Holy smokes!
It had been over a month since I last wrote a blog! January and February so far have been keeping me busy!
I will pick up from where I left off which was my visit to Bristol which I enjoyed and loved looking around vintage shops :D more roses the better! I struggled as I was often so tired- this leads me to explaining why I have been ill for a wee bit.
Before Christmas I visited my GP, using a BSL interpreter I explained my frustrations of not being able to sleep, feeling very anti-social, having pins and needles in my hands & feet, extremely BAD tinnitus, restless legs and being really forgetful. The GP wanted to test my blood to see if there was something wrong.
So I went for a blood test, explaining how I needed a child sized needle (a butterfly) as I pretty much don’t have any veins left from the countless of blood tests I have had! I got a letter from the GP quite quickly asking me to come in. so I trotted off again to the GP and I was told I would need to have a blood test again due to an alarming low level of B12 and that it could be a typo but the GP wanted to double check, so more blood given yet again and was given a list of B12 rich food to eat so I went to see my parents for Christmas which was lovely.
On my return I had a letter from the GP asking me to make an appointment YET again! So called via typetalk and was given one on the spot for a few hours’ time. So off I went. The results were that I did indeed have a very low level of B12 and folic acid. The treatment? FIVE injections of B12 in 2 weeks! Luckily I don’t mind needles and was okay with having them. So I made 5 appointments with the nurse. I didn’t mind going for the injections but the weather... bloody snow made it difficult for me to get to the surgery and it was really tiring for me to trek there and back!
I managed to complete the course of injections and am happy to say I feel so much better and far more alive these days! (Sorry to my twitter followers for moaning about the injections and the weather!)
I did some research on B12 and what it is. It is a vitamin that help the blood cells to move around the body as well produce new blood cells so I was tired and my anti-depressants wasn’t working as the blood cells wasn’t moving around properly and wasn’t absorbing the tablets. It seems having IBS was a major factor in the ability of absorbing B12.
Here is a brief summary of B12 deficiency
You need vitamin B12 for many important processes inside your body, particularly for making red blood cells and keeping your nerves healthy. If you don’t have enough vitamin B12, your body won't be able to make as many red blood cells as normal. They will also be abnormally large and won't last as long as they should.
If you don't have enough red blood cells, your tissues and organs may not get enough oxygen. This leads to the symptoms of anaemia.
Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia
Common symptoms of all types of anaemia include:
- feeling tired
- looking pale
- increased breathlessness
- feeling your heart racing or thumping (called palpitations)
If you have vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia, you may also develop problems such as:
- yellowing of your skin and the whites of your eyes (known as jaundice)
- headaches
- poor appetite
- a sore mouth and tongue
- poor concentration and forgetfulness
- depression
- tingling, numbness and burning in your feet, hands, arms and legs
These symptoms may be caused by problems other than vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. If you have any of these symptoms, see your GP for advice.
Causes of vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia
- Diet. - Vitamin B12 is only found in meat and animal products, so if you follow a strict vegan diet, you may not get a sufficient amount for your needs.
- Surgery. - You can become deficient in vitamin B12 if you’ve had surgery to remove part of your stomach.
- Bowel disease. - If you have coeliac disease, for example, it can interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.
- Medicines. - Certain medicines, such as neomycin, metformin and anticonvulsants, can interfere with vitamin B12 absorption.
DO see your doctor and check if they are able to provide interpreters (They SHOULD). I have noticed that my health is much better due to having a BSL interpreter at my appointments which mean the GP can ask me questions and I can answer them clearly as well clarify things I find hard to understand.
This greatly affected how I coped with depression as it mean I was so tired and I couldn’t do the things I needed to do which in turn made me feel useless and hopeless. What a vicious circle. My anti-depressants dosage has been upped and I’m dealing with the change by seeing my counsellor as it help to talk things through with a neutral listening ear.
Has anyone seen SEE HEAR lately, they have been doing a good job of opening up the world of mental illnesses to the general public.
See Hear invites comedy Facebook phenomenon the BBDeaf News to its offices. Internet stars Tammy and Micole give their Valentine's Day guide to deaf dating. Plus a catch-up with sign song artist Jayne Fletcher who has recently won a Prince's Trust young achiever's award for struggling to overcome difficult times to set up her own business.
Jayne herself has depression and describes what it is like to have a mental illness and to be able to overcome it. We need more people like her to speak out about having a mental illness- it is hard and a brave thing to do.
If this subject isn’t for you there is some light hearted comedy as well.
See Hear also did a tribute to a talented Deaf Poet who took her own life 20 years ago. This programme was very moving and made me cry. Who know if she was still alive maybe she would have felt strong enough to talk about how she was feeling and felt she could seek for help.
See Hear pays tribute to iconic sign poet Dot Miles who died just over 20 years ago by taking her own life. She was the inventor of beautiful sign poetry and had an enormous influence on deaf culture. This looks at the unique quality of her work and her important legacy.
See Hear also visits jewellery artist Rosie White who takes her inspiration from nature and whose business is going from strength to strength.
If you find this subject of depression, mental illnesses and suicide difficult, read my previous blogs where there are links to people who can help you.
If you find this subject difficult TO understand- check out this link
A brief summary of the game (taken from the webpage)
Depression Quest is an interactive fiction game where you play as someone living with depression. You are given a series of everyday life events and have to attempt to manage your illness, relationships, job, and possible treatment. This game aims to show other sufferers of depression that they are not alone in their feelings, and to illustrate to people who may not understand the illness the depths of what it can do to people.
Hopefully this can give people an idea of what it is like to live with depression. It is not easy and harder to be told to cheer up when things are bleak.
Please donate to them if you can.
I would love some feedback on what you think of the game.
As always you can reach me at bookygeeky@gmail.com, the comments section or twitter @BookyGeeky
Fact: I like Apple products and I’m never without my Ipad or my Iphone but please don’t mug me if you see me!
