b12 shots response question...

[MargaretRules]

All right. About a month and a half ago, I started feeling a little odd. I was a bit fatigued, I had slight shakiness in my movements, a bit dizzy, and I had pain and numbness in my legs and feet.

They did blood tests and took a urine sample. They told me my b12 level was a little low and they would give me a shot every two weeks. I later found "a little low" meant 311. I've read that neurological symptoms can still develop even at this level. I don't know the results of my other tests, and I stupidly didn't pay attention to what they checked for exactly, but I shall ask about that.

3 shots later and I feel absolutely worse. The first day after the first shot I felt a little more energy. After a week I would have times where I'd have bursts of energy lasting anywhere from 10-20 minutes, then feel fatigued again. My other symptoms didn't change too much.

After 3 weeks and the second shot I had the fatigue of doom. My other symptoms didn't improve or worsen. Wait, actually, I had less pain in my legs. And I felt a little shakier.

6 weeks later AKA now, I feel amazingly crappy. I feel weak, shakier than ever, and I have no energy at all. The numbness occurs more often too.

I read other threads on this and people show at least some sign of getting better, or show improvement for longer than 4 hours during the "honeymoon period." So is this normal at all? Is it possible that I really need shots more often for awhile? I know most start out getting them every day. Or could something like MS be a possibility?

How ironic it would be that I had a doctor who not only thought to check my b12 the first time I came to her with symptoms, then thought to treat a level of 311, and then b12 not actually be my problem.

I'm seeing her again Monday, but I'm just curious about this now, and maybe I can be better equipped to talk to her.

[Gymnast_Navy_Wife]

Hi....
Please forgive me if I am a bit off on this reply...I do not have any experience with Vit. B 12 issues, but I do have experience in other vitamin issues.

One of the first things that caught my eye in your post was the fact that you dont remember what other tests they did and the results. The first thing I would do is go to the lab where you had it done and ask for a copy of the results/reports. If they do not give you a copy (some labs/testing offices prefer you get them from your doctor), go to your physcians office and ask them to make a copy of your results and give them to you. Included in the results it may also include "reference values" for each test--- the normal ranges. Like you, especially when my doctor orders a ton of lab work--usually 15 or 16 vials worth, I often forget exactly which tests he ordered and unless something sticks out in the doctors mind that he mentions is majorly off, I don't think too much of it during the visit. However, what I do do, is ask for a copy of my lab work and the results following the visit ( my doctors know me so well, that I hardly even have to ask any more, they just print it out), that way I can look at everything more in detail when I get home and call if I have specific question about things. Another soloution to the "i can't remember what tests he ordered" is before the lab draws your blood, nicely ask them exactly what the doctor has ordered and jot it down.

My second thought is that your Vitamin b 12 issues may not be causing all of your unusual symptoms. Especially if the supplements and treatments you are recieving are not helping, or even worse, are making your symptoms worse. You could very well have a vitamin deficiency AND something else--- very common to have more than one thing happening, especially with neuro issues. Or, it could be something else entirely. Just because a level may be on the lower end of the spectrum, doesn't mean that is the cause of your symptoms. I have had several lower levels of vitamins or slightly off lab work that have been of no relation to whatever weird symptom I was having (that they were doing the lab work for). Please, please do not think I am discounting your symptoms or what your going through--- i know how frustrating it can be; just saying be open to other possibilities too.

Most importantly, keep in touch with all your doctors, get explanations, copies of everything and never hesitate to call with questions....

:) GNW

[mrsdoubtfyre]

of B12, it only remains in the blood stream for about 72 hrs.

If you are severely deficient, this is not very long. When low patients are
begun on B12 (I see this in the orders in nursing homes), they are typically
given more frequently in the beginning to ramp up levels.

Once a day for a week, once a day for 4-5 days, or once a week for several months, something like that.

I think you should also use oral B12, the methylcobalamin that we recommend here. Used daily you may not have the peaks and valleys. You can start at 5mg/day, for 2 to 4 weeks and then reduce to 1mg/day therafter.

[rose]

You received good information from both posters.

