[derek123]

mrsD one last follow up. I cant find the ability to edit posts so I have to keep making a new one but ill make sure this one is the last until replies.

I JUST received my new blood work results via email and im very confused.

My B12 levels on the latest results are now 1303 pg/ml!

So for reference
Dec 2013 B12 was - 254
Aug 2014 B12 now - 1303 pg/ml

I had been taking B12 1000mcg 1 a day cyo form for about 3 weeks before this recent blood test.

Im starting to worry now as I thought my symptoms were due to B12 but if my levels are that high could it mean otherwise? Not sure what to make of this. The only other noticable level on the bloodwork appears to be Iron 177 mcg/dl (range 45-175)

[mrsD]

If you did not stop the B12 for at least a week befor testing
The tests are picking up your daily dose before the tissues soak
it up.

Most people taking oral daily do get readings over 1000.
There is no upper level for toxicity for B12 so you don't
Need to worry.

However that high iron should be explored with further testing
To rule out hereditary hemochromatosis, which is serious
And can cause organ damage.

If you are taking vitamins with iron in them , find one
Without, like centrum Silver. Most men's formulas do not
Have iron in them.

[derek123]

Originally Posted by mrsD

If you did not stop the B12 for at least a week befor testing
The tests are picking up your daily dose before the tissues soak
it up.

Most people taking oral daily do get readings over 1000.
There is no upper level for toxicity for B12 so you don't
Need to worry.

However that high iron should be explored with further testing
To rule out hereditary hemochromatosis, which is serious
And can cause organ damage.

If you are taking vitamins with iron in them , find one
Without, like centrum Silver. Most men's formulas do not
Have iron in them.

I made a typo I was taking B12 2500mcg oral for 3 weeks before the blood work.

Does this mean my body is able to absorb the cyanide form if the my levels were able to elevate like that? Also I just started taking the 5000mcg methyl form orally last week, is that overkill?

[mrsD]

You cannot overkill with b12.

The test to see if you are utilizing the
form you used is called MMA test.
This shows that B12 is being utilized
From the cyano form in an actual enzyme
In your body. Hence the MMA result should
Be a low number.

The other test for methylation capability is
A DNA test for MTHFR genetic polymorphism.

I believe the serum B12 test will show all
cobalamins present since it is colorimetric
And all forms of cobalamin are red.

[derek123]

Originally Posted by mrsD

You cannot overkill with b12.

The test to see if you are utilizing the
form you used is called MMA test.
This shows that B12 is being utilized
From the cyano form in an actual enzyme
In your body. Hence the MMA result should
Be a low number.

The other test for methylation capability is
A DNA test for MTHFR genetic polymorphism.

I believe the serum B12 test will show all
cobalamins present since it is colorimetric
And all forms of cobalamin are red.

Thanks appreciate all the info.

I guess one thing I really don't understand are the symptoms. Ive only been taking the B12 for 3 weeks and my levels are showing 1300 (assuming up from the 254 I had in December) but the symptoms haven't really subsided yet. Maybe a tad I admit. Its probably wrong of me to assume just because my B12 levels are way up all the symptoms would magically go away?

[mrsD]

If you took the B12 the day of or day before
Your test would be falsely elevated.

B12 does not fix all things.. But it is necessary
For many functions. As you restore levels the spinal cord takes it,
The bone marrow takes it, the liver stores
It and many other tissues soak it up.
3 weeks is not long considering the time it took
To get low.

[flback]

To follow up on Derek's concerns, for people that have had B12 deficiency, how long until after you started taking b12 pills or injections did the symptoms get back to normal? Or how long until you started noticing improvement? Is there a standard time or is it completely random and totally dependent on the severity of symptoms for each individual?

I started noticing my symptoms 3-4 months ago(although looking back I wondered if I slowly started getting them earlier and didnt realize it). And I've been on injections for the last 2.5 weeks and have been taking b12 pills as well. I have some days where I feel good and then other days like today where everything feels worse. I'm not expecting to get better overnight so I'm not concerned. But I suppose just looking ahead and into the future, if you continue to feel the symptoms a month later, 3 months later, 6 months later, etc.. it begs the question, do you just need to be patient and continue to wait and when does one begin to think the issue could be something else.

