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A person caught in the grip of B12 deficiency has vividly described a peculiar feeling that has arisen in their feet. Taking to Reddit, the unnamed user has likened it to "getting strangled by a snake".
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They wrote: "I recently found out I'm very low in B12 and both feet swell, though my left foot more than my right. I cannot elevate my feet or they hurt more and at night I'm lucky to get three hours of sleep because the pain wakes me up and keeps me up.
"It's numb, burning and feels like my feet are getting strangled by a snake. my left foot swells up like a balloon and I don't know what else to do. I've been to my doctor and treatments have just started, but this pain.... I need sleep and it's very hard to come by and its driving me crazy!"
The B12 sufferer says her feet alternate between numb and burning
Getty ImagesIt might sound alien to anyone unaffected but foot complaints are relatively common within the B12 community.
"I was pretty 'healthy' as far as illnesses and diseases went, but one day my foot began to burn a bit," another user wrote on Reddit. "It never returned to normal."
On the more extreme end, a person had grown so accustomed to the sensation of "needles" in their feet over the course of 26 years that they thought nothing of it.
What explains these symptoms?
B12 deficiency can damage parts of the nervous system. This is known as peripheral neuropathy.
This can cause the following symptoms:
- Vision problems
- Memory loss
- Pins and needles
- Loss of physical co-ordination (ataxia), which can affect your whole body and cause difficulty speaking or walking
Despite the seriousness of B12 deficiency, it remains shrouded in mystery.
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Many patients report that continuation of frequent injections is needed to keep symptoms at bay
Getty ImagesB12 deficiency is often missed or misdiagnosed by medical professionals.
And, even when it is picked up, many patients report that the treatments do not help.
Data from a review of patient experiences and surveys involving more than 2200 patients with B12 deficiency in the UK indicate that many patients have concerns related to healthcare quality, safety, and treatment, with nearly two thirds of respondents reporting that their treatment is insufficient to manage symptoms.
Some patients may experience recurrence or worsening of symptoms when the interval between injections is extended or extended too quickly, and report that continuation of frequent injections - one of the main treatments - is needed to remain asymptomatic.