will be abnormally large and won't last for as long as they should. If you don't have enough red blood cells, the tissues and organs of your body may not be getting enough oxygen. This leads to the symptoms of anaemia. Here is an exerpt from Web-MD about the symptoms....pretty much exactly what I was experiencing...

What are the symptoms?

If your vitamin B12 deficiency is mild, you may not have symptoms or you may not notice them. Some people may think they are just the result of growing older (HA! I knew I wasn't crazy!) As the anemia gets worse, you may:

• Feel weak, tired, and lightheaded.
• Have pale skin.
• Have a sore, red tongue or bleeding gums.
• Feel sick to your stomach and lose weight. 
• Have diarrhea or constipation.

If the level of vitamin B12 stays low for a long time, it can damage your nerve cells. If this happens, you may have:

• Numbness or tingling in your fingers and toes.
• A poor sense of balance. 
• Depression.
• Dementia, a loss of mental abilities. (Slade might claim I am this far gone...I'm not, I've always been crazy!)

Here's the rub, I have no idea why it's so low. I eat a pretty healthy, balanced diet. However,  supposedly stress can make it worse so that explains why this past month since the wreck I have felt horrible. How's that for a sympathetic wife...I literally made myself sick{er}! It also explains why I probably got Mommy Thumb! It directly affects your nerve cells.

Good thing is, I caught it and am now on B-12 injections. Got my first one yesterday and don't feel all that different so I am hoping it maybe takes a few days? But if I have seemed "off"  to some of you...well I have been! It can lead to a lot of things if it's not treated so if you have experienced any of the following, I would highly recommend getting it checked!