Having just been diagnosed with this I thought it might be a good idea to make people aware of its potentially devastating consequences. My MRI scan revealed widespread T2 hyperintensities, although I'm fairly confident that it has been discovered before any damage has been done (fingers crossed).

This was only picked up by accident in my case, but the consequences can be so alarming that I'm amazed that tests aren't carried out as routine for anyone over 50 and perhaps younger.

I am a vegetarian rather than a vegan, but I thought this information of a vegan-orientated website summed it all up very well.

Read it and be very afraid...

http://www.veganhealth.org/b12/hcy

Looks like a quack website, just take some supplements if you are worried about B12 .

You are totally and utterly wrong. Having read up on it thoroughly, that does quite a nice job of summarising the causes and effects in way that is reasonably easy to understand.

I've had to have a two-week course of B12 injections, having them every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Hopefully, I will then be able to get by on one every 12 weeks.

What you aren't understanding is that some people aren't able to metabolise vitamin B12 in an adequate way – in my case this also includes vitamin D. Although I'm a vegetarian I am careful about my diet and always try to eat a varied selection of foods. In my case I doubt if it would have made much difference if I had been a meat-eater. I did used to take vitamin yeast tablets, but had to give them up when they triggered gout attacks.

As I said, my problems were only picked up by accident during an MRI scan on my pituitary gland. It is terrifying to think how many people could be suffering the same condition, being blissfully unaware of it and totally ignorant the potentially devastating future consequences.

Hi Barbeler. A year or so ago I was diagnosed with pernicious anaemia. B12 deficiency. Through a routine blood test and a GP who was on the ball and checked it further.
I had injections at first. Now I take a pill twice a day. Mega B12 dose. And I feel so much better, more energy.
I have been vegetarian for over 20 years too.

I am vitamin b12 and follate deficient and in my case it caused me to have optic neuritis as well as a lot of loss of sensation to my extremities. I was diagnosed with optic neuritis in August and I still can't actually see properly, I am waiting to see an opthoneurologist - the appointment has come through for the end of april!

I am also a long term vegetarian

A solution that some may hate-

Vitamin B12 15.0 µg 0.6 µg 40% RDA
Folic Acid 2500 µg 100 µg 50% RDA

The product? Good'ol Marmite. Which also contains other B-group vitamins and goodness. Not so good if you need a low sodium diet, but spread on bread, get bonus vitamins from that as well.

But it's one of those things that will probably increase as more people give up eating bread thinking it's bad for them. Despite bread being fortified to help with nutritional needs..

I've got megablastic anemia - I have 2 monthly injections. I can't wait for them! I'm 57 and it was only discovered in my 40s - my count was so low - the specialist & doctor believe I was born with it. It's horrendous, really underestimated. Not to be confused with lack of vitamin B12 deficiency through diet - the above is caused through lack of intrinsic factor.

On reflection I can see the signs - but I'd never heard or thought about it before.

^^ barbeler - is correct and understands what I'm saying. Everyone initially believes - vegetarian? Change diet! No!
I am veggie but barbeler has explained it well - mine was picked up by a fluke too - need I have suffered all these years? I later learnt my late Aunt had it - but my late Mother came from a family of 11 - they never discussed 'health issues'.

I have vitamin D problems too.
No amount of swallowing/ eating food with B12 will help - the stomach won't convert it - hence by pass it with injections for life.

Going veggie does mean balancing a diet to include things you'd normally get from meat, fish, eggs etc. But as you say, sometimes it's not that simple and there can be other reasons for deficiencies.. Which may become more apparent if diets are changed drastically. Old favorites like Marmite soldiers dunked in a soft-boiled egg go a good way to giving people their B-group doseage though.

Of course, there's a need to watch you're eating & include b group foods - I love Vegemite/Marmite btw! I do force my veggie self to eat an egg - ( I'm not vegan) but as above - in my case the necessary isn't absorbed.
People have to to check the form of B12 deficiency and address it accordingly. It's really important.

I'm afraid Marmite's out of the question for me because of its extremely high salt content and also because it's a gout trigger. I wish there was some way of telling whether I've always had this problem or whether it's a recent thing. Ever since my teens, my hair has always been very dry and brittle, so it's now made me wonder if that could have been behind it. It's only recently though that I started to get bad joint and muscle problems, so perhaps it's only now got to a critical stage, possibly with the gout weakening already weakened joints. I'm just hoping that it's been caught in time to prevent it getting worse, but I now have what I assume is sciatica, and I'm just hoping that it isn't due to a crumbling spine. I was going on seven mile walks in the summer but on some days, walking at all can be a challenge at the moment. I have another appointment with the consultant of Friday, so I should here a bit more about the latest scans and blood tests. I tested negative for coeliac disease, but I think I'll ask if it's worth testing for candida.