Have just been diagnosed by my G P with neuropathy

I just don't know how to feel about it... or really what to do

I feel a bit lost - I don't know anybody else that suffers with this...

Thanks

...probably should add.... about 10 years I presented at E D with feelings of pins and needles in my face and hands and feet... I was 42... the thought of M S had gone through my mind but the Drs did a general strength test and question test, and thought it could be anxiety - as I can get a little anxious, social anxious, nothing requiring meds or anything, prob a familial situation

A couple of years later, I presented at a docs office with the same thing... he thought it too anxiety and told me to use a brown paper bag to rebreathe in... not that I reported hyperventilating or anything like that

A couple of years after that, went to another doc, same situation... told me that there is 1 drug to fix those symptoms ' and I would not be getting that'.. and that it was probably anxiety and that I was a smart girl and need to think out what situation brought the anx on and sort it myself

Now and over the last couple of months, my feet and hands, face, nose, mouth and tongue are tingling... when I get upset, anxious, stressed or it exacerbates. I have been to the Dr again , another one... my Hb was 13 but my B12 was 140... I had a weekly B12 injection for a period of 4 weeks... today, I was told the level had improved, via a new blood test, and the symptoms are a little better
but still there... moreso tonight, after the stress of the day, the shock and the name Neuropathy given to my dis-ease....

My doc is from another country, hard to understand and get out of him what I should do now... he did suggest Zinc and Magnesium and to come back with symptoms exacerbated and prob restart a b12 injection course again... although I thought I may just buy some sub lingual b12, re the intrinsic factor problem, which could be there, and some Zinc and Magnesium. He did ask did I want a anti depress, which is great for the pain and tingling associated but I was pretty freaked out by the thought of an anti depress and said, no...

Im at a loss.. I am not sure what to do... does any of the above sound reasonable to you...any suggestions and thoughts

Sometimes I sneak a 1/2 of a 5mg Valium that my partner has for back pain and that works a little, guess prob would increase the effect taking the whole 5mg... just a trial situation...

I am from Australia... live in a small coastal town about 500 ks from the nearest city

Thanks

--and actually, even if that doctor is a bit hard to understand, the suggestions are quite reasonable.

It is apparent that you have a B12 deficiency, for whatever reason--those levels are much too low--and certainly B12 deficiency could explain those symptoms, though a more thorough work-up would probably also be in order to help eliminate other causes of symptoms. (What tests have you had to this point, and do you have the results? One should always get/keep copies of one's test results--very convenient for discovering patterns or bringing to future consultations.)

B12 deficiency eventually impacts almost every bodily system, but one of the first to be affected is the nervous system, both peripheral and central. One of the most common conditions associated with B12 deficiency is "subacute combined degeneration" in which the spinal cord loses its ability to conduct nerve signals--and no one wants that.

Many doctors prescribe a series of B12 injections, but there is much evidence that daily megadosing with B12, in amounts of 1000-5000mcg, allows enough passive absorption of cobalamin to provide daily requirements and rebuild stores, even in those with lack of intrinsic factor in the stomach (which is necessary to break B12 out of food). Many of us here recommend an activated form, such as methylcobalamin, rather then the more commonly commercially available cyanocobalamin, which some people have trouble processing (requires one to break off the cyanide radical and then methylate the cobalamin, and some people have genetic profiles that make that process inefficient; methyl forms of vitamins are more immediately usable by the body).

We have a lot of info on all this here--take a look at the following subforums:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread16628.html

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread85103.html

Thanks for your info...

Am currently taking 2 x 1000mg B12s in the morning... and have the Zinc, Magnesium and B6 the doc suggested

Wonders whether you have good days, less symptoms?

Familial??... can remember my Mum having B12 injections...

See how I go...

Thanks again

Just to update you

Still continuing to take 2 x 1000mg B12 plus Zinc, Magnesium and B6 every 2 or 3 days...

Got to say I can still feel the tingling in all the same places... but it is filmed over... bit like taking a strong pain killer for a toothache... it is there, but not breaking through.... if it was 100 percent before, guess now it would be 30 percent

The constant rubbing of hands and feet together and mouth opening and closing muscling has stopped ... I use to do this to alleviate the symptoms.. bit like shaking your hand when you are laying on it, if you will

I have not returned to the Doc... am feeling a lot better and will continue to increase the B12 and see how good I can get this... this or better is a whole lot more than it was

Thanks and fyi

Iru