Hello everyone:

I am new to this community. My husband has a reading of B12 at 239. He has tingling and numbness in his feet and fingers of one hand. He is to go for a EMG study soon. He also has a quite a bit of pitting edema in his feet and ankles.

Does anyone else have the edema? He is on a fairly heavy dose of diuretics now and it doesn't seem to bring the puffyness down much.

The doctor has him on 1000 mg of B12 once a month and is also taking 1200 mcg of timed released B12 per day by mouth. I have read here now that it shouldn't be timed release. Can someone tell me why? Can he finish the rest of that bottle and then we will get B12 pills that are not timed release. Or should we throw them out? If he takes the rest of the timed release one will thet cause any more trouble?

Thank You
Nancy

Hi Nancy.

Use up what you have and then get Methyl B-12. It disolves under your tongue to act faster. 1000 MCG is only 1 MG. I take 10 MG every day.
My count stays 1800- 2000.

Stay with this site and you will get lots of help.

I just wrote about my healing and it is posted in the stickes top of page. It is the last one on page 3.

Good luck to your husband.

George

Your timing is a bit off, as our two best Vitamin gurus are on vacation or dealing with other issues right now, but if you click on this blue part of our web site, you will find out MORE than you EVER wanted to know about B-12!
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/forum49.html
That said, your husbands B-12 is really really low. The use of 'methylcobalamin' versus 'cyanocobalamin' is important as the 'methyl' type is considered more asorbable and therefore more likely to be picked up by your body and used [here it's important to know that while it mite be hi in blood tests? It's usually unknown as to IF it's actually being USED!]. One good thing is that B-12, all alone, is like vitamin C in that you can't hurt yourself with too much. Excess just goes thru you and away. B-12 can/IS a very key aspect in helping many with some neuropathies.

I have had edema issues, mostly not caused by the PN? More by the inactivity and other medical issues. With some of the other issues, I was put on lasix meds, which interacted poorly with the meds I was on at the time and actually didn't do anything...so I stopped and am glad I had[all this happened pre-PN] So when I'd gotten even more edema after PN I politely declined diuretics as an option as I didn't want to complicate things more. My last edema episode, my feet swelled 3+ times their normal size...I know how awkward and uncomfortable [understatement?] it is.

As for tossing that bottle? I'd go get some 'methycobalamin' sub-lingual B-12 and have him take one of the old and one of the new until the old is gone, then do new 2x's a day from there. While many get thru mail order, you can get yours from a reliable Vitamin shop nearby or even a Whole Foods or Trader Joe's if you live near one. I have to warn you that the sub-linguals usually have this 'cherry' or 'grape' flavor that could grate on your nerves or tastebuds after a while, but, that's the price we pay to try and get well, or at least, better.

I am sure others here will be along soon and speak up on their experiences. Just be reassured that this is one case where some more [not heaps more] can be better and not hurt you. I truly hope this helps and that you find good things can and will happen! - j

Please read everything J has posted you,and has your husband been tested
for Diabates,sometimes fools with the edema,as does salt which is in everything. Tell him to put his legs above his heart if he can,legs hanging down for long periods of time can cause the swelling.or have him ask his Dr. if he may need compression hose.. Hugs to all Sue and good luck