I'll just add a bit. I agree wholeheartedly that you should take the oral B12 daily. It was shown years ago to have better lab-confirmed results in the long run than shots.

The B12 in your blood doesn't do anything, but during that time some of it will be transported to tissues and stored. It is crucial that B12 stores be built up good and strong, and the daily oral dose will almost surely do that more quickly and without any lagtime.

Definitely something else could be going on. And that something could be connected with B12 deficiency or not. One of the many things that could cause difficulty as soon as the B12 begins getting through enough to help the body repair is a dip in potassium and an extra draw on iron stores. Make sure you are getting good dietary sources of both. Also, request a ferritin test if you haven't already had one.

The standard used to be cyanocobalamin shots every day for several days and then once a month. Now more docs are using hydroxocobalamin, which sticks better.

But most have no idea that about 40 years ago the large daily doses (at least 1000 mcg) were shown to get through in addequate amounts to treat even people with severe malabsorption. And now we have methylcobalmin in recent years, and it is soooo much better.

rose

[Cry Tears]

standard used to be cyanocobalamin shots every day for several days and then once a month. rose

Oh that has my bunns very nervous!

And I can't say AMEN loud enough to what Rose has written about B12 deficiencies.
I suffered several years...bedridden 100% half year....I had burning Neuropathy nearly over my entire body.
I'd been seen by 5 Neuro's trying to find the cause of this, as well as muscle weakness, muscle twitching,
a total loss of balance, mind sucking fatigue, mental confusion and long list of other bothersome symptoms.
I had to use a wheelchair and use a walker just to get to the toilet when I didn't have my daipers on!
I asked every single one of them if this could be a vit/min deficiency, was told NO, my level was well within normal guidlines...yeah right...232 is normal! grrr!
Don't get me started....my BP is rising now....they failed me miserably!
I have Crohns disease, a 20+ years of daily diarreah, 2+ years of severe anemia w/ hgb 5.1 hgb and 15% hematacrit!...thats dead!
AND...I'd had a double bowel resection and am missing several feet of my small intestines!
Is standard protocol to give ANYONE who's had bowel resection B12 shots!
But did they? And I kept begging them for help, that I was suffering!

How utterly sad...my husband says this:
"When they've reached their level of incompetantcy,
they refere elswhere or give anti-seisure meds that ONLY masks symptoms!"

Yeah...may as well put duct tape over a patients mouths...
that way patient won't have any complaints!

I finally found brain Talk...I wanted to know WHY I had PN, not mask it!
Rose heard my plea's and answered many prayers.

I began taking OTC Methylcobalamin B12 sublingual tablets,
Jarrow brand 1,000MCG twice a day starting Sept 3,
miraculously by Sept 10 I was out of bed...
and by mid October, my NC and EMG test proved normal!
Now why on earth was that?
Was it the anti-seirzure meds masking the symptoms?
Nope...I only took them 3 days...
I took Rose's advice and my life was spared.
And I didn't have a single B12 shot then! Why would one opt for that antiquated form!?!?!
I was deficient a very long time...perhaps 10+ years or more.
And no Dr Roll-Eyes...I didn't just need to fix my hair, put on lipstick!
One doctor actually had the cajonies to tell me this!
My husband was furious by his statment. He was told what a smart mouth errogant resident he was tho.
Just pray that doc never needs help from me...I'd fix em up real perdy like! Let OJ give 'em a shave too!
My bodies repairing hasn't been fun, but at least I'm not taking a dirt nap and I'm top-side the soil!
Blessings, cheryl
PS...wow 15-16 tubes of blood! Thats a lot! I used to work as a Plebotomist taking blood samples...never took more than 8 from one person.
They must really be doing some serious investigatings on you.
I hope nothing really serious...oh my!
They took about 10 when I went to Mayo Clinic in Oct...
they also confirmed my symptoms had been a B12 deficiency.:p

[gguthrie]