[Darkaz7]

Hi all
Looking for some help here. I am a 22 year old male and I think I'm suffering the symptoms of a B12 / folic acid deficiency. About 6 years ago I was diagnosed with IBS and acid reflux, my brother was diagnosed celiac but since my blood test results for celiac were negative it wasn't pursued. I also had troubles with bad fatigue sometimes.

About a year ago I started to notice my energy levels were bad, I was sleeping 12 hours a night. I also noticed I was unable to focus on my college work. I became a heavy coffee drinker and a smoker and that seemed to solve my troubles for a while, how ever, things got worse around December time when I started to develop brief severe bladder pain after urinating and even worse ability to focus along with numbness in my right hand and some frequent muscle twitches. Stupidly I got my hands on some Adderall and used that daily to study for exams.

2 weeks after finishing my exams and stopping Adderall I started to experience panic attacks, they were essentially uncontrollable surges of adrenaline that sent my heart rate into the 180s. Then one night I experienced a PVC (premature ventricular contraction) heart palpitation followed by a panic attack that sent me to the ER. Everything appeared normal at the ER so I was sent away. After this event I felt completely not normal and for nearly 5 months now I've been suffering with:

- PVCs / palpitations and feeling of heart pounding hard for no reason
- Chest pain
- Muscle twitches all over (literally every 10 secs or so)
- Buzzing feeling all over
- Deep twinges of pain all over (especially in both ears)
- Aching joints and muscles
- Minor dizzy spells
- Sudden short vertigo spells
- Random shortness of breath
- Strange burning /freezing flashes down legs and scalp
- Whole body shivers uncontrollably when I'm minorly nervous
- Pain after urinating
- Overactive bladder, waking in the night to urinate
- Psychiatric symptoms, anxiety, anhedonia, derealization, trouble focusing, felt like I was going crazy

I have seen cardiologist etc and been cleared of anything particularly nefarious. Of course mentioning the Adderall to my GP caused him to write off anything I said as anxiety and hypochondria and throw SSRIs at me which I refused to take. Knowing something was wrong I requested B12 and other micronutrients be tested. All came back normal. I decided to try a gluten free diet and after a few days started feeling quite a bit better (IBS disappeared miraculously), suspecting celiac malabsorption I requested a copy of the lab results from my GP. Results were:

- Plasma B12: 314 ug/L, range 200 - 1000
- Ferritin: 151 ug/L, range 15 - 300
- Serum Folate: 2.4 ug/L, range 2.0 - 17.0
- Haemoglobin estimation: 138 ug/L, range 130 - 180
- Mean corpuscular volume: 96.4 ug/L, range 70 - 105

From what I can see here I am borderline B12 folate anemic but my GP won't treat me as they fall in normal ranges. I am convinced this is the reason for my all my symptoms and have started 1000ug B12 sublingual spray, 800ug folic acid and am sticking to gluten free diet. After 2 weeks of this I am feeling quite a bit better but not 100%. I am in waiting to see a gastroenterologist. What do you all think, are my levels bad enough to cause this?

Also have some other worries I wonder if anyone can help with
1. What is the relationship between B12 and folate, am I deficient in both or is one causing the other to be lower?
2. Can malabsorption be behind this when ferritin is very normal?
3. Could poor diet over the course of a year or so have caused this alone? (poor student but not a vegetarian)
4. Should I be worried about other vitamins being deficient contributing to this?
5. What dosage of folic acid should I take with my B12?
6. How much B12 can I take to recover as fast as possible? (need to be well enough to return to college in October!)
7. Could the combination of Adderall and a compromised CNS have caused any permanent damage?

I am extremely grateful to anyone who reads this long post and can offer any advice!
Thank you.

[Kitt]

Welcome Darkaz7.

Someone will be along to help.

[Darkaz7]

Something else concerning me I'm hoping someone can answer is, the sublingual B12 directly comes into contact with my quite large amalgam fillings. I've read warnings the methycobalamin when in direct contact with mercury forms methylmercury, a neurotoxin. It sounds silly and I'm certainly not someone to be panicing about mercury filling but how can that chemical reaction not be taking place if the two chemicals are in contact in my mouth? Is there another form as effective that is suited to someone with malabsorption issues (can't get shots from doctor)?