Charlotte's Story: Untreated B12 Deficiency

When Charlotte received a Vitamin B12 deficiency diagnosis, she never received the correct treatment. Due to not getting any treatment, irreversible damage happened to the nerves in her spine and eyes. Here's how our medical negligence solicitor, Madeline Seibert, helped Charlotte with her case.

[mmbell]

It's always depression and anxiety when doctors don't know what it
ALWAYS

[hazelem]

I was a nurse in a psychiatric hospital and we were told to expect a patient, diagnosis hyperchondria. Her symptoms were headaches and anxiety. Her GP husband, in a small town, made the diagnosis because she always had a headache and she always wanted pain medication. The psychiatrist ordered an MRI on the way to hospital. When she walked to the interview room she dragged her leg and supported herself against the wall. When the psychiatrist saw the results of the MRI, he found that she had a large inoperable grade 4 brain tumour. She lived for 6 months. I believe in getting a second or third or as many as you feel, to get a correct diagnosis.

[rawrevolution-feedingyourd]

My daughter, at 12 years old, lost all use and sensation in her legs last year. Doctors, physiotherapists, neurologists etc all didn’t believe her. It wasn’t until I started researching myself and with the help of the B12 society that we found out ourselves what the problem was. The hospital discharged her after a week with no diagnosis, said they didn’t know what was wrong. If I hadn’t of been so persistent, found help privately, she still would have been in a wheelchair now. It’s no life for anyone when it could easily be sorted by following their own hospital protocols on B12 deficiency with neuro symptoms. They even went as far as trying to send a 12 year old to clinical psychology because they were convinced she was lying. Thank you for sharing your story. It will give hope to so many

[carolking]

I am 80 and my B12 injections have been stopped. I used to have a nurse come monthly. I had no blood tests. I can’t walk. Not for 10 years. You have given me courage to ring and find out why. I am so sorry for your experiences. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[YellowRogueRose]

This is actually Charlotte from the video. I can't say thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to leave positive and encouraging comments. To anyone who is suffering something similar my best advice is listen to yourself. No one knows your body better than yourself. If you have low B12, especially if you're experiencing any neurological symptoms, continue to go back to your GP. Demand more blood tests, demand to be refereed and most importantly demand the injections. You should be given one every other day, five times to begin with. This is to load you up with B12. After that, they say one every three months but in my experience and going by the comments, that is rarely enough. You can NOT od on b12 and excess levels do not harm you. Apart from some hot flushes but its a small price to pay. Everyone and every case is different and should be looked at and treated as such. You shouldn't have to fight to be heard, believed or taken seriously but unfortunately so many times this is the case. Don't give up, your voice has power and you have worth. Not only that be everyone deserves to have a life as pain free and full of promise and possible. Don't be afraid to argue with the GP, look up articles, ask other doctors and hospitals for their opinions. Most of all believe in yourself and how your body is reacting and how you are feeling. I said in this video I didn't want this to EVER happen to anyone else, ever again and I truly mean that. I believe it should be up to each individual suffer of B12 Deficiency to decide how long they go between injections is. It's something I hope to be able to fight for and one day change. Thank you to Slater and Gordon and especially to Madeline Seibert. You didn't just change my life, you gave me one back that is worth living. My gratitude knows no bounds. All the best everyone and don't ever let someone tell you how you are feeling in your own body. Charlotte ;;'x

[DianneElizabeth]

My dad had 4th stage dementia. Went in the hospital for gall bladder issues. Was B12 tested. His entire body had none. They put him on IV B12. He called me by name & was eating again. My friend’s mom lost the use of her legs. Her dr never checked her B12 levels. Zero, as well.

[rachelheyth]

I had a similar experience but with (vitamen) D3. I ended up doing my own research after my GP causually mentioned It was "a bit low". He was even offended that I would believe a published Professors work over 20 odd years in the effects of a deficiency of it. I gave him the book I had come across. I believe he read it. I had decided to follow the regimine set out in the book. Abracadabra. All of my symptoms all but disappeared. Gone is the age where Drs are considered gods. Gone should be the era where we patients accept blindly what they say.

[colleenwalker]

I had been feeling so tired, exhausted really for about three years. All the doctors would tell me was to take iron tablets and eat iron rich food. It got to the point this year of sleeping all night and most of the day. I had a very difficult time going upstairs to bed and would sleep on the couch. I finally saw a new doctor who did extensive tests and B-12 testing. The normal range for B12 is 300ng to 900ng. Mine was 116. My doctor said he never had a patient that low in his almost 35 years. So he had me get B12 injection every day for one week, then once a week x one month, then one a month x three months. Plus a B12 supplement daily. I feel so much better and so grateful to him for correctly diagnosing me properly. I hope you continue to get better.

[roxpar]

My aunt was diagnosed with MS after a couple years of testing, and told not to get pregnant. About 10 years later, it was discovered that she actually had a severe B12 deficiency that was mimicking the symptoms of MS. My mom and her 6 sisters all require B12 injections.

[ednalegge]

So hard to fight, especially when you are sick.

[tthappyrock]

Charlotte's story makes me very thankful that I have had the doctors I've had! I was diagnosed with B12 and D3 deficiency years ago and thankfully haven't suffered permanent damage. I have to take a level of D3 that would be toxic for the majority of people. My levels get checked annually to ensure they're where they need to be. It really makes me angry when a doctor tells someone that something is all in their head. It's invalidating the patient's concerns and shows a lack of diligence and scientific scrutiny. Doctors are dieties but ffs the "it's all in your head" attitude harks back to the days when period pain was all in a woman's head via males who'd never experienced it. I'm glad Charlotte's condition finally got addressed but angered that she now has life long health concerns from a lack of a timely diagnosis!