Greetings,

About a week and a half ago I started having a whole-body tremor. This was not visible to others looking on, but I could feel it coursing through my body, and my teeth chattered when my teeth were put together. The condition was 24/7 but was especially noticeable when I was laying in bed at night. My doctor suggested it probably was stress induced but did a blood test to check my tsh (for hyperthyroidism) and my B12 level. My B12 level came back at 148. A blood test I had taken a couple of weeks before indicates that I am not anemic. On Wednesday I had a B12 shot and started taking B12 orally (500 mcg of cyancobalamin), but yesterday (at the suggestions on this website; thanks, Rose for your helpful information) I switched to 1000 mcg of methylcobalamin, bought at a health store here in town. I actually am taking two of these a day at this point, one in the morning and one at night. The tremor already seems to be subsiding. However, I have a couple of questions:
1. I understand that cases vary widely and depend on the extent of nerve damage, but do you have an idea of when I could expect such a tremor to completely dissipate?

2. Last year I had a traumatic accident, a fall with internal injuries--a pleural effusion and pneumathorax (fluid and air outside the lung in the thorax), some lung damage, and a 4 month recovery period. During this time I had surgery to insert a chest tube and took a 10-week treatment of harsh antibiotics for infection in my thorax. I am going to check to see if they used nitrous oxide in the surgery. Could the 10-week treatment of antibiotics have depleted my B12.

3. I love sushi, and I understand that parasites could cause malabsorption of B12. What is done to check this?

4. How long will it take for my B12 levels to build back up to normal?

Thanks very much for your help.

George

[MargaretRules]

All right, so my doctor was thoroughly unhelpful. (She suggests anxiety--that may be a symptom, it sure as hell ain't a cause)

I'm going to try to see another good doctor, and get ANSWERS. Sigh.

Any tips for getting through to my incredibly stupid parents? They don't believe there's something seriously wrong and the unhelpful doctor is another setback to them believing me. (I still live with them and depend on them and stuff.)

My mom has had both goiter and hyperthyroidism. Could that be related?

I find I'm getting short of breath more easily too, recently. I'm not as fatigued, but that has ups and downs. Same with all the other symptoms, really. My body just can't decide what state it wants to be in.

Also, where can I get the insanely high dosage of b12 NOT online? My parents won't let me shop online. I live in the U.S. btw. Could I find this in a regular store?

This is all so maddening! Maddening I tell you! And no one I know IRL understands. No one. And I'm really really unbelievably incredibly amazingly annoyed with my parents. Dear parents: I'm not making this up! I'm not! I'm really not!

[rose]

George,

There is no way of knowing when or whether the tremor will go away. But, if it is due to B12 deficiency, it is very likely that it will improve or go away since it hasn't been present very long. It is common for people to have a positive response of some kind or another within days or weeks, and often the last problem to present itself is the first to improve.

I don't know of antibiotics as a direct cause, although I suppose they could aggravate a problem by eliminating good bacteria and then allowing others to become overgrown and compete for B12.

And, of course, if you were headed down already, nitrous oxide would push your B12 down much faster.

I believe Liza Jane is the one with parasite info. I don't remember much about diagnosis, other than examination of stools would be a likely method. Yes, parasites can also compete for B12.

It probably won't take very long for your B12 stores to become good, but I would get them VERY strong and keep them that way. Don't ever take it for granted.

You're welcome. :)

rose

[rose]

Margaret,

Yes, very frustrating. Of course when our lives are falling apart we become anxious. Gee, what a surprise :rolleyes: .

My mother loved me dearly, but it took her about two years to accept that I had a serious problem. I imagine part of it is just that people don't often put themselves in another's shoes, and then there may be resistance to seeing that a "child" has a problem---difficult to accept, not what parents expect. Sorrty I don't have pearls of wisdom.

I haven't read about thyroid for quite a while, so I don't feel comfortable offering an opinion, other than saying that thyroid problems and B12 problems can present some of the same symptoms, and if there is any autoimmune connection they could be related.

You can probably educate a health-food store buyer if they don't already stock it. A special order can be made if they are resistant to stocking it. But another avenue you could take is to contact iherb by phone and pay by check. Takes longer than Internet, but last I knew they did that.

I do know how frustrating it can be when people close to you don't "get it." It is sometimes more painful than the damage.

Best wishes,

rose

[MargaretRules]

Thanks!

I guess I'll just have to nag my parents to death about getting me to another doctor or something. And to obtain the b12 supplements.

