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Can B12 or intestinal issues be related to lymphoma?

As I am sure you know my story well here one thing of note I hadn’t mentioned much of is the intestinal issues I face a couple months after the nodes popped up and the bad infection. I would every other week or so get a very very bad case of diahhrea out of nowhere, terrible cramps and water rushing sounds from my gut follow by a blowout following by mostly normal movements for a week or two and repeat. During this time they tested my B12 and it was low I mean true low not low normal, they tested me for PA and it came back negative, retesting the vitamin a few months later I was low normal range, about a year now and it’s still low normal range, however a test was ran on some acid level that came back normal meaning my body is getting enough B12? From that I’m confused. Anyway I was assured since my liver function tests are normal the B12 isn’t from that and that some people just don’t absorb B12 well without much explanation. Anyway the runs off and on went from about a month after the nodes popped up to about 2 months ago, again a few times to several times a month I would have terrible cramps and diarrhea. The doctor ran some basic tests and said with my very normal numbers for inflammation and my symptoms, (rushing liquid sound in my gut followed by terrible cramps and relief with a bowel movement) I most likely was suffering from IBS as chrons or something else would have stronger markers and would not give relief upon in a movement. They also said it was possible the antibiotics from a couple months prior could have thrown my gut bacteria into a fit.

The only thing they never mentioned was a link to lymphoma etc given my nodes swelled up around the same time. I’ve never had any abdominal ultrasound though hematology did a physical exam of the entire region without feeling anything enlarged. However I’m assuming that with lymphoma the symptoms would only get worse not go away over time. Sorry to bring this up so late but I thought it was worth mentioning.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
"That’s not argumentative by the way just genuinely I don’t know how to take that."
Sure, I understand.

You can look up a long list of mystery immune conditions, and see over and over that "the cause is unknown". The immune system is not well understood yet. No one can rule out an inflammatory cause.

Or I could say, 'what were your test results for TNFa and IL-23'? Which you probably weren't tested for, as a shot in the dark. Or any number of other IL's, and there are many.

Also a btw: I have said that autoimmune (which requires autoantibodies or auto reactive T-cells) is not the same as autoinflammatory, which uses biochemical signalling molecules. If a person eats a peanut and dies, their immune system killed them, but there was nothing autoimmune. Or another person's skin might erupt from the sun, because of an immune reaction, though there is no allergy-molecule involved.

There is even another called "immune mediated".


"but what would the next step for investigating that be after everyone I’ve already seen?"

You can try fixing the gut problem, then seeing if everything else subsides. The way that gut inflammation can drive many bad conditions such as RA and lupus and ankylosing spondylitis and on and on is more and more being looked into - as first stages of investigation.


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The gut issue has resolved for the most part, the B12 is a mystery even hematology couldn’t figure it out but said since it got back to normal ranges quickly and my liver tests are good there really isn’t a concern of something sinister as only end stage liver issue would cause B12 issues.

I am inclined to believe that it is IBS, this all happened after the nodes yes but you’ve seen how stressed I am about those, we had just moved, started new work, gotten engaged, a loved one who was a former addict had a relapse, stress certainly was in no short order. After my FNA it’s been much better which again shows that some relief helped it. I’ve been tested for RA specific antibodies and genetics through UIHC since my father had juvenile RA (they believe his tied to a case of measles as an infant, my father was born right before vaccines were put into use in ‘57) and been cleared. The same for lupus. They did say that at the moment the genes for those conditions aren’t entirely mapped to rule out forever but is very favorable for being unlikely.
1081992 tn?1389903637
COMMUNITY LEADER
More and more, there is evidence of gut inflammation being linked to many other inflammatory conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. The gut might cause or exacerbate the other condition, and/or vice versa. Or a third, other inflammatory thing might be the underlying cause of it all.

So then why couldn't the gut also influence inflammatory nodes anywhere, right? That's especially for those who are predisposed to inflammation. I think I'd said this to you some time ago... eliminate the underlying driving force and the nodes could stop multiplying.

Yes, antibiotics can be a real gut problem. Especially for some people.

You can try sublingual methylated B12, to see what happens and how you feel.

"However I’m assuming that with lymphoma the symptoms would only get worse not go away over time."
Yes, most likely true. But inflammatory conditions are known for flare ups.

"I thought it was worth mentioning."
Yep, it certainly is.

But is it lymphoma? Not much chance of that.
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5 Comments
The doctors checked my blood multiple times for any evidence of inflammation markers though and every time it was very low and healthy they said. With something inflammatory like chrons etc  they said they nearly always see massive inflammation markers in blood especially if it were causing symptoms like mine. Again I appreciate your concern but I’ve been checked routinely by neurologists and geneticists and even dermatologists  who have specifically looked for rheumatoid arthritis and other conditions and they are pretty confident in me being clear of anything like that. Also if this and the nodes were running into the same inflammation problem overall the gut calming down should have resulted in nodes returning too?  Really my symptoms do match IBS which from what I’ve been told pretty much anyone can suffer from should their diet or stress level reach a certain unhealthy point. The only truly remarkable thing is the B12 but that returned to normal ranges by itself and the acid test (are you familiar with this) came back indicating that my body is getting enough B12 from my muscle acids even if my blood is low normal range.

You really seem concerned about more autoimmune function here but every time I’ve mentioned that the doctors have ran tests available given the family history and found nothing. Now true no one on this world can rule out everything for the future but wouldn’t a true inflammation problem be detectable in blood work? Especially wouldn’t that be unlikely given my markers were in the very very low range for inflammation?

(My concern was if lymphoma could cause low B12 etc, I’ve read conflicting articles on that and even ones saying severe viral infections can cause low B12 which I certainly had)
I guess what I’m saying is so far every specialist has said there is no underlying force, just maybe fibrotic nodes and a case of IBS etc
That’s not argumentative by the way just genuinely I don’t know how to take that.
Also they told me the follow tests done after the ANA pretty much rule out me having lupus. Obviously not for life but still at the moment there’s no reason to suspect it hematology said.
Mostly I’m just confused on what to believe, is autoimmunity really that strongly inherited? Because every other doctor has said while I would be more at risk than Joe Schmo I certainly am not at some major risk, even genetics said while they couldn’t give me a number my odds were low enough (especially given my father’s case occurred so very very young) that I shouldn’t worry about more than anyone else really, you very much seem to believe this is all tied to some level of autoimmunity, which again I’m not arguing just not sure which direction to look. I appreciate any hints towards what it could be but so far my only true indicator would be the ANA which from what I understand even most people with a positive result don’t have a disorder. Sure I’m concerned about it as well but what would the next step for investigating that be after everyone I’ve already seen?
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