HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

High b12 after small bowel resection

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/25/2012 5:47 PM (GMT 0)
Hi,
I had my terminal ileum (about the last 15 inches of small intestine) and ileocecal valve removed 9 months ago. Since then I have continued to have HIGH B12 which I would assume to be the opposite. My dr. thinks it could be because of small bacterial overgrowth. Apparently with the valve removal, bacteria backs up and actually produces b12 making the levels appear high in your bloodwork, but you are actually not absorbing any. I had 2 weeks of antibiotics and it's still high. Dr. says bacterial overgrowth is very hard to treat. So, I feel like the high levels are actually false, but I am getting no support by my dr in my belief. I am so tired beyond belief- weak, fatigued, low grade fevers once in a while...My iron stores are fairly normal. I just feel like I actually do have a b12 deficiency, but there is no way to prove it. Anyone else in this same boat?
Posted 3/31/2012 2:17 AM (GMT 0)
High cmommy,

First of all, sorry you are not feeling well. Secondly, I did a bit of googling on "high B12 levels" and the answers it gives me are mostly alarming (bad things happening to the liver). But I'm not a doctor and not trying to frighten you.

Before panicking, I would suggest that first you need to get the B12 test run again at a different lab. It could just be the lab is not calibrating their equipment properly, and your "problem" is actually their problem.

But if confirmed by a second lab, get another doctor and look into the following:

http://www.livestrong.com/article/289674-what-are-the-causes-of-high-b12/

http://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?id=-1724579797

Be sure to tell the second doc about your medical history and what the first doc said. You want him/her to have the whole picture. Good luck with this.

best regards,
Robert

Post Edited (ozonehole) : 3/30/2012 8:21:03 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 3/31/2012 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
How high are your B12 numbers?
Posted 4/1/2012 12:45 PM (GMT 0)
cmommy,

Sorry about all the problems and the ensuing high B12.

The only reliable B12 test is not blood work but rather a urine test called: uMMA.

Which test did you have the blood or urine test?

Posted 4/1/2012 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
I have the same thing right now. I take b12 infections every 2 weeks so my doc just called and said go to 1 monthly. Do you take b12 injections? What did your doc say about it
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply