Has vitamin B12 Helped Anyone?

[MikeO]

Long story short i did bring being vitamin deficient with my Doc. So we did test, albeit i was not out of scope i am low for my age so he has me taking a B12 supplement.

Like always i will never champion taking supplements with out a Doc's blessing but this does seem to help. It has only been a week and my buzzing/vibrating feeling in my left leg seems better along with the pain. Not sure if this is due to Dysautonomia or autonomic dysfunction but i will take any help i can get.

Best  

[MomtoGiuliana]

I was found to be deficient several years ago when I had a very bad relapse.  I don't think the relapse was entirely due to low B12 however I had been noticing odd sensations and weakness in my fingers and arms off and on, that started maybe several months prior to this severe relapse.  Taking B12 for several months eliminated that symptom entirely (and the relapse ended too).  My dr actually started w B12 shots bc she said I was severely low.  For some reason about 24 hrs after every shot my POTS that was already bad, got worse.  After several shots we went with oral supplements.

I agree about supplements. Many people do become B12-deficient for various reasons.  It's a good idea to ask a dr if this can be checked b/c if you are low it's important to address.

[rondo]

Hi all. I was found to have macrocytic anemia years ago. Anemia means not enough red blood cells; macrocytic means they are larger than normal. This type of anemia is usually caused by B12 deficiency. The deficiency itself can be from the inability to absorb the nutrient, rather than an insufficient diet. You can look at your CBC results and find the information. MCV stands for Mean Corpuscular Volume. If the value is elevated, that is macrocytosis. 

B12 deficiency can cause  macrocytic anemia,  neuropathy and cognitive defecits, or exacerbate these conditions if they are pre existing. So it seems reasonable that someone with dysautonomia would feel worse while B12 deficient. 

 My doctor originally recommended B12 because of my anemia, but I notice that my neurologic symptoms are better with it as well. If I don't take it for awhile my anemia will come back and my dizziness and neuropathy are a little worse. 

Hope this helps 

So to answer your question, yes I definitely feel better on B12. 

Since it's a water soluble vitamin there is little or no risk. 

However if you are getting a blood test for B12 levels you need to stop taking it 3 to 5 days in advance so it doesn't come back falsely elevated. 

[Pistol]

@rondo I also have macrocytic anemia, or at least used to have it. I am on Vit B12 shots and fatigue is better, also my CBC's have improved. 

[MikeO]

Thanks @MomtoGiulianaand @rondofor the input. I due suspect i am already feeling some mild benefit at least with my left leg. last night and then getting out of bed this morning my discomfort did not rear itself or did not remind me it was there. I hope this helps in the long run.

[MomtoGiuliana]

That's great @MikeO.  In my experience it took a couple of months to notice that the neurological symptoms I was experiencing entirely disappeared. 

I have found there are B12 groups on social media some of whom really push nearly daily shots/injections as the only effective treatment.  However for me taking a large oral supplement daily seemed to address the problem.  As @rondo pointed out, often the problem is difficulty absorbing the vitamin--from what I have read--for various reasons including age this can become a problem.  But it doesn't mean you can't absorb it at all usually--just that large doses are needed so you can absorb some of that.  (I am a vegetarian so I feel that probably played a role in my deficiency.)

[MikeO]

@MomtoGiulianaSure some of my diet may be to blame. Over the years i have been pushed to do the cardio diet which does not include a whole lot of B12 from meats or where else one would get the vitamin from. Doubt this is the root of my issues but sure it has a hand in how i feel. So far so good. 

[TCP]

It helps me. I inject weekly and take sublingual B12 daily 

[MikeO]

53 minutes ago, TCP said:

It helps me. I inject weekly and take sublingual B12 daily 

Thanks you so much for queuing in @TCPI am starting to get this does help. Guess one step or change at a time. Thank you!

[TCP]

Yes, makes my nerves more comfortable and gives me a bit more energy. I’m vegan anyway so always topped up a bit and I’m glad I did as I can show deficient in iron and D3 as I have some absorption issues. 

[MikeO]

3 hours ago, TCP said:

Yes, makes my nerves more comfortable and gives me a bit more energy. I’m vegan anyway so always topped up a bit and I’m glad I did as I can show deficient in iron and D3 as I have some absorption issues. 

I have been D3 deficiency before ended up on a prescription strength dose. My PCP has me taking 1000 u daily.   

[Knellie]

@MikeO - This may not exactly be the answer you are looking for but I thought it was worth mentioning. I took B12 for a while for fatigue (and because I too was slightly deficient) and it didn't really help my symptoms. My doctor then put me on something called Trimethylglycine or TMG. He said that basically TMG is like B12 but further along in the cycle so it is easier for your body to use. I personally haven't noticed a difference, but it could help you. I take 500mg a day and it is just a supplement, not prescription. Don't know if that helps but I hope it does  

[MikeO]

Thanks! @Knelliei found this out after i bought a bottle. Next one i will for sure i will buy TMG