[Cry Tears]

Sorry I don't have pearls of wisdom.
rose

Rose...you are too humble about your wisdom!
No you don't have pearls....YOU have PURE GOLD!
Many hugs! Cheryl

[rose]

:o Aw, shucks. You are so sweet. :)

*smallrose

rose

[MargaretRules]

I agree with cry_tears! Rose, you are quite wise. I love your site; it is so very informative and helpful!

I obtained a copy of my lab results ('bout time, eh?). They did TSH, kidney function stuff, CBC, MCV, potassium, blood sugar, heck, they did cholesterol too. Everything was normal. Oh, and my b12 was actually 305. Not a big difference, but yeah.
One thing I noticed? They did NOT do MMA or homocysteine.

I also asked for weekly shots. I noticed the fatigue improved a little bit. As for the numbness and tingling, they seemed the same. I can't really say. The weakness improved a little bit too. None of it was enough for me to be all dancing on the tables, but it was enough for me to doubt myself in my insistence that I should see another doctor or whatever. Or that I would NEVER convince my parents to book an appointment. But having definitive answers can't hurt, can it?

I forgot a week, and the fatigue is worsening and my numbness and tingling are getting worse. The numbness and tingling never were and still aren't bad enough to hinder me, it's just annoying. But it's slowly starting to get to the being hindrance point. Leg and foot pain are getting a little worse (I had some o' dat too; I'm certain it's some sort of nerve pain). I get occasional back pain in addition to the leg pain. I feel a little weaker now.

However, all of these symptoms are super super erratic. And the fatigue: before I was super fatigued and had bursts of 'normal' (or kindasorta normal) energy level, now it's the exact opposite. Or it was for a week. And I'm in a good mood more often. That probably means something. Maybe.

I'ma try to see another doctor. HOWEVER, I desperately need advice on what to do or say. Or what kind of doctor I should see. A neurologist? General practicioner?

It's too late to do MMA et al I'm sure. Is there anything I can do now to confirm b12 deficiency? Or could my b12 be normal at this point? What if it is? Is the only way to know if my symptoms are b12 deficiency is to see if b12 makes me better? Should I ask to try to rule out any other possibilities with fair certainty?

And what do I do should the doctor spew utter bulls--misinformation? :D Are there any tests I should ask for?

I'm confused. I think my body is too. :p Some symptoms bother me more than others do (the fatigue bothers me more than numbness for instance), and the ones that are most prominent at the moment may be the ones that are the least bothersome. Then the fatigue comes back. And then goes away. Or maybe I feel weaker. School is an exciting experience, let me tell ya.

I apologize for the length. And the vast multitude of questions. But I'm lost. And I'm a complete and total n00b with doctors.

[gguthrie]

Rose,

One more question related to restoring B-12. I have been taking Enzymatic's Methyl B-12 Infusion (that is what was available locally), and now have started taking Jarrow's 1000 MCG tablets. Neither of these says they are sublingual. Does the bottle have to say they are sublingual to be so? Both say to let the tablet dissolve in your mouth.

Thanks,

George

[glenntaj]

--basically means "sublingual"--literally "under the tongue".

[MargaretRules]

No one has answers for me?

I'm being annoying, sorry. But I really need advice.
They need classes in school on how to deal with doctors. Far more useful than Trig, IMO.

[rose]

Margaret,

Please note that the forum moves slowly, and most of us who used to visit this board daily no longer do since the big crash lost most of our work. In addition, things happen in our lives.

I hope you will keep up the B12. It is very likely that your stores are being restored and that your body is doing work to repair. That often results in a strange relapsing and remitting pattern with overall improvement.

If it is the B12 your body needed/needs, it is very unlikely that another doctor is what you need.

Be sure to look at your lab results and plot any patterns (increases, decreases, low normals, high normals). Often where you are in the range is very important, and the "normal" range means only that MOST people within that range are not known to have a problem.

The patterns are often very important.

And do make sure you are getting all the other nutrients so your body can do the hard work of repair, if that is what is happening.

rose

[rose]

George,

It is the dose that is important.