[phubblewubbphubblewubb]

There are no words to describe my loathing of the NHS following 5 decades of misdiagnosis and denial.

[judipierry]

Hi Charlotte. As the wife of an attorney who handles cases like yours in the US I want to thank you for saying nice things about your solicitor. They will so appreciate the kind words. If I compare them to my husband, they will be warmed to know they have made a difference in improving your quality of life and making sure you will ‘be okay’ in your day to day responsibilities. That’s just my humble opinion, of course. Thank you for sharing your story.

[dianalutz]

This could easily have happened to me. I became B12 deficient after cancer treatment but by fortunate chance a good doctor picked it up immediately and I've been on injections ever since. Your story is so scary, Charlotte, especially doctors blaming depression and anxiety.

[munkami]

B12 deficiency is regularly missed and mismanaged by the NHS and UK medical system for the simple fact that they do not study this, or any type of nutritional health, in medical school. Doctors do not understand how the gut works, and so cannot give us advice on how to manage gut-related issues or dietary-related issues. Yet, these sit at the root of most of our health ailments.

The system is broken, no individual GPs. I know we hate to badmouth the NHS in the UK, but it's about time we did. The NHS was set up for a reason - free healthcare in a post-war economy. Well, that was 70 years ago now. So it's high-time we REFORMED healthcare and I'm not talking about just for the people who need it. I'm talking about reforming it for the people who work within it.

They are not equipped or skilled enough to help the general public with nutritional-related conditions. And this is a symptom of POOR and INADEQUATE training. It's also down to GPs EGOs, since they've been led to believe they have all the answers to good health.

Charlotte could make a claim because she was left without a life. For others, the damage is still there but harder to prove. So, the NHS will continue to engage in gaslighting and cover-ups until WE TEACH THEM NUTRITIONAL HEALTH AND GUT-RELATED HEALTH.

The NHS is no longer fit for purpose. If we can develop Artificial Intelligence, we can train Doctors in nutritional health.

It really is THAT SIMPLE

[dows]

God Bless you for doing this video. I had the same thing happen to me in 2013. I had been trying to get help for years until I wound up in the ER completely numb from the waist down. I am fortunate that I was put on B-12 injections right away in the hospital and have continued giving them to myself. I was made to feel like everything was in my head for so long. I totally understand the sleeping for 20 hours thing. It’s no joke. And most of the time I could have kept sleeping longer. Your video is bringing awareness so thank you!

[HeartBreakHigh]

I hear this a lot. The treatment, or lack there of it from GPs is disgusting. They just don’t care! Thank you to Charlotte for sharing your story. We need more testimonies

[dawntripp]

This is such a reminder of how lucky I was that I went to a neurologist they tested my B12. The next day he called me directly snd told me my B12 was the lowest he had seen in his career at 57! Before I went to him I went to a spine specialist and had an MRI snd they saw a mark on my spinal cord. The tech’s report said one of things it could be was due to a vitamin deficiency, he actually scoffed at that! Told me I may have MS and to go to a neurologist. So lucky that my mother knew of a very good neurologist. I know a lot of neurologists won’t even think about B12 deficiency.
I wish more doctors knew about B12 deficiency and pernicious anemia. I shudder to think how many people like Charlotte are out there.

[elainedavis]

Sadly this is not rare, Pernicious Anaemia (B12 deficiency) is an incurable, disabling and fatal illness if not treated properly. Unfortunately Charlottes story is not unusual, the lives and health of thousands of sufferers are being put at risk by uneducated and ignorant Doctors who constantly fail to diagnose the condition and then blindly fail further by not treating it aggressively or in a timely manner. Once neurological or neuropsychiatric symtoms are present the UK NICE guidelines actually state that B12 injections should be given every other day until such time as they have resolved or there is no further improvement. When treated in this manner the nervous system can and does heal and damage can be reversed. Very few Doctors are even aware of this and even when this guideline is bought to their attention, refuse to follow it due to lack of nursing resources and the costs involved in the administration of the injections. As injectable B12 is not available OTC without a prescription in the UK many sufferers are forced to source this from other European countries where it is freely available in order to self inject and regain their health. The cost of doing this works out at £1 to £1.50 per injection. Their only other option is to pay extortionate amounts to have them done at beauty clinics where they are freely available. It is not a drug, it is a totally safe water soluble vitamin that many need to stay alive and in good health. The 12 weekly injections given by GP’s are the equivalent of a starvation diet, enough to keep us alive but not to reverse neuro damage already caused nor to enable us to function adequately. To my knowledge there is no research to back up the fact that injections that 12 weekly injections are adequate treatment. There are organisations in the UK that are working tirelessly to educate and reform the current guidelines and treatment regimes as well as to have injectable B12 made available OTC in the UK. We do not deprive diabetics of their essential insulin so why is it acceptable to deprive B12 deficiency sufferers of the essential vitamin they need to keep them alive and healthy. I was lucky in that when I was eventually diagnosed after an initial misdiagnosis I joined a Facebook group where I gained the knowledge that my Doctors did not have and I credit that group with the fact that today I am able to be writing this comment. It is a sad state of affairs when a Facebook group can make the difference between someone suffering permanent disability and having to seek compensation for this and being able to lead a relatively normal life. Charlotte if you read this I am truly sorry that you were failed so badly but hope that telling your story will help raise awareness and perhaps help others to avoid the same suffering.

[alexandrapomeroy]

My mum suffered B12 deficiency which was never treated, she developed dementia, when another gp actually gave her medication she came back to me for several weeks but she had been left to long without. A counselling client was deeply depressed, tired, very forgetful and suicidal. I suggested she got tested for B12 deficiency. Hey presto she was deficient, had B12 injections, completely new woman! So maybe we should all take B12 supplements. Thank you Charlotte.