Anaemia

jamieA

I've just been prescribed cyanocobalamin(vitamin B12) as it appears from blood tests I'm now anaemic - I assume as a result of the PsA or the treatment (from what I've read). I've had continuous headaches, my balance is affected and my hands and feet are almost permanently cold for the last month.

I have a good diet, eat my 5 fruit/veg a day and make almost all my meals myself. I don't eat a lot of red meat - probably less than 200mg per month but eat fish regularly. I'm not particularly fond of steak or liver.

Does anyone have any tips or suggestions on how you control/solve being anaemic due to PsA or it's treatments without further medication? I'd rather not add to my weekly pill count long term if I can avoid it.

Ellen

Good Morning @jamieA

While you are waiting for one or more of our members to comment I did a quick search on the subject of B12 and found this very old thread:

https://community.versusarthritis.org/discussion/10949/vitamin-b12

Best wishes

Ellen.

stickywicket

I know there are different types of anaemia. I can only comment on mine.

Several times, over the years, my haemoglobin has been low in my regular blood tests. On two or three occasions my GP sent me for an endoscopy to check for a stomach bleed. When they were OK they sent me back for a colonoscopy to check lower down the tract. They were OK too so I was given a short course of iron tablets and back to normal. My rheumatologist said he wouldn't have bothered with the investigations as both RA and the meds we take for it can cause low iron. On one occasion the gastro-enterologist did mention, at least potentially, folate deficiency but no further meds / investigations were mentioned so it was just the usual iron tablets for a month.

The thread that Ellen found seems to concentrate on folate deficiency and, if that's what you have, will be more relevant to you than my post but I just thought it was worth mentioning. BHere is the NHS page on all the various types of anaemia that we can collect😉 https://www.nhs.uk/search/results?q=anaemia

jamieA

Hi @Ellen and @stickywicket

Thanks for the responses. I've been on folic acid(vitamin B9) since February 2021 when I was put on MTX. I've now been prescribed cyanocobalamin(vitamin B12) as well. It was the GP practice nurse who took my 2nd blood test that told me the test was being done because the first had shown me to be anaemic. I haven't spoken to a doctor yet - no-one was available - but after the 2nd set of results they left a prescription for cyanocobalamin at reception with a note to say I needed a further blood test in 28 days. I'm already taking daily Omeprazole as part of the cocktail I'm on and Dr. Google seems to say this could be the cause. I'm beginning to question why I need to be on Omeprazole as it was prescribed in November 2020 and all of the other drugs prescribed then have been changed.

jamieA

Just an update on this - I eventually got a telephone appointment with a GP who confirmed my red blood cell count was low. I asked if Omeprazole could be the cause and did I need to be on it. She initially said she didn't have time for a medication review but when I insisted she reluctantly checked my medication and then said that for the current drugs I'm on she could see no reason for taking Omeprazole. My NSAIDs were withdrawn in early June 2021 and they were the only reason to be on Omeprazole - just nobody checked.

Nuria

I am not sure if this will help but I have had anemia for... ever? and nothing they did would make it better. They eventually did a colonoscopy etc. No bleeding. My diet... absolutely good (no meat but not necessary... in fact, I was anemic when I ate meat too). So I discovered pernicious anemia and decided to start on B12 to help absorption. What happened? My iron levels went up. So no harm in trying!