And secondary to that, the methylcobalamin type when it is available.

Many companies use "sublingual" as a marketing tool, sometimes unethically. Jarrow knows enough and is honest enough to refrain from using it that way.

rose

[MargaretRules]

I'm sorry. Y'all (especially you, Rose!) have been nothing but helpful, and here I am being an immature gimp. I apologize for said immaturity.

And thank you so much for your replies! I may be an immature gimp, but I am grateful; it seems like you're the only person (and the other 2 or 3 people who replied to the original post) who can actually give me helpful info. No one around me IRL knows diddlysquat about my condition.

Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou. :D

And I promise never to be an immature gimp again.

And I have to admit, the shortness of breath I've been having recently scares me sometimes. OMG WHAT IF IT GETS TO THE POINT WHERE I CAN'T BREATHE AT ALL AND I DIE?!?! I'm a bit paranoid. XD Although I do have allergies. And the severity and type of said shortness of breath (ie, I'm not at a point where I can't breathe at all. I breathe a little heavier.) seems consistent with that. But it seems like it may be getting worse. And my allergies haven't been this bad before. Maybe b12 deficiency makes you really allergy prone? Or maybe there's some ******** mold in the air. Hmmm.

I obtained 2500 mcg of cyanocobalamin. It's all I could find, hopefully it do me good. It tastes nice. Although sublingual tablets are odd, and I think I might like shots better (as long as I drink water and the shot's in my left side!). I'm a weirdo. But the tablets are cool, and I am happy to have adequate b12. If I'm taking it right. XD

I'll stop now. I talk too much. :P

[rose]

:) We're all immature once in a while. Too bad it doesn't keep our bodies young. ;)

I can't tell what is going on with you, but I thought I was dying months into my treatment too. My heart and diaphragm had been affected, and the erratic and rapid heart beat and shortness of breath temporarily became a lot worse (tachycardia for no reason at all, and shortness of breath with doubling in heart rate after walking across a smalll room :eek: ) as those things were recovering. Then they were fine again! I haven't had a problem since.

I hope your body is just coping with changed due to the repair process.

rose

[MargaretRules]

and the erratic and rapid heart beat and shortness of breath temporarily became a lot worse (tachycardia for no reason at all, and shortness of breath with doubling in heart rate after walking across a smalll room :eek: )

Hmmm. My heart rate sometimes gets above 100 (never above 120 unless I do some extreme exercise), but the shortness of breath is there. I'm often short of breath sitting down. But my heart rate is something like 80-95.

Yeesh, that must have been so freaky. You weren't banging on the door of every clinic nearby? And out of curiosity, how'd you find out it was just a repair thing? Like, were you informed by someone or did you find out by wait-and-see?

I found this from an Internet search:
http://www.mensjournal.com/healthFitness/0604/allergies_b12.html

B12 to treat allergies? Perhaps the corollary (corollary? is that the right word? probably not) to that is that unusually bad allergies (I have more awesome allergy symptoms) can be a sign of b12 deficiency. Like b12 deficiency doesn't have enough symptoms and signs and things!

Or not. But there you go.

[vivian]

I've had my 3rd vitamin b12 shot. Each time, the next day, I become very lethargic. Has anyone else had this same reaction?

[Cry Tears]

Isn't the b12 molecule large...and only place it will "fit" is under your tongue or in your small intestines?
Thats what I remember reading....sorry if I've jumped in here too late, I've had long day, am groggy from some meds I had to take for medical procedures, so I'm a little gorpy!
Blessings, cheryl

[asif139]

I am now into my 6th month of recovery. Its been a roller coster ride for me. I still remember next day after i got my first shot i was sitting there watching the tv and thinking 'well was there anything ever wrong with me' it felt so good after 4 months of continuous torture, i was so so depressed, it all went away after my first shot. i thoguth it was all cured but i was wrong. after 3-4 real good days it all came back with a big bang. I was fatigued, frail and foggy ever so more. sitting with the family and having meal was difficult just couldn't concentrate couln't fall in a conversationg coult'nt do anything. Things slowly starting clearing up and after 2 months i was in a position to handle things much better.

