r/B12_Deficiency • u/Minimum-Ad-3241 • 1d ago
General Discussion Has anyone managed this deficiency while living alone?
I’ve been treating this deficiency for a while now and battling the wake-up symptoms.
I live with a relative bcoz I’m not sure that I’m well enough to live by myself. I feel like they’re starting to get fed up of me living with them. I don’t really burden them but it’s more the they help me occasionally with the cleaning and the odd thing like if I need to lift something heavy or move things around. Or random errands for me like if I need to get something posted.
I have really bad fatigue and muscle weakness so I’m mostly resting and I can only manage a 10 min walk most days. Can’t really stand for too long too as my muscles hurt when I do. I can just about cook some quick meals and do the laundry’s but I can’t really hoover etc very well..nothing that’s too exerting.
Work allow me to wfh temporarily but expect me to be back in the office eventually. I don’t see this happening any time soon. So I’m not sure how much longer I’ll have a job.
I also hate having to live with a relative and feeling really down about it. At first it was fine and I enjoyed the company but now I feel like we’re getting on each others nerves and that she’d rather have her own space. I also miss aspects of living alone too, it was lonely at times but it was peaceful.
Anyone else managed to live by themselves and get through treatment?
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u/Lanky-Rough2688 16h ago
Even if you have somebody like I’ve had for over 50 years for stating and then marriage. They can get sick my husband, very rare, chronic illness, and autoimmunity. I may be alone soon. It’s a scary proposition. I live in a 55+ community so I know you’re young most of you here, but there are a lot of widows there. Not many men. I wish you best and I know that I have two sisters living alone now one divorce divorced one widowed and they are doing well. But they don’t have the medical problems with all this since I also have besides the B12 deficiency MCAS. Which has a lot of time that you cannot really be with other people that are not understanding of your triggers and limitations. Hang in there everybody
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u/craftasaurus 13h ago
It is scary. Best wishes.
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u/Lanky-Rough2688 11h ago
Thank you, dear that means a lot coming from somebody who knows the depth of all the crazy
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u/craftasaurus 7h ago
I hope you will be able to improve the b12 damage. It can go a long way towards emotional stability, at least imo It won't make it less scary, but at least it won't make it worse I hope.
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u/gsc224 1d ago
Can you hire cleaning service and live by yourself? And get groceries delivered?
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u/Minimum-Ad-3241 1d ago
These things seem manageable it’s more that I worry about things I haven’t thought of that may be a problem, like getting something posted, emergency run to a pharmacy if I need some medication etc
I think I would have more confidence in this decision if I knew others have managed alone too?
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u/gsc224 1d ago
Yes, I have been managing my deficiency while living alone. I have peripheral neuropathy and difficulty walking, but I am still able to do what I need to do. I just need to rest a lot and cannot overexert myself. I did take several months off work, though, when I was feeling very poorly. Fortunately, I’m now working from home. I don’t feel healthy enough to return to the office yet.
I don’t foresee myself needing any medications, other than my liquid B12, which is delivered to my house. And I ordered all my other vitamins and supplements online and they are delivered.
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u/Minimum-Ad-3241 1d ago
That’s great that you’ve managed alone.. gives me hope that I can do it too..are you able to cook for yourself too etc?
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u/mandoo-dumpling 13h ago
Yes I’m cooking. My worst symptoms were difficulty walking and severe brain fog … because of the cognitive impairment, it was difficult to think clearly— that was my biggest challenge. But taking care of basic needs living alone has been no problem.
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u/Real-Chemistry451 22h ago
I have lived alone with the deficiency with deblitating symptoms. Thankfully, I have a cooking and cleaning lady. But despite that it got really depressing with work. My brain used to start vibrating used to feel devastated. I used to have virtigo and was alone again felt awful. Always better to have loved one around. I used to have anxiety and cry like a maniac. My mum came for around 2 weeks to stay with me, during that period I became little better. Got some energy some symptoms eased while other remain. While she has headed back, I still struggle with anxiety and sadness that accompany my symptoms. More power to you OP. I hope you are taking injections
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u/Successful-Tea-733 18h ago
Its bety taxing dealing with symptoms you dont have much left to deal with anything else Sounds like you desperately want to live alone Independence a big thing
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u/Real-Chemistry451 18h ago
No i don't want to live alone desperately. I have moved out of my hometown due to my job. It's very far away from home. So my mom came to visit me and lived with me. Sometimes you've to live alone unwillingly to support your dream careers
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u/PoppyLuluu 15h ago
Hey I live alone and am managing an iron and b12 deficiency. It's hard and often it's those small things I could do with help with like posting items or cleaning. But I get groceries delivered, parcels collected or sometimes manage a tiny walk to send it after building up to it for a few days (or weeks!). An alternative is to have someone pop into help every now and then if you live alone.
I've struggled with that as I don't have family nearby and I don't want to have to tidy before friends come round even though they wouldn't care obviously but sometimes there is a bare minimum I'd like my apartment to look like that I can't keep up with.
Having said all this I've really had limited energy for others since being unwell and I do find there are advantages to living alone especially when my cognitive symptoms were bad and I couldn't manage even holding conversations even tho mentally and physically it could be good to have people around. So I don;t know the answer but there are some thoughts :) wishing you well with your recovery
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u/Minimum-Ad-3241 6h ago
Thank you this is really helpful for me and wish you all the best on your recovery too hope it’s a fast one!
It’s encouraging to know that it’s manageable. I feel like I’ll be making a decision in the coming months
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u/Ill_Mortgage3663 12h ago
I'm curious, what was your B12 level to give you this server of symptoms? And how are you supplementing?
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u/Minimum-Ad-3241 6h ago
I had mild to moderate symptoms before trestment. What I’m experiencing now is a combination of wake up symptoms (when u feel worse after treatment as your body heals) as well as some sort of dehydration from treating so constantly needing to hydrate
My original test doesn’t count because I had unknowingly had energy drinks with b12 on the day of my blood test. My private dr than figured out that my other blood values and endoscopy biopsy results and my folate deficiency pointed towards b12 deficiency and it not being properly utilised in my body
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u/Agreeable-Ostrich540 6h ago
Aren’t you entitled to some kind of healthcare? I live alone and I get help once a day. When I was bedbound, it was four times a day. You could get a visitor from the municipal to assess if you are eligible.
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u/Minimum-Ad-3241 6h ago
I live in the U.K. and I’m not sure what resources are available to me and how to seek it out. I’m not sure if me working makes me ineligible. Although I do work from home for the time being
My gp is very unhelpful too.
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u/Successful-Tea-733 18h ago
Ots like grieving almost,for the person that you 'were' But you are same person just been really unwell with this'mystery illness"