You can have your doctor write an RX for methylcobalamin
injections to be made up for you. Then you can specify the
mixing solution to avoid whatever is in the cyano form.

Or you can buy the patch that is online. (I don't know in reality if these work...since the company who makes them tends to spam them on the net, but if you are in a truly bad place, then
they are an option).

Most people who cannot absorb B12 from food, do absorb it
passively in the small intestine, if ENOUGH is given. You'd need 5mg a day on an empty stomach (food reduces absorption) to
accomplish that.

Yes, it is Rose (Fuhrman?).
When my 'puter crashed, I lost the URL,
maybe someone else has it.
This may be it:
http://winoverpn.com/rose.html

Correction......... Rose's site is
http://roseannster.googlepages.com/home

It probably is somewhere in the 'stickies'
but I didn't have the patience to find it.

So, I emailed her, and she graciously sent me the correct url.

website is in her signature here too. If you go to memberlist
and look her up. (click on "about me")

I wish I could borrow a little of your B12...mine is 82 and dropping...

Got a copy of my blood work in the mail today. My B12 level at the time of the test, taken about a month after being stricken with PN was 690. I know that is considered normal by many doctors, but is that really OK?

I can't imagine a doctor telling a person that their B-12 level is too high. That doctor knows absolutely NOTHING about neuropathy and B-12.

I take 5000 of the Methyl B-12 every single morning sub lingually. I've been doing this for about 2 years now (ever since I was diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy). I had the burning, the pins and the buzzing. Drove me crazy. I immediately went on the methy 12. I went from 1000 to 5000 after 1 week. I knew I needed it.

To say it has changed me is putting it mildly. It has rejuvenated me. My last testing level was 2000. My doctor didn't even blink because he knows me and what I am on.

He's a body builder and knows all about vitamins. I ran every thing by him. He's also my husband's doctor. He knows I grow my own sprouts, and I make home-made yogurt and he's completely supportive.

He is also very supportive of the vitamins and supplements that I take. I wanted him to know first hand what I take because I have spoken to other doctors, who, when I told them about B-12, looked at me like I was a lunatic and said the following words (I'll never forget them).

"You take B-12???, WHY I WOULD NEVER PRESCRIBE B-12 FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T ANEMIC".

I will never forget that doctor if I live to be 100.

I told his partner what he said. His partner said "yeah, he's from the old school".

This guy is NOT my primary care physican.

My primary care physician is the best. He listens and he respects us. We can ask him any question about ANYTHING.

And he even hugged me when I went there to pick up samples of Alan's meds.

I am always surprised at how different physicians can be. It's amazing.

Melody

Mel....your PCP is a physician, his partner is only a doctor

The level in the 600's is above the cut off that is used in other countries for B12 supplements. It is considered higher in US, but then we are very behind in this subject. Many doctors will still tell people in the 200's that they are "fine" or "normal".

If rose were here, this is what she'd say: (I have read her for about 10 yrs, and have seen this question often).

"One person's 600 is not the same as another's."

There is no way to know if the number is going up or coming down, unless you have testing done every 3 to 6 months.
One person may have no symptoms at 600... another may have many symptoms at 600.

When people show up HERE, with puzzling symptoms that defy logic, we have to assume that that person is unique in some way and responding this way. So perhaps the person coming here has a genetic need for higher blood levels of the substance being measured. Dr. Bruce Ames believes that people all vary in their genetic use of the B-complex family. And that eventually genetic testing will be accurate enough to illuminate their specific needs.

So while a number in the 600 range looks good, it is only telling us that it is not extremely low. It doesn't tell us what range YOU need to feel better.

Pabb:

Just to clarify. The guy who said the stuff about the B-12, is not connected in any way to my primary care guy.

This was another office with two guys working. Let's say this was a urologist office with 2 doctors. One of them said the stuff about the b-12. The OTHER GUY was the one who said "he's old school".

Nice guys, nice docs, but two completely different opinions about b-12.

One of the docs would ask you as you came in the door "would you like a complimentary B-12 shot". So I always said "sure, why not".

When I went to a visit and THE OTHER GUY WAS THERE, I simply said "where's my complimentary b-12 shot?" and that's when he replied:

"B-12, I would NEVER give anyone B-12 unless they are severely anemic", Oh, I forgot to mention that he also said:

"B-12 is absolutely not necessary and you don't need it".

Good Lord.

Just wanted to straighten out who was who.

My (and Alan's) PCP is Dr. Fred. We adore him.

Melody