I am still having lots of problems and nowhere near what i used to be. the reparis are weird one day you feel like you are perfect and next day you feel like dying.

Thanks to all the very helpful and knowledgeable people here i am very hopeful and positive these woes are temporary and will eventually pass out.

I pray to God everyday that i will never ask for anything else in my life just give me my full health back and i will be humble creature. ahhh ..... nothing is more precious than good health i have learned the hard way.

With Gods grace we will all be back to good health soon. I pray for you all

Thanks
Asif Mushtaq

[MargaretRules]

A question to Rose: (or anyone else who can answer), should I be trying to find a cause of the deficiency? Probably, if for no other reason than to maybe be more certain that, [/I]honest to God, this is a b12 deficiency and that truly 100% is the problem.[/I] But what tests should I ask for for such a thing?

Actually, I DO need to find a cause! If for no other reason than I can show my parents the b12 thing isn't some bull diagnosis. Oh, and "I'm not eating right" is NOT my problem, Dad. Shut. Up. Please.

Me oh my this is just WEIRDNESS man.

I go from perky and almost myself (!!!) to lethargic and moody. My legs can't decide how strong or weak they want to be. Sometimes I want to dance; when I do (and we're talking light swaying here), two minutes later I feel weak and lethargic. In the same week I was the "real" Margaret and the prone-to-random-crying-and-making-people-worry-about-me-which-is-really-awesome Margaret. Dear body: please make your mind up. Love, Margaret.

I swear I've probably had every b12 deficiency symptom in the book by now (even the 'classic' sore tongue!) except maybe vision problems.

I wish better health for you too Asif. And yeah, health is great. It's hard to sing praise to God when singing sometimes makes you out of breath and makes your heart do weird things. But I do think God has a purpose for this. What is it? No clue. :p

[Cry Tears]

George....I got great results with just one bottle of Methyl B12 by Jarrow.
Not sure if I first took the 5K mcg or the 1K mcg...
I may be wrong, but I think the body only uses 3 mcg a day...but...we want to ensure we have enough to store IF your body will do that...mine doesn't.

Here's what I understand so for...please correct me if I've gotten this wrong.
I understand that the Methyl B12 sublingual is much more effective than the IM shots of Cyanacobalamin B12 BECAUSE...
1st your body must convert that into the bodies usuable Methyl B12...
and with the shots...if your body does NOT store...
by the time you get to your next shot, your body has been depleted of B12.

So IF you take the Methyl sublingual every day...your body won't have a chance to become deficient unless you skip taking the sublingual tabs...
as I do ALL the time...its a brain thingy with me...oyeee!

I began taking B12, Methyl B12 as Rose suggested back in Sept 3 '04.
That June I'd had a EMG and NC test which proved I had Peripheral Neuropathy.
I was told my B12 was normal, 232 :eek: told I didn't need vits or mins!:eek:
Was given Neurontin, seizure meds meant only to mask the Neuropathy.:mad:

I refused to comply, educated myself after loggin onto BT here, began taking it.
With just one bottle of Methyl B12 by Oct 26, '04 (7 weeks after begining B12) my EMG and NC test were back to normal!:p Wow!

I hadn't had a single shot of B12, not till year later...I just wanted to try, see if was better...
I have a freind and doctor who continue to argue about this with me...soooo...! Oh well!
But my arguement is this....The subglingual Methyl B12 ALONE turned by EMG back to normal... my Neuropathy no longer bothersome as it once was.
My fatigue was nearly gone...I beleive I enjoyed a "honeymoon" period when I first began taking it...
then my body began making repairs...oh joy! NOT!

But is nothing like before when I was totally bedridden from fatigue.
Margarett dear....don't worry, sweety....I understand where you're coming from!
I think when we're young...our hormones sometimes drives us crazy!
Our bodies still adjusting to growing up becoming adults, especially for women.

Then if we have a little health issues...we tend to feel a little frantic.
I'm not saying your S O B is from being frantic or panic...but think just having so much in your life is cause enough to make you feel this way.

