[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by veggie

Ok. Thanks. My main problem is the tiredness and now the stomach problems that have basically just appeared over night after that stressful experience. I was hoping they would go away, but they just seem to continue to hang around.

My potassium was tested and it is 3.7 with a range of 3.3 to 5.0.

Some others:
Calcium is 9.3 with a range of 8.6 to 10.5. Protein is 6.9 with a range of 6.3 to 8.3.

Hi, me again.

If you take Methyl B-12 it just might perk you up a bit. I have two friends who were always tired and their B-12 levels were in your range. I told them what I take. I told them where I got it and they began taking it also. You should see the change in them. One of them was slightly anemic also. Even taking iron didn't help her.

She's a new person now that she is taking Methyl B-12.

It gets confusing I know with all these vitamins and supplements, etc. Mrs. D. knows her stuff.

That's how I learned what I learned. By coming on these forums and reading.

Changed my life BIG TIME.

I wish you well.

Melody

[veggie]

Originally Posted by MelodyL

Hi, me again.

If you take Methyl B-12 it just might perk you up a bit. I have two friends who were always tired and their B-12 levels were in your range. I told them what I take. I told them where I got it and they began taking it also. You should see the change in them. One of them was slightly anemic also. Even taking iron didn't help her.

She's a new person now that she is taking Methyl B-12.

It gets confusing I know with all these vitamins and supplements, etc. Mrs. D. knows her stuff.

That's how I learned what I learned. By coming on these forums and reading.

Changed my life BIG TIME.

I wish you well.

Melody

Thanks so much for your help. Yes it is confusing. If anything, maybe I better not let the b12 drop lower since I just read:
"lower limit in Japan and some European countries is 500-550 pg/mL and is based on the level which causes mental manifestations such as dementia and memory loss."

Also I am not sure about potassium. Some information says 3.7 is ok and some say that is too low. I am interested in knowing especially when I saw the symptoms:
* Weakness, tiredness, or cramping in arm or leg muscles,
* Tingling or numbness
* Nausea or vomiting
* Abdominal cramping, bloating
* Constipation
* Palpitations (feeling your heart beat irregularly)
* Passing large amounts of urine or feeling very thirsty most of the time
* Fainting due to low blood pressure
* Abnormal psychological behavior: depression, psychosis, delirium, confusion, or hallucinations.

I have had all the symptoms that are bold. It doesn't explain the nightmares though unless that is psychological in nature.

[MelodyL]

Originally Posted by veggie

Thanks so much for your help. Yes it is confusing. If anything, maybe I better not let the b12 drop lower since I just read:
"lower limit in Japan and some European countries is 500-550 pg/mL and is based on the level which causes mental manifestations such as dementia and memory loss."

Also I am not sure about potassium. Some information says 3.7 is ok and some say that is too low. I am interested in knowing especially when I saw the symptoms:
* Weakness, tiredness, or cramping in arm or leg muscles,
* Tingling or numbness
* Nausea or vomiting
* Abdominal cramping, bloating
* Constipation
* Palpitations (feeling your heart beat irregularly)
* Passing large amounts of urine or feeling very thirsty most of the time
* Fainting due to low blood pressure
* Abnormal psychological behavior: depression, psychosis, delirium, confusion, or hallucinations.

I have had all the symptoms that are bold. It doesn't explain the nightmares though unless that is psychological in nature.

Sounds like you are experiencing some anxiety in your life. Perhaps if you spoke to someone about this? Maybe the nightmares would stop??

I do wish you well.

Melody

[mrsD]

There is a amino acid called methionine...and it is necessary for our bodies to make SAM...which is a methyl donor for neurotransmitter synthesis. Methionine is usually found in animal food sources. If you get low in this, you could fail to make enough for your brain to run on.
http://www.drlam.com/opinion/methionine.asp

MethylB12 is only pennies a day orally. You could start at the lower dosage, 1000mcg a day on an empty stomach.

Online discount vitamin sources, have it, but stores most likely not. I've used iherb.com and Puritan's pride with good results.
I would use the methyl for the reasons, that are posted here at the beginning of this thread.

Check the content of your food choices for nutrients at this site:
http://nutritiondata.self.com/

Japan has high standards for their B12 because they had a huge accident involving a common drug used there that depleted B12 and left many dead and disabled as a result. So they tend to be more aggressive with the blood levels they use. The drug was clioquinol (aka Vioform).

[pabb]

PLEASE consider gluten intolerance/celiac disease....your presentation would be classic.....

[svguy]

I’m new here, but have been lurking for awhile - great forum with lots of info and insights.

I’m a 51 yo male, overall very healthy until last July. During a gym workout, I experienced a quite strong and unfamiliar occipital headache. That event seemed to trigger a progression of troubling neurological symptoms…

- Occipital headache (mid July), recurring and initially brought on by exertion, over time reduced to occasional, burning recurring surface pain
- Left-side (only) facial numbness (chin to cheek to eyebrow) (onset late July) – this numbing sensation feels as if lying below the skin surface, with normal sensitivity (hot, cold, touch, pressure) on the skin
- Tingling over torso and extremities (onset September), leading to generalized shooting “electric” sensations over entire body and pins/needles in hands/arms/feet
- Tingling/burning tongue/mouth/lips and tingling scalp
- Burning feet/legs, to a lesser extent, hands (onset October)
- Fatigue, mood changes, and overall body ache

After multiple doc and neurologist visits, MRA /MRI, complete physical, labwork, ruled out aneurysm, stroke, MS, tumor, lupus, etc. – basically all dread disease. Neurologist assessed it as idiopathic SFN (no biopsy yet).

Throughout, I’d wondered about a possible B12 deficiency - symptoms seem to match and I’d been a vegetarian for most of the 90’s. I started supplementing oral and sublingual B12 (2-4 mg/day), just in case. Then, I “discovered” online a connection between B12 deficiency and PPI use – I was diagnosed with GERD in 2003 and was on reflux meds (Prevacid and Prilosec) non-stop for 7.5 years. I got off that medication immediately and had temporary relief from the burning pain.

I had my doc order a serum B12 test in late October. This came back @ 1400 (!), though I was well into supplementation by the time of the draw, which I understand can distort results and can’t rule out a deficient condition or resultant damage.

In November I started a very aggressive supplementation regimen advocated on another blog, with sublingual mB-12 (15 mg/day) and adB-12 (3mg/day) and a host of vitamins, etc. Symptoms improved somewhat November-December, but then plateaued and seem to be worsening now – especially the burning feet.

I’m unsure, but I still think this could be a B-12 problem. My docs are less convinced. Would appreciate any thoughts/insights, and hearing of others’ experiences that involve both cranial nerves and feet/legs.

Many thanks!

[mrsD]

Welcome to NeuroTalk.

I'd ask you to go back to July and think what you were doing then?

Did you have a virus? Did you take RX drugs for anything? Antibiotics, Cholesterol lowering drugs?

Were you exposed to anything in your home or work?

B12 is only one player in nerve maintenance. Omega-3's are also involved. Also B6 and folate. If you have the MTHFR mutation you won't be methylating folic acid properly either. So methylfolate should be on your supplement list.

You might have to look to your diet... do a trial of gluten free to see if gluten is triggering you. There are other foods to think about...like the nightshade family, dairy, etc.

Do you consume alot of restaurant food? MSG is a powerful trigger in restaurant foods. Sugar consumption? Cutting back severely on sugar and high glycemic foods like white bread, rice, may help.

Have you had your Vit D tested? Low D is very common these days and needs addressing.

These are some starting points.

Can you share with us exactly and how much you are taking of other supplements?