'I had tiny symptoms of B12 deficiency for the first two years - I now cannot even feel my face'
A B12 sufferer's symptoms progressed from feeling fatigued to facial numbness
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A person low in B12 has revealed how "tiny" symptoms they experienced over two years progressed into a full-blown deficiency.
The patient's story speaks to the mysteries surrounding a condition that is estimated to affect around six percent of people under the age of 60 and closer to 20 percent of those aged over.
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Vitamin B12 supports everything from the production of red blood cells to nerve function and DNA synthesis.
Falling short of the vitamin can therefore cause debilitating effects, some of which are permanent.
Unfortunately, the lack of national and international consensus on what counts as B12 deficiency leads to delays in diagnosis and poor treatment outcomes.
The patient would feel fatigued with high heart palpitations when she walked or moved
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One patient has revealed how they fell through the net for years before getting diagnosed and treated.
Taking to Reddit, they said: "I've been suffering from mild tiny symptoms for the last two years that I didn't know were B12 symptoms until this month."
The patient experienced bouts of "fatigued" and "high heart palpitations" when they walked or moved.
These symptoms became acute when they were feeling hungry, the user revealed.
These symptoms started to get progressively worse, they said, adding: "I didn't have the ability to do the normal daily activities."
The Reddit user would feel exhausted to the extent that they thought they were "dying and going to faint", facial numbness, tingling in the body, and "internal tremors.
In addition, they would feel a "pulse all over my body, mainly in my hands, chest, and head when I'm tired".
The embattled patient eventually received a diagnosis of B12 deficiency and was prescribed a course of intramuscular injections.
They now feel "much better".
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The patient's condition has improved immeasurably since receiving intramuscular injections
Getty ImagesThe treatment for vitamin B12 deficiency depends on what's causing the condition.
Most people can be easily treated with injections or tablets to replace the missing vitamins.
Despite the proven efficacy of B12 injections, legions of B12 sufferers are struggling to gain access to them.
GB News recently uncovered an NHS scandal that deprived millions of this game-changing treatment during the Covid pandemic.
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