I hope you can find the Methyl B12...but in the mean time...dont stop taking the Cyana....perhaps ask your folks to make this a Holiday gift for you!
Who would deny a loved one this?!
And don't worry about being immature or pesky!
I'm 55 (my age, not the speed limit:D ) years old...and I'm STILL immature and pesky!
I pestered Rose plenty back when I first began my saga...and I still enjoy her advice and learning from her.
Hey! Like my motto reads....No well behaved woman ever made history!
I just posted my story on next thread above...I know its long, but shows my story of how I began healing after just one little brown bottle with a yellow label! Methyl B12....Thanks Jarrow brand!
My doctors disaggree'd as to what was causing my Neuro problems.
But I went to Kauaii for over a month...forgot to take my Methyl B12 with me, thought, not to worry...we ended up staying longer, so I ended up not taking it 5 weeks....OMG!
I began having serious Neuro symptoms again, muscle weakness, fatigue, horrible Neuropathy, burning lips...it all came back and took months to get back to where I was before we left Oregon. Wow!
This proves without a doubt....my problems WERE in fact a B12 deficiency.
The doctors who continue to "nay-say"...just don't get to see me any more!
I just think of them as "Bad dogs! No biscuits!"..."Roll over, play dead....cuz thats what you did when I saught your advice!"....BAD DOGS!
You sleep with the dogs...you just get flea's!
You join Braintalk... get healed with B's!...hey...is that cute?! Good doggy!
Its late...told you I had possible brain damage!:D
Blessings, cheryl

[rose]

Margaret,

I pounded but got no help. Time and plenty of oral B12 did the trick (and that was before I learned about the methylcobalamin form).

rose

[rose]

Asif,

Hooray!!

rose

[rose]

Cheryl,

Because the B12 molecule is so large, it is possible that "under the tongue" makes no difference. Either way, most goes down the throat, and large (1000 mcg at least) doses of B12 have been found to get through anyway.

rose

[rose]

Margaret,

That sure does sound like the fast track to progress. I didn't make it to those rapid swings until a few years into my recovery. And long before that I experienced fatigue like I had never dreamed existed.

Of course, people are different and the extent of their damage is different, so not everyone experiences the same things. But the pattern sounds very good!

The tongue might indicate that you are low in another nutrient. The body draws very heavily on some nutrients when repairing, so make extra sure you are getting a safe and effective level of each.

Checking parietal cells and for antibodies to intrinsic factor will often find a cause. Overgrowth of bacteria, parasites, other digestive problems, low stomach acid, etc., are other possibilities. Unless you have been a vegan for many years, diet is not the problem.

Most people will not become deficient again in a month, but don't ever become complacent about your B12.

rose

[MargaretRules]

That sure does sound like the fast track to progress. I didn't make it to those rapid swings until a few years into my recovery. And long before that I experienced fatigue like I had never dreamed existed.

REALLY? REALLY? :D :) :cool:

And yeah, I've wondered if I may have other nutrient issues.

I will now write down those things to test for. I'm due to get serum b12 tested. I realize it's not-so useful, but I am very curious to see where my level is at. I bet over 1000! :D

[MargaretRules]

I've had my 3rd vitamin b12 shot. Each time, the next day, I become very lethargic. Has anyone else had this same reaction?

Yup.
My most recent b12 shot? The next day I was lethargic. That weekend I was the most energetic I've ever been. The week before I was the same way. Not as energetic though.

[rose]

That sounds very good!!! Very likely you are getting what you need.

Of course, make sure your other nutrients are there too, but it sounds like you have hit the nail on the head.

rose

[MargaretRules]

Man, and now I'm consistently feeling like crap again. Really really bad headaches, little energy, etc. And even on the days I was energetic walking around was still hard. For about a week now I've been feeling like this.

GRRRRRRRRRR!!! Now that I've had a taste of normal this sucks more than ever. :(

Also, I have a patch of slightly darker skin on my abdomen--it's not really dark, and it's not growing, but it feels a bit drier than the skin surrounding it, and it's been there for maybe a couple of months now? Could that be a nutritional thing?

[rose]

No guarantees, but those downperiods during the body's hard work to repair can be a lot longer than that.

I can't speak to the dark skin other than to say that many of us have come up with one word for the longterm repair process: "weird"

rose