If you take oral B12 with food, absorption is not good.

So it should be taken on an empty stomach and wait an hour before eating.

1000mcg yields about 13mcg absorbed passively (if there is a problem with intrinsic factor). It should be taken daily...and will show good levels within 3 months depending. Severely deficient people will have low levels in brain and spinal cord, and this takes time to rebuild. The bone marrow takes alot at first too.
Then the liver will store some of each dose as well.

Methylcobalamin is preferred in case you have the DNA polymorphism mutation and cannot activate cyano form.

A happy B12 story and more.
 

Here is a b12 story I need to share with you, because it is a happy story and with it I'd like to thank you all for your support. I think I'm making a huge leap forward, thanks to you.

My new GP had a patient diagnosed by numerous neurologists with neuropathy. Both her hands were severely affected, she couldn't use them. Her B12 level was 80, but the neurologists didnt seem to bother much about it. My GP gave her weekly B12 shots and, neuropathy or not neuropathy, the poor woman is completely sound and well now.

There is hope people! Don't trust anyone who tells you simply there is nothing to be done. Probably there is always something to be done.

I've had my first shot (hydroxy B12, 1 mg) today. 6 hours before that I took 2000 µg methylcobalamin orally, although not on empty stomach. I should be saturated with this stuff by now :) I'm really curious how this will act on me. Both my hands look like a skeleton up to the elbows, almost no muscles left. But I hope at least to prevent damage to my other body parts.

My doc told me healthy B12 levels, according to her are 1000-1200 and I should strive to have 1000. I think I'm lucky to have found her, apparently not every doc would tell you that.

I'm changing my mood to hopeful.

This is good. Keep in mind though that your path to healing may be slow. Some people get functions back. Some get partial functions back, and some less so. It all depends on how long you were low. So remain patient.

My new doc, sound as she seems to be, of course, didn't promise me anything, just told me to wait and see. First, we are waiting for my new B12 readings. I've done the blood test today (before the shot, of course, and before taking the pills), I'll have the results on Thursday. Once we see my levels, we will decide how often we will inject. Until then, she doesn't want me to take the B12 pills. I think I will just wait and talk to her then. And to you here also :)

Take the pills. I wouldn't be without them.

The other day at Dunkin Donuts, I was sitting and chatting with friends and this 75 year old lady blurts out "Oh guess what happened to my friend the other day, she had pains in her feet and she went to her doctor and she was diagnosed with Diabetic Neuropathy and her doctor gave her a B-12 shot"

I looked at her and said "And what happened after that" She said "that was that, just one shot"

I immediately wrote down all about Methyl B-12 and my experience and now the lady is ACTUALLY getting the help she needs.

Good Lord, these doctors don't know anything

Mel

I guess I will take 1mg pill a day, Melody. That cannot do any harm anyway. I will have my B12, iron, ferritin and homocystein levels on Thursday. Testing homocystein was my idea, my doc didnt think about it. From what I've learned here in a few days, though, it makes sense to check for this also. I will come back to you and to my doc with those readings, hoping for good guidance :)

B complex w/ mthf
 

I met with my nutritionalist last week. She had asked me about my vitamin B's and I said yes I am taking a complex B. But not a complex B w/MTHF. She stated that it is a need in some people genetically. I got the complex B w/MTHF, folate 5-Methyl-tetrahydrofolic acid glucosamine by Jarrow Formulas.

She stated that if when I started the new complex B, if I go threw a detox (which I am, amongst other things) then that means that my body needed it. from my understanding this MTHF also helps get metal build up in fat cells. So yes I needed it!

I am dealing with the detox, I am looking forward to the 7-10 days to be over so I can get some energy back.

Toxins in any form is the worst detox after such a 3year highly build up.

Feeling strange after that B12 shot, though. Had to sleep, not just the whole night, also almost the entire day, and woke up at 4 pm with a light headache. Also, I've lost my sensation of hunger: by now my stomach should be aching, as I haven't eaten anything today, but it is not, I dont feel hungry at all, I'm eating out of common sense. I have been very weak though in the last 3 weeks due to a flu-like infection, which wouldn't go away and needed antibiotics at the end.

It's interesting that I don't have that energy influx many people report after B12 shots. Maybe it will come a bit later.

Hi.

I have never heard of anyone having any energy influx immediately after a B-12 shot.

And I have had B-12 shots in the past (way before I began taking the oral Methyl B-12). I had a b-12 shot every time I went to my doctor. He would do it out of courtesy. He would always say "Here's you free B-12 shot". Never knew anything about it back in the day. Never had any side affects (energy or anything).

So don't expect too much right now. Perhaps once you are taking the Methyl B-12 (I knew after one week), then maybe you might feel some differences (for the better).

Take care, Melody

Hi Melody, it was hydroxy B12, 1 mg. I think I'm just tired because of that annoying infection I've had, that's all. And yes, I will continue taking oral methyl-B12, 1000 a day. Regarding the shots, my doc mentioned something about once a month, but I guess that depends on my readings which we will know on Thursday. Cheers, Anna