Hello friends,

I'm new around here (Hi ), and had some concerns with vitamin b12. First let me give you a brief background.

I'm a 29 yr old male, in good shape. I work out regularly, and watch what I eat. Back in Early January, I noticed a slight burning pain in my upper back. Within a week, that burning sensation was all over my back, waist line, and arms! It was horrible! Like a terrible terrible sunburn, yet no rash or anything! I went to the ER 3 times that week, because the pain was so intense, and my anxiety and fear only made it worse. The ER did absolutely nothing... They only said my vitals are fine, and I have to follow up with a neurologist.

My family physcian ordered blood tests, for autoimmune diseases, HIV, Thryroid, lyme, liver function, kidney function, cbc, and vit b12.

Everything turned out normal, except my Vitamin B12 Level was at 260. According to the Lab Values, that was borderline low, but still considered "normal". My doctor started giving me weekly b12 shots for 4 weeks, to boost the levels back up. 5 weeks later, after my first b12 test, my levels were at 850, and was I feeling soo much better. Some slight burning but nothing like how it was. The doctor stoped the injections, and asked i supplement bith 1000 IU B12 pills, and a good B Complex. Which I now take everyday.

Mean while, I've done alot of reading on B12, and asked my doctor to test me for Pernicious Anemia and Instric Factor. The tests show, I dont have the Anemia, and I do have the Instric Factor. So I am unsure WHY my B12 level dropped like it did. Though I never really took any vitamins, I was always a heavy meat eater.

Anyway, Last week I got another b12 level test (4 weeks after my 850 score) and it dropped to 540! I dont understand why?? I take so much Vitamin b12, every day! I thought my body is suppose to store YEARS worth of b12, why would it deplete again so fast?

I am so worried it will drop really low, and the burning pain will be really bad again. I have another appointment with my doctor, but that isnt until 2 weeks from now.

If anyone has any idea, I'd really, really appreciate it! Why Cant I absorb B12? The tests show I do have the instrict factor. I'm getting really concerned...

- Jason

Hi Jason & welcome to the forum, i haven't heard of b12 in iu measurements, most of us here take at least 1mg or up to 5 mg daily of B12 Methylcobalamin supplements, one of our members Rose has a very good site to read up on B12. http://roseannster.googlepages.com/home

good luck
Brian

Thanks for the fast reply Brian. I actually got my measurements messed up! I take 1000 IU's of Vitamine D (also was found low @ 24). As for B12, I currently take Nature Made which is 1000 mcgs daily.

It's best to take B12 on an empty stomache for max absorbtion, I take my B12 before bed and the multi B first thing in the morning.
Is it b12 methylcobalamin or b12 Cynocobalamin your taking ?, the Methylcobalamin is the best as its already in the active form, doesn't have to be converted like the B12 cynocobalamin.

Brian

Yeah Jay, I was looking at NAture Made B12 last week, and the only bottle I saw was cynacobalamin. A good share of us get our B12 from www.iherb.com. Country Life has a good methylcobalamin sublingual, which is 3000 mcg. I took it for a long time, but now am taking Jarrow Methylcobalamin 5000 mcg. It is best to let it dissolve under your tongue. Some think letting it dissolve doesn't matter, yet many of us do feel we benefit more from the B12 using this method. My B12 level was 1237 for some time, then it dropped to 1016, so I upped my mcg's.

I think Nature Made is not helping. Try the Country Life or Jarrow, and see how that helps.

It is made from Cynocobalamin, and sometimes i eat it on an empty stomach, i cant speak to that w/ consistency, as sometimes i skip breakfast. I only heard of iherb.com from reading this forum, and will certainly look into the methylcobalamin form.

I asked my doctor WHY my b12 levels got low, if I have the Intrisic Factor, and she says they dont know. This is sort of unacceptable! Am I wrong to feel this way? I admit I am a worrier and hypochondriac, but I am concerned!

