Vitamin B12 levels
 

Hi all,I have question regarding B12 levels. I have just been to the doctors and he has told me that my B12 levels are too high. He said the normal range is up to 900 and mine is 1109. He told me to stop taking my b-right capsules as too higher level is not good for you. Should I stop taking the b-right capsules and let my levels drop? What is the danger in having high B12 levels? Thanks for reading.

Obviously your doctor does not know much about B12.

Do you know (and does he know) that the ranges used for testing are based on statistics? That is, people are tested in a group and the ranges are taken from that. (they are considered normal "healthy" people--which they may not be.)
There are no studies showing that higher B12 levels are harmful to anyone. Normal people who do not take supplements are not going to show high levels either.
Many people who see benefits from B12 supplements have readings of 2000 or higher.

There are no studies showing an upper limit of toxicity for B12.

Is this what you are taking?
http://www.iherb.com/ProductDetails.aspx?c=1&pid=110
If so it doesn't have much in it to worry about. The B12 level in it is only 100mcg.

In other countries (Japan for example) anyone lower than 500 is treated with supplements. In fact your levels are rather low considering you are supplementing..
http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders...n_b12/faq.html

http://www.labtestsonline.org/unders..._b12/test.html

I'd suggest you do some Googling, and print out stuff for your doctor to read. He needs some updating.

Hi MrsD thanks for replying. Yes those are the b complex that I am taking. Why would my levels be so high if I am only taking 100mcg? I was taking 5mg methyl b12 but that was last year and I haven't taken them for months and months.

Well, when I had my B12 done a few years ago, when I was NOT taking supplements it was 849.

Your level doesn't strike me as high. Just above the normal range. You could have been much higher and it has come down some if you were using 5mg/day previously. You may just be on the way down.

The B-right is not alarming at all, and 100mcg is below what is used to treat frank deficiency.

I wouldn't worry about it, and I'd ignore the doctor on this one. If you feel well, then just continue what you are doing.
(as long as you have normal kidney functions).

I really am not a fan of doctors who falsely alarm their patients when they don't know what they are talking about.
Sounds like yours is just blindly used to following lab ranges for other things, and has generalized the mental job to include alarming responses to an unalarming situation.
Most doctors don't have a clue about nutrients and testing.
Sounds like yours is one of those.

Look at this one from Quest---
http://www.questdiagnostics.com/kbas...20/results.htm
160 considered normal? Blech! :vomit:

With many vitamin and mineral (esp magnesium) testing, it is the DEFICIENCY that is the
major target looked at. Interpreting them is not always accurate for others.

My B12 level was 1237, and now I am taking more B12 then when the level was done, and I came back at 1013...none of my doctors have told me it's too high. I wouldn't worry about your B12 level, like MrsD says, lots of people are a lot higher than that!!!

Hi. Mine was 2000 and that was after I stopped b complex before it was 1500. I have no idea I think sometimes blood work can be off. My doc said the same thing as you.

To High B 12 can give you pins and needles symptoms.

I did not know about the pins and needles...

How high is to high? I thought that once your body had obsorbed what it needed the rest was eliminated. Am I mistaken? When I developed PN back in May my B12 was 879 I think...it was in the high 800s. Since that time I have been taking 5mgs methyl a day. Do I need to back off the B12?

I have never found any evidence--
 

--that very high levels of B12 can cause true nerve parastheses (pins and needles), though often the energizing effect of sudden large influxes of B12 can seem that way.

There have been cases of peopel reacting to additive in B12 supplements, though. In my case, it was sorbitol. One has to be careful of what the B12 is combined with. (Once I figured it out and stopped taking a sorbitol-containing brand, the effects dissipated.)

Now large doses of B6 (pyridoxine) taken over a period of time, that can have neurtoxic effects in some susceptible people:

http://neuromuscular.wustl.edu/nothe...yridoxineintox

I currently take 1000mcg (1 mg) methylcobalamin each day, primarily as a nerve protectant, considering my idiopathic acute onset full-body burning neuropathy history, and my current cervical spine radiculopathy. My last B12test was 1864 (and I'm probably due for another one, but I imagine it would be somewhere around there again).

As far as I know, B12 has no known toxicity level, Unlike other B-vitamins, there is a substantial bodily ability to store extra, primarily in the liver, though after a certain point excess will be excreted. But there have been some studies, particularly in Japan, in which subjects were given up to 36,000mcg (36mg)/day without ill effects.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I know that my B12 level was around 450 in June 2007 and I had another test earlier this year (can't remember which month) and the result showed 1200. I read somewhere that liver problems can sometimes be the cause of high B12 levels. I guess the only way to tell is to stop B12 supplements for a few months and get tested again...

