@ Wide-O:

This actually happened to me during the summer. I had an "nervous system episode" happen to me right around the time the Olympics started (August 2012 then?) and panicked and had my serum B12 level pulled again. I thought for sure I'd be deficient. I had stopped injections and was only doing sublingual B12s 5000 mcg (methylcobalamin) for several weeks. The reading? >2000.

Vit B
 

I had a course of 3 injections of VitB from my GP and found immediately after each injection my walking was worse. One injection each week for 3. I wobbled every where but I stuck at it. My energy levels didn't increase nor my walking. Since been diagnosed with neuropathy after a neurologist tested my nerve endings. Unable to have MRI as I have a pacemaker. Have had CT scan of head, neck and spine with nothing adverse.

What kind of test was done by your neurologist? And what type of neuropathy was given? Thank you.

Got my B12 back today it was 883 , high range on the normal scale she said it only went to 931. So my GP took me off entirely ,on the phone the nurse said if my neurologist wanted me to have it then its up to him. So I'm taking your advise and going to start the B12 methyl 5 mg. a day on empty stomach. My neurologist told me to stay on the injections so I will see. So tired of inept GPs.

I don't understand the fear/panic that doctors have with regards to B12.

I frankly don't understand doctors in general.

You are not alone in this. They are married to the lab ranges.
They have no idea about how B12 works, only if it shows up in
the ranges... That is why it is almost criminal that doctors accept those low ranges as "normal"... really it demonstrates the nearsightedness of how medicine can be! sigh!

I don't know if this has already been added somewhere in the B12 thread, but I found it to be interesting. The last thing we need is less usable B12.



"Microwave ovens convert Vitamin B12 to an inactive form unusable by humans. From a practical standpoint, this means typically around 30-40% of the Vitamin B12 in microwaved foods gets converted during the time it spends being heated or re-heated in a microwave oven.

On the flip-side, spinach loses about 77% of its Vitamin B9 when cooked in a normal stove, but retains nearly all of it when cooked in a microwave. In the same way, steamed vegetables, as a rule, tend to retain more of their nutrients in a microwave than when cooked in a traditional oven."

Read more at http://www.todayifoundout.com/index....t7zp1RGG3V4.99


The reference:

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jf970670x

Question for MrsD
 

Mrs D,
After reading Approx half this thread which took several days I have a question. You seem very knowledgeable about this subject so I want your opinion on this.
Let me give a short history of my lifestyle to help possibly shed some light on my problems and how to fix them.
I am an American working in North China and have been working all over the world for several years. I am 30 year male. Until around 6 months ago my lifestyle included 1-2 packs of cigarettes a day as well as 1-7 beers in the evening on a very regular basis. I did consider my diet good and try to eat the best quality food I can get as well as have always eaten a lot of veggies raw my whole life. I also drink raw milk when I’m in the US because I grew up drinking it on our farm and simply prefer it to the store bought junk.

When I started my current contract I went out one night and drank approx 5-6 beers and then came to the room and went to sleep. Next day I was off work so I rested throughout the day and then ate dinner and got ready for sleep. I smoked my last cigarette and lay down and my life has never been the same from that moment until now. My heart rate went up to around 120 bpm and stayed there I became upset and started to panic I sensed I was going to die and I was sure of it. Few hours later in the hospital I was told there was nothing wrong with me to which I said to them they just can’t see what’s wrong but I know there is something wrong.

Since then it gradually got worse to where I had palpitations at a lower heart rate throughout the day with the worst symptoms occurring in the evening always. After one month of dealing with it daily and reading all I could to try to figure out what was the issue was. (I even did a 7 day water fast during this time to try and solve the problem and while this did give me some relief it was only a matter of about a week that I was back to dealing with the same problems.)

I went back to the US to see a Doctor that used different methods such as muscle testing and so on. When I got there he had a liver panel done on me that revealed my ALT was elevated to 120 with a normal range of 0-40. He also told me that I was showing signs of a parasite problem. He put me on several things from Standard Process Company immediately with the initial effect seeming to cut back my symptoms however I still was depressed and weak and could not relax or eat much of anything.

I started to take Barefoot Herbalist Dewormer that I found in an Amish health food store close to my home and have been taking it ever since and believe it is a very good product although I can’t say for sure if its killed any parasites but I figure it can’t hurt to take it. I have always had depression the last several years and liver issues but was not willing to take the junk the Docs wanted me to take. So I have just lived with it.

After coming back to China my symptoms started to come back slowly. I started to read a lot more and found that by eating some things I felt better some types of sea food etc. I concluded I needed some B12 as well as vitamin D. I started taking the cheap B12 that I could get here and ordered some B12 from Garden of Life as well and some methyl B12 strips from Essential Source.

After taking the B12 and the vitamin D I feel extremely better than before. Depression is all but disappeared and heart palpitations have only bothered me in the evenings occasionally but are less and less as the days pass. I still look bad though I'm pale and my eyes are sunken. my strength is not back and i have not the mental sharpness i once had. i have been on the B12 and vitamin D for 7 days now. both are Garden of Life brands.

My question is this. I am getting ready to go back to my home in the Philippines and want to get some tests done for B12 and vitamin D. What test do I need and what other things should I get tested for as well if any? Also are there any other things I need to consider? I would also like to know if the Garden of Life B12 is a good source?

I know I have left some things out but to sum up I can say I had all the classic B12 deficiency symptoms that’s why I tried taking it in the first place. Thank you in advance for the response I have already read about half this thread and it has given me an amazing amount of valuable information.

Welcome to NeuroTalk:

As far as testing goes, B12, Vit D. I'd also suggest Vitamin B1, thiamine as thiamine gets low when people drink alcohol. The buildup of aldehydes in the metabolism of alcohol can cause the symptoms you describe.
from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_flush_reaction

People of Asian descent can have a genetic mutation that impairs alcohol metabolism. If you are Asian you could have this, and some other races also have this mutation, but not as commonly. So when this mutation is present the reactions to alcohol can be alarming.

I'd also get a complete CBC and see if your eosinophils are elevated. This white blood cell elevates, when parasites are present in some people. There are also amebic parasites that can infect the liver.

Fish tapeworms can cause low B12. They live in the intestines.

I would go to an infectious disease specialist for evaluation of any parasite you may think you have picked up.

When you get your testing, stop any supplements you may be taking for about 7 days. Their presence will mask your true status. You can start some thiamine now if you want, 100mg 3 times a day. If your B1 is low this will correct it. B1 thiamine is used in most alcoholic treatment centers when people detox from alcohol.

This link explains elevated ALT...
http://labtestsonline.org/understand...s/alt/tab/test

The most common cause is viral infection. But drugs, alcohol and hepatitis may also elevate it. Your level is not alarming yet.
Living in China could be a risk factor for hepatitis however, and you should get that tested for. A, B, and C.

Thank you all for posting here! Such a wealth of information & insight. I so appreciate it during this difficult period of beginning to understand what is happening to me.