Sara – aged 42

B12 serum level: 196  –  Folate: 7

Symptoms experienced:

• Depression
• Headaches
• Paranoia
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Mania
• Psychosis
• Tinnitus
• Glossitis
• Premature greying
• Chronic fatigue
• Heavy periods
• Weight loss
• Visual disturbance

Sara was vegetarian from her early teens until her early thirties. Her eyesight was affected at age eighteen and by her thirties severe depression had set in. Her periods became progressively more painful and tinnitus and chronic fatigue began.

Sara like many others, had never been screened for physical causes for her depression. She was misdiagnosed with bipolar and was sectioned following a psychotic episode. Her doctor was completely unaware of the psychiatric manifestations of B12 deficiency and initially refused to even test for either thyroid issues or B12 deficiency, both of which can cause psychosis. Once tested she was shown to be deficient but was refused treatment as the doctor insisted there were no symptoms present. This doctor was totally unaware of the myriad symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.

A second doctor would only prescribe low dose oral B12 which was entirely useless for the advanced neurological symptoms. Eventually after changing doctor a third time, injection loading doses were given. Luckily Sara is now in safe hands with a doctor who has updated their previously poor knowledge of B12 deficiency. She was prescribed every other day B12 injections for some time and now self injects every week and takes folate daily and a good B complex. Her depression and anxiety improve every day, her periods are far less painful and her tinnitus is quietening.

Once Sara was given ferrous sulphate to raise her low ferritin levels her chronic fatigue improved enormously and she is now firmly on the road to recovery.