I think, Kate, that you would get better and faster improvement with oral B12.... 5mg orally each morning on an empty stomach (no food for 1 hr).

There are recent studies showing oral works, as long as it is used correctly. It works for me! Others here have posted success too.

Injections only stay in the serum for 72 hrs. Oral provides B12 daily and is similar to eating it in food. Our bodies are tuned to that oral route. You will want to get methylcobalamin form, for best results. This is not expensive, and you can find it at iherb.com or Puritan's Pride. (I tested out the Puritan's form recently and my blood work showed it worked wonderfully).

I would add magnesium to your list. Either SlowMag or a good chelate (like glycinate). Magnesium is critical for getting fats metabolized properly, including your fish oil.

Thank you! I have Methyl B12 1000 (Jarrow) that I take once a day. In order to reach the amount suggested here, do you agree taking 5 of these is sufficient or should I look for something different? Are you on pain meds as well?

Katie

Ok, did the conversion..guess I'd need a whole lot if I did it this way !

So, Im searching for a 5 mg version...do you have a suggestion for purchase and do you recommend capsule or lozenge?

Thanks!

The only pain meds I use are :
Tylenol
Aleve... I rotate these to reduce side effects...
And
tramadol for very bad nights.

I do use topical things, like Biofreeze more often. Salonpas patches, and sometimes Lidoderms.

If you are very low in B12... 5mg daily would be best for about 3 months, then have another test taken, and if you are high like I am you can reduce. If you are not really low in B12 but just want more, the 1mg should be enough. Be sure to take on an empty stomach, as food messes up the absorption orally.

In people with no intrinsic factor, the oral which is about 500 times stronger than food, will be passively absorbed in 1-10% amounts. The RDA for B12 is 2-4 micrograms, when intrinsic factor is working properly.

Puritan's just offered methyl B12, so I bought some and took for 3 months before my last test. I typically hover around 800 normally. With 5mg daily I tested out at 1999 (which I believe is the max the test can do).

Hi Mrs D.,

I just went through my records and found that my B12 is 550(prior to taking any B vitamins), and B1 plasma is 15. With levels like this, is it likely Vitamin B is not the culprit here? And if B is not the culprit, can it still help in healing?

Katie

On my B12 thread, I have a copy and link to Dr. Snow's article.

This research article has changed the way doctors should view B12 issues in people.

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post698522-70.html

He states in that article that some few people will test out at 400 or close to and still have neuro issues. He recommends taking the B12 anyway for those patients.

You know there is a transporter to the CNS that moves B12 from the serum to the brain and spinal cord. That could not be working properly. Also people tend to store B12 in the liver, so if that is overactive it would pull B12 out of the serum making it unavailable to other sites. So there may be factors what exist in some people that just require higher levels.

Dr. Snow states that B12 is so inexpensive and benign it is not sensible to withhold it when neurological symptoms are present.

I really don't think the sublingual is very efficient. You end up swallowing the dissolved B12 in your saliva. The B12 molecule is huge and not easily passed thru membranes.

So most are sublingual...I just chew them and swallow them.

But one to avoid is "extended release".

There is a new one coming which I expect to be more expensive.
If you find this please let us know about it:
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/m.../ai_n30959773/

I expected it here by now...

When my B12 was tested it was about 4 months after the neuropathy had started to turn to pain. In order to stop the neuropathy, i went on ridiculous amounts of antibiotics and remian on them today(oral VS IV now however). They may have prevented the neuropathy from healing if they soaked up the B12 I had. I am going to request another look and will stay on them as Dr. Snow mentions. I have other neuro problems as well so at this point, why not?!

I recently had heavy metals testing done(not sure how reliable the testing is) and I came back high for mercury, lead and gadolidium. The integrative doc I see naturally feels I should chelate (orally not with IV) and of course get all my mercury fillings out !! I have read that mercury can cause neuropathy so of course it peaks my interest but I was wondering if you've got an opinion on metals and/or if you have any valid articles to point my to?

Lastly, I'm preplexed over the neurontin. I understand I should never stop with out counsel from my doc but i doubt he would ever advise it since it's all he's got to offer(plus IVIG). I have such pain in my feet w/out it, I don't know how I could survive. When it's doing it's job, I feel nothing! Bear in mind I am still fighting a ton of other issues from the lyme so the relief is MORE then welcome. However- I HATE HATE HATE being on pain meds like this and know that my body prob can't tolerate going up much higher then I already am-3600. How do people like yourself survive the pain? Or, has your pain loevel decreased to where it's "tolerable?" I know you listed your meds but none of them are real big guns, w/ the exception of the ocassional Tramadol. In additon to the Neurontin Im on 150 of Trileptal and .05 of Ativan for sleep at night. If I were to come off and truly gage the pain(as of right now when I break thru the meds the pain is round the clock with no trigger-it just "is") are these meds the type one could get back on with the same efficacy?

Sorry for the long reply!

Kate

My most severe pain was when I was hypothyroid.

I just have that "endurance" personality!

I only used pain opiates one day after my 15in long C-section, too. Opiates make me very depressed and sick feeling.

I also use high gauss magnets at times. But not every day.
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/sh...hlight=magnets
Magnets work best when placed over the offending nerve before it gets the the spine. I use the graphics mentioned on that thread to help with placement. Same idea as with Lidoderms.

I've been using d-ribose, to increase mitochondrial functions and it also helps me sleep better. This then translates to less pain.

But remember I have been on many supplements for a decade.
This helps too.

I believe the Vit D3 has been especially useful.

My PN is of the burning type, when active. I control it now by avoiding nightshade veggies and MSG which really trigger it.
Biofreeze really helps with burning.

Some people have food intolerances which make for more issues. So you may have to do an elimination diet to see if you are triggered by gluten, nightshade, citrus, or dairy.