If you've been taking 1000-2000mcg B12, daily, the last test scores of 1200 are about right-what would be expected with B12 supplementation.
450 is a bit low. Bottom line is now about 600. Anything under that is suspect for deficiency, and possible cause..... of PN.

My last B-12 level test showed me having a B-12 level of 2000. And my doctor's office didn't seem to think that was too high because no one called me up on that.

Ever since I began the Methyl B-12, I have had virtually no burning, no pins and needles, NOTHING.

I would not stop my B-12 for ANYTHING!!!

melody

High levels of B-6 can cause pins and needles as described which is neuropathy. B-12 has no known toxic level or sides that I've been able to find.

Its my understanding that it takes a long while for the B12 levels to come down after stopping a B12 suppliment.
The liver stores B12 for quite a while.
What is not regularly used is excreted thru the urine, similar to excess Vit C dosages.
My doc has to note to the lab, that I take a B12 suppliment, or my tests come back as a 'flag' that my levels are 'abnormally' high.
As a matter of fact, my levels, while taking B12 suppliment-
are between 1200 & 1500. Not excessively high, but higher than 'normal'.

I have seen on the net...
 

a while ago a post from a lab tech...who claimed that the instruments that test B12 cannot read above 2000.

If that is true, then, a reading of 2000 may not be accurate.
It may in truth be higher.

I really must say, I would NOT discontinue B12 just because of a reading of 1100 (when you know you are taking supplements).

A high reading without supplements may indicate some disease state, and that is all that upper range is good for IMO.
There has never been any reports of B12 toxicity (except for the rare cyano folks who cannot process the cyanide portion of the synthetic version).

And who is it, Rose? That has the B-12 site? States that people with PN should have higher levels of B-12...cause for many of us what's a normal healthy level is higher than what is considered "normal values" for people without PN.

Mrs D can you tell me what type of disease could be a sign of high b12 numbers if not on supplements for that and ones diet does not contain huge amount of animal products?Or is that unknown or hard to say?
Random on tlc they have medical mysteries there was a lady who was ill for 10 years and no one ever tested her for b12. Her life had stopped from the nerve issues she was having. Finally she saw a doc on tv who dx her with b12and anemia I think. Even if she had taken the oral it would not absorb so she needed injections. With in a few weeks she felt like a new person. She will always have some lack of balance from the years of being without.

People with leukemia or other blood disorders, liver problems or massive intestinal bacteria overgrowth may show elevated
B12 levels, when NO supplements are being used.

It is not common.

I've learned a lot about B12 deficiency during the past few months so I thought I'd just add a tidbit here that I came across....info on this subject is hard to find.

Your body is very efficient at storing B12, as long as there is no medical issue preventing from doing so. The amount of B12 needed each day is actually quite low, and if you stopped getting any it would take somewhere around 4 years for your body to run out. That's for someone with normal levels and no medical interference.

One year ago I became extremely ill after months of going downhill. I won't get into the hell I entered, but it wasn't until it had reached a very dangerous stage that it was finally discovered that my B12 level was 96. Yes, 96. :shocked: At the same time, it was also discovered that my iron level was just as dangerously low and I also had a vitamin D deficiency. Yep, it was a pretty ugly situation. I'm much better now, but still in recovery.

low b12
 

Low b12 is awful to live with. Mine currently is 83. Mine is due to intestinal problems that do not alow me to absorb b12. I am allergic to the soloution they mix with the b12 injections and we just lost the battle with the insurance company to pay for the b12 nasal spray.

I am too exhausted to be frustrated...The symptoms are incredible...chest pain, shortness of breath, focusing, aching, and these are just to mention a few...

Loosing the b12 battle!!:confused:

compounding pharmacy
 

You can have your doctor write an RX for methylcobalamin
injections to be made up for you. Then you can specify the
mixing solution to avoid whatever is in the cyano form.

Or you can buy the patch that is online. (I don't know in reality if these work...since the company who makes them tends to spam them on the net, but if you are in a truly bad place, then
they are an option).

Most people who cannot absorb B12 from food, do absorb it
passively in the small intestine, if ENOUGH is given. You'd need 5mg a day on an empty stomach (food reduces absorption) to
accomplish that.

Yes, it is Rose (Fuhrman?).
When my 'puter crashed, I lost the URL,
maybe someone else has it.
This may be it:
http://winoverpn.com/rose.html

Correction......... Rose's site is
http://roseannster.googlepages.com/home

It probably is somewhere in the 'stickies'
but I didn't have the patience to find it.

So, I emailed her, and she graciously sent me the correct url.

rose's
 

website is in her signature here too. If you go to memberlist
and look her up. (click on "about me")

Low B12
 

I wish I could borrow a little of your B12...mine is 82 and dropping...

