[zeeclass6]

Mrs. D, thank you for all your knowledge!

I suppose if I take a Zantac once in a while, or only for a few straight days, it will be OK as long as I keep on top of taking the B-12 in the morning.

Approx. 5 years ago I was on a PPI drug for several months. My doctor never mentioned the B-12 thing to me. That might have been when my B-12 problem began. I understand it so much better now....I was on Augmentin for a bronchial and sinus infection, and afterward developed horrible reflux. Tested negative for H. Pylori. Went on Aciphex. Had an upper endoscopy, which was normal. Now looking back I understand that the antibiotic probably killed a bunch of of the good bacteria (despite me eating yogurt), and that is probably what caused the reflux in the first place. These days I refuse to take Augmentin unless it's absolutely necessary.

As a side note....I'd suffered with a lot of sinus infections and coughs. To make a long story short, years later I found out that I had a benign tumor in my sinuses! That was the cause of me getting so sick all the time (not allowing proper sinus drainage). Since the tumor was removed, I've been wonderfully normal....nowadays if I catch a cold, I recover in just a few days like a normal person and rarely develop a cough anymore!

I haven't seen full-fat kefir in any stores yet. Maybe my local health food store would have it. You reminded me that with lactose intolerance, lower fat dairy products make it worse. Which is why I don't have too much of a problem when I eat high fat premium ice cream!

I have been wondering whether my problem lately deals with milk protein versus lactose. The thing is, it seems that gastro doctors aren't well equipped to figure this out. If it can't be fixed with pharmceuticals or surgery, they seem to be clueless.

I'll seek out a higher fat kefir and try drinking it in smaller quantities. Everything I read about kefir says that it's very good for digestive problems and that it can actually cure lactose intolerance (or make it a lot better). Not really sure about the "curing" part, since the reason a person becomes intolerant is the lack of lactase enzyme. Maybe somehow the good bacteria restore that ability to produce the enzyme???

[mrsD]

I believe that the whole milk Kefir, is also lactose free (99%).
Their website at Lifeway gives lots of facts and I found it interesting.

My low fat type is so thick and rich, I can't imagine what the whole milk fat one would be like!

If you can get the organism balance in your GI tract more balanced you may not be dairy intolerant anymore. But there are people who are casein intolerant, but then ice cream would bother you!

Cow's milk contains casein and this can be allergenic in its own right. Lactose intolerance means you may have lost the enzyme that breaks down lactose. Lactose would then be fermented causing gas, bloating and diarrhea. So it can be confusing since both problems give similar symptoms.

[AlwaysLearning]

I found and bought some Jarrow Methyl B-12 at Natural Grocer/Vitamin Cottage in the Springs. They're across the street from Whole Foods, next to Petsmart. I think they had 1000mcg and 5000mcg. (An alternative to ordering online, if you're in the area....)

[deafmack]

I just joined this community and saw the thread on B12. I asked my doctor to test because I am on high levels of Metformin and I had read that Metformin can deplete the B12 levels in ones body. We tested and found out I was low. I started taking cyancobalamin and then changed over to Methylcobalimin. I then switched to Metanx a prescription form which has Methylcobalimin, Folic Acid and B6 which I take 2 times a day. I did not know I should take it on an empty stomach so will make that change starting tonight. My question is how long after I take the Metanx should I wait before eating?
Thanks for your reply.

[mrsD]

Originally Posted by deafmack

I just joined this community and saw the thread on B12. I asked my doctor to test because I am on high levels of Metformin and I had read that Metformin can deplete the B12 levels in ones body. We tested and found out I was low. I started taking cyancobalamin and then changed over to Methylcobalimin. I then switched to Metanx a prescription form which has Methylcobalimin, Folic Acid and B6 which I take 2 times a day. I did not know I should take it on an empty stomach so will make that change starting tonight. My question is how long after I take the Metanx should I wait before eating?
Thanks for your reply.

I'd wait an hour. For the sublingual types, you can chew those up and swallow with water...and I think it gets into the intestine faster. But a big solid tablet takes more time to dissolve.

The Metanx insert is very vague.
www.metanx.com/media/Metanx_PackageInsert.pdf

Does not elaborate as to the coating...on the tablet. Is it enteric coated to protect the P5P? If so it will take a long time to dissolve. There also are no directions regarding food.
Food impairs B12 absorption, because it relies on PASSIVE movement in the intestine.
This insert seems to focus on the methylfolate only.

So while Metanx appears to be a positive movement forward in treating deficiency...the product itself is promoted without regard to the needs of each ingredient.

This is a "medical food" and as such it does not have to conform to the FDA rules on drug pharmacokinetics, --meaning absorption, fate and distribution. The reason the insert focuses on methylfolate is that the FDA requires RX for folate 1 mg and over. The OTC B12 and P5P are therefore not addressed at all IMO.

Take a look at all the ingredients on that PDF... has to be the longest I've ever seen for an oral dosage form.