I worry is there something wrong with my liver something? I've had a Liver Function Test and an Ultrasound of my whole abdomenal/pelvic area, and no abnorablities are found. Is this just a rough vitamin to absorb for some?

I have difficulty with setteling with "we dont know" - and want to get to the bottom of it. Thanks again for the info

if your avatar is a pic of YOU, i "see" the need to consider celiac disease....
which may be causing malabsorbtion.....and you may want to check out a larger dose of D as well....honestly trying a gluten free diet for several months may prove enlightening

MrsD,

I have seen two neurologists. The first one I saw actually thought it was something viral, and it should just pass.. He didnt seem very concerned. So thats why I changed neurologists. Maybe it was, and I am just recovering? I mean the burning pain has went down a great deal since January, and now I just get these flairs, in certain spots (like shoulders and waist line). I notice my waist is very sensitive to cold air - is that all related?

Bruce,

I really feel your frustration... Make sure you tell us how you make out w/ your neck MRI. I had one done, and they found two mild herniated discs.

Pabb,

I am really interested to know what you "see" based on my picture? lol As for the Celiac Condition, it is certainly worth looking into. I've had soo many tests done, I am running out of options!

I just want to feel better Thanks Guys.

--pabb is probably commenting on the rather Caucasian features in the picture.

Genetically speaking, while celiac/gluten intolerance is more widespread than previously thought, it is still most common in those of Northern and Western European descent. (Such people have a genetic background that makes them prone to all sorts of autoimmune syndromes.) People with blue eyes and fair complexions should probably be tested immediately, though testing should not be limited to them.

With frank celiac, the villi of the small intestine can be damaged sufficiently that all sorts of malabsorption symptoms can occur, and yet many people with such damage are otherwise only slightly symptomatic or asymptomatic, until nutrient malabsorption triggers a cascade.

We have had some people on these boards who have said, at least insofar as B12 levels are concerned, that they only had small, nagging symptoms until some point at which they tripped and began to deteriorate rapidly. Our beloved Rose, who really began a lot of the threads here and on Braintalk on her problems with B12 deficiency, and who did a lot of research into the subject, was one. She was lucky to emerge relatively intact--she was misdiagnosed for a long time. (And part of the reason for that, as she and others have pointed out, was that her B12 levels were being interpreted as "normal", as your 260 was--those lower range limits, most of us agree, are much too low.) You can read her story and a lot about B12 here:

http://roseannster.googlepages.com/home

Another person who has had an interesting B12 history is Cara (jccglutenfree), most likely due to gluten sensitivity (her family is full of people with malabsorption problems, due to gluten and other factors. Cara invented the Gluten File, probably the most comprehensive database on the subject yet accumulated, and it's definitely worth reading some of that material:

http://jccglutenfree.googlepages.com/

Jay, I am not sure what she see's in the pic either, cause we celiac's all look like normal people. Two of my son's doctors told them "you don't look celiac!" What, do we have 2 heads? Many doctors think a celiac has to be a very thin, malnourished looking person, which isn't true. At least half of all celiac's are overweight, and malnourished as well.

I do not believe this to be true either. I belong to a huge celiac support group, and there are no more blue eyes with fair complexions then there are dark eyes, with darker complexions. This is just another myth. The Europeans have believed there are celiac's for much longer than the US has, that's the difference. In Ireland, the children were checked for celiac before going to school...it will be years before the US thinks of that. The US is finally realizing this is not the rare disease they thought it was. 9 years ago, when my sister was diagnosed, her gastro laughed at her when she asked to be tested for celiac, he told her it was so rare, she absolutely could not have it. He was wrong. We have both been gluten free, her 9 years this month, me 9 years in July, and our dad, 4 1/2 years now. We all have brown hair and the darkest brown eyes you will ever see!

So Jay, many people with gluten intolerance will also be B12 deficient. So yes, be checked for celiac, then go gluten free no matter what the results of the testing were, and see if it helps. Many, many people feel much better on a gluten free diet.