Got a copy of my blood work in the mail today. My B12 level at the time of the test, taken about a month after being stricken with PN was 690. I know that is considered normal by many doctors, but is that really OK?

I can't imagine a doctor telling a person that their B-12 level is too high. That doctor knows absolutely NOTHING about neuropathy and B-12.

I take 5000 of the Methyl B-12 every single morning sub lingually. I've been doing this for about 2 years now (ever since I was diagnosed with diabetic neuropathy). I had the burning, the pins and the buzzing. Drove me crazy. I immediately went on the methy 12. I went from 1000 to 5000 after 1 week. I knew I needed it.

To say it has changed me is putting it mildly. It has rejuvenated me. My last testing level was 2000. My doctor didn't even blink because he knows me and what I am on.

He's a body builder and knows all about vitamins. I ran every thing by him. He's also my husband's doctor. He knows I grow my own sprouts, and I make home-made yogurt and he's completely supportive.

He is also very supportive of the vitamins and supplements that I take. I wanted him to know first hand what I take because I have spoken to other doctors, who, when I told them about B-12, looked at me like I was a lunatic and said the following words (I'll never forget them).

"You take B-12???, WHY I WOULD NEVER PRESCRIBE B-12 FOR ANYONE WHO WASN'T ANEMIC".

I will never forget that doctor if I live to be 100.

I told his partner what he said. His partner said "yeah, he's from the old school".

This guy is NOT my primary care physican.

My primary care physician is the best. He listens and he respects us. We can ask him any question about ANYTHING.

And he even hugged me when I went there to pick up samples of Alan's meds.

I am always surprised at how different physicians can be. It's amazing.

Melody

Mel....your PCP is a physician, his partner is only a doctor

one thing...
 

The level in the 600's is above the cut off that is used in other countries for B12 supplements. It is considered higher in US, but then we are very behind in this subject. Many doctors will still tell people in the 200's that they are "fine" or "normal".

If rose were here, this is what she'd say: (I have read her for about 10 yrs, and have seen this question often).

"One person's 600 is not the same as another's."

There is no way to know if the number is going up or coming down, unless you have testing done every 3 to 6 months.
One person may have no symptoms at 600... another may have many symptoms at 600.

When people show up HERE, with puzzling symptoms that defy logic, we have to assume that that person is unique in some way and responding this way. So perhaps the person coming here has a genetic need for higher blood levels of the substance being measured. Dr. Bruce Ames believes that people all vary in their genetic use of the B-complex family. And that eventually genetic testing will be accurate enough to illuminate their specific needs.

So while a number in the 600 range looks good, it is only telling us that it is not extremely low. It doesn't tell us what range YOU need to feel better.

Pabb:

Just to clarify. The guy who said the stuff about the B-12, is not connected in any way to my primary care guy.

This was another office with two guys working. Let's say this was a urologist office with 2 doctors. One of them said the stuff about the b-12. The OTHER GUY was the one who said "he's old school".

Nice guys, nice docs, but two completely different opinions about b-12.

One of the docs would ask you as you came in the door "would you like a complimentary B-12 shot". So I always said "sure, why not".

When I went to a visit and THE OTHER GUY WAS THERE, I simply said "where's my complimentary b-12 shot?" and that's when he replied:

"B-12, I would NEVER give anyone B-12 unless they are severely anemic", Oh, I forgot to mention that he also said:

"B-12 is absolutely not necessary and you don't need it".

Good Lord.

Just wanted to straighten out who was who.

My (and Alan's) PCP is Dr. Fred. We adore him.

Melody

Mine is 260. Supposed to be ok, but when my sfn stays idiopathic, I want to ask my neuro for trying B12-shots for a few months. Just to be sure that it has nothing to do with it.

260 is definitely too low-- that is if your lab scales are the same as the rest of the world.

Yours is 260??? and mine is 2000!!!!

And my PN doesn't bother me since I've been taking it???

My dear, get thee to a place that sells Methyl B-12 and start taking some.

You will be very glad you did.

You might not get the same results I got, but at least it will raise that 260 to something much better.

And your cells will love it. You'll have more energy also.