Ingredients:
Dibasic Calcium Phosphate Dihydrate, Microcrystalline Cellulose 90, Microcrystalline Cellulose HD 90, Pyridoxal-5´-
Phosphate, Opadry II Purple 40L10045 (Polydextrose, Titanium Dioxide, Hypromellose 3cP, Hypromellose 6cP, Glycerol
Triacetate, Hypromellose 50cP, FD&C Blue #2, FD&C Red #40, Polyglycol 800), Microcrystalline Cellulose 50, Opadry II
Clear Y-19-7483 (Hypromellose 6cP, Maltodextrin, Hypromellose 3cP, Polyglycol 400, Hypromellose 50cP), Lmethylfolate
Calcium, Magnesium Stearate, Methylcobalamin, and Carnauba Wax.

[deafmack]

**

Thanks for the information. I haven't read teh package insert because I have never seen it. Also I don't know if Metanx is enteric coated or not, but you do bring up some very good points.

[AlwaysLearning]

zeeclass6,
So Delicious has a cultured coconut milk drink and a cultured "yogurt" made from coconut milk. The drink has about 10 probiotics, as does kefir. I just learned of them a few days ago, and am going to town tomorrow or Saturday to pick some up. So Delicious' website is turtlemountain.com I think. I am on an elimination diet, and am really missing my daily yogurt, so I'm looking forward to the coconut substitute.

Originally Posted by zeeclass6

Mrs. D, thank you for all your knowledge!

I suppose if I take a Zantac once in a while, or only for a few straight days, it will be OK as long as I keep on top of taking the B-12 in the morning.

Approx. 5 years ago I was on a PPI drug for several months. My doctor never mentioned the B-12 thing to me. That might have been when my B-12 problem began. I understand it so much better now....I was on Augmentin for a bronchial and sinus infection, and afterward developed horrible reflux. Tested negative for H. Pylori. Went on Aciphex. Had an upper endoscopy, which was normal. Now looking back I understand that the antibiotic probably killed a bunch of of the good bacteria (despite me eating yogurt), and that is probably what caused the reflux in the first place. These days I refuse to take Augmentin unless it's absolutely necessary.

As a side note....I'd suffered with a lot of sinus infections and coughs. To make a long story short, years later I found out that I had a benign tumor in my sinuses! That was the cause of me getting so sick all the time (not allowing proper sinus drainage). Since the tumor was removed, I've been wonderfully normal....nowadays if I catch a cold, I recover in just a few days like a normal person and rarely develop a cough anymore!

I haven't seen full-fat kefir in any stores yet. Maybe my local health food store would have it. You reminded me that with lactose intolerance, lower fat dairy products make it worse. Which is why I don't have too much of a problem when I eat high fat premium ice cream!

I have been wondering whether my problem lately deals with milk protein versus lactose. The thing is, it seems that gastro doctors aren't well equipped to figure this out. If it can't be fixed with pharmceuticals or surgery, they seem to be clueless.

I'll seek out a higher fat kefir and try drinking it in smaller quantities. Everything I read about kefir says that it's very good for digestive problems and that it can actually cure lactose intolerance (or make it a lot better). Not really sure about the "curing" part, since the reason a person becomes intolerant is the lack of lactase enzyme. Maybe somehow the good bacteria restore that ability to produce the enzyme???

[zeeclass6]

Originally Posted by AlwaysLearning

zeeclass6,
So Delicious has a cultured coconut milk drink and a cultured "yogurt" made from coconut milk. The drink has about 10 probiotics, as does kefir. I just learned of them a few days ago, and am going to town tomorrow or Saturday to pick some up. So Delicious' website is turtlemountain.com I think. I am on an elimination diet, and am really missing my daily yogurt, so I'm looking forward to the coconut substitute.

THANK YOU for telling me this!!! I never would have thought to look for a product like that. I just went to their website and saw that their products are carried in the 3 major stores in my area. So tomorrow I'm going to try some yogurt made from coconut milk! It will be interesting to see whether I've been reacting to the critters in the kefir, or whether the milk/lactose/casein was the problem. I used to be able to eat yogurt and not take a lactaid pill and have no problem. But not anymore; now it gives me a problem, even with a lactaid pill. I would rather get the probiotics from a food than from a supplment, if possible.

[AlwaysLearning]

Hope you enjoy them and can tolerate them. I drank some of the unflavored and the chocolate cultured drink. Compared to the Lifeway Kefir, the unflavored So Delicious was a bit less tart, but enjoyable. The chocolate was very lumpy, but tasted as I expected. I called the company to make sure it was ok with the lumps, and they said yes, it was normal for the chocolate to be lumpy, because of the cocoa powder.

Originally Posted by zeeclass6

THANK YOU for telling me this!!!

[AlwaysLearning]

Forgot to add, I also found some cultured almond milk "yogurt".

Originally Posted by zeeclass6

THANK YOU for telling me this!!!