Melody

Vitamin B12 levels
 

I came across this thread and thought I'd add my two cents. This post is a repeat from another thread. It seemed appropriate here also. I hope my experience can help someone. Please feel free to question or respond.
You are not alone. You are not crazy. If you have B12 deficiency and are just starting injections, be patient! IT TAKES TIME! I know you wanted to feel better yesterday or last year. I know you want to eat a regular meal and not suffer. I know you want to wake up and feel strong and alert. I know you want to be pain free. I know you want your eyes to work properly. I know you want to stop feeling like you want to jump out of your skin, or lash out at someone. I know you want to be able to walk without feeling vertigo or stumbling
against the wall. I know you want the depression to go away.
If your B12 level is under 300 and your doctor is not giving you injections, get another doctor! If your doctor wont check your level, get one that will!
A good level is 500 or higher. 300 or lower causes neurophyciatric symptoms! Brain symptoms! If this sounds like you call your doctor tomorrow! Again, you are not alone!
This is what happened to me:
Oct 2003 start Now I know everyone is different,so you may have some or all of these symptoms. Get ready, there are a lot of them. First off was a bloated, full feeling after dinner. Only dinner. That lasted for a while then progressed to every meal along with gastritis. It worsened slowly then added chest pain with it. I then started to get weaker and tired more. I knew this was not normal for me. I am a hard working, fit, 50 year old female. I usually run circles around my teenagers. This slowly progressed until one night in May 2004. I was getting scared about the chest pain and dizziness I was feeling. I went to the ER. I was put on heart monitors and evaluated. I went home with a script for carafate(stomach coater) and blood work. I followed up with regular doctor whose 1st response was "why so many tests?" I explained how I'd been feeling and he gave me a script for antibiotics(UTI), and an acid reducer(Prevacid). I said "what about my chest pain?" He said "The antibiotics should take care of that". WOW! I might be blonde and female, but I'm not stupid! I was back in the ER the next month (June 2004) with the same symptoms, but worse. Doctors thought chest pain was costalcondritis. Still had UTI. No recheck. This round of antibiotics worked on UTI only. Had stress test, results negative.
In March of 2005 still getting worse. Doctor ordered Upper endescope and GI. Results were excessive stomach acid, mild acid reflux and hiatal hernia (small). We did more blood work. Nothing! Still on acid reducers. Gradually other symptoms started to appear. I called doctor more often and made no headway with him. All he did was prescribe muscle relaxers and antidepressents! Ever try amitryptalene? Put me out a couple of days. Doctor usless never heard me when I said I dont want anything thats going to make me feel groggier! Only tried those meds once. Threw the rest out. The only other test Dr. Usless tried was a gallbladder scan. Negative
I was losing weight. Tried to eat something from the 4 food groups to keep strength up. This was my diet for over a year. Boiled chicken, potatoes, carrots, toast and a can of ensure. Anything that digested easily. Earlier I was eating pudding, milkshakes, icecream, soft food. Doctor usless never told me dairy was out with stomach acid problems! I also lost hunger pang feeling. That took a year to come back.
More symptoms: Weakness: all over (especially in arms, legs and hands. Arms felt like wet noodles and hands had slight tremor all the time. Walking: stumbled frequently (no I dont drink) walls are my friend and I still have that problem. If I took a walk (tried twice a day) afterwards my legs would have spasms the whole length. Palpatations under the skin, especially in calf area.
Muscle spasms: in arms and restless legs ( still have restless legs)
Eyes: Stys, not focusing correctly, light sensitive, right pupil enlarged(freaky) and I saw blue flash out of the corner of my eye. Nobody ever explained that one! Checked and no diseases
Light headed: vertigo, just not alert, felt high everyday.
Nauseated: everyday, strong odors like bus, smoke or gasoline made me worse
Cold all the time, not chills, just cold
Bladder: frequency and incontinent also UTI
Weight loss: Went from 5'6 130 lbs to 115lbs, way too skinny
Short term memory: terrible and doctors blow it off
Speaking: hard to get words out and make sense
Skin: sensative, hurt when itching self
Shock feeling: back of neck (scary) felt like cattle prod might feel
Heart: palpatations always at night in bed
Pain: in places I never felt it before. back and neck, burning, stabbing pain Doctor says, your not getting any younger you know. I say its not normal, I know my body!
Muscles: soreness..shoulders, neck and back
Depression: set in slowly..very irratable to family members. Jumpy, edgy and nervous. All totally not me. Have never been prone to depression.
I ended off work on disability. Dr. Usless did nothing more to help me. I kept calling and he finally said when are you going back to work? I said I'm not better! He gave me one week. I had to go because of disability. I lasted one week and was back in ER. They gave me some stomach concoction and another stress test (neg). Dr. Usless said I had him stumped. NO referral NO NOTHING.
OK then. I'm home, very ill, know this doc is a quack, so I need a new course of action. I feel alone, scared and frustrated. I have a job I can't do, a family and house to take care of and all of us are worried. First stop is a stomach specialist. A woman! Dr. Mary listened and tried a few meds. Some masked, but didn't take care of the problem (severe gastritis). My stomach hurt with whatever I ate. It didn't matter if I ate boiled chicken or a hot chicken wing! Same results. I researched and thought I had H-Pylori (stomach bacterial inf.) We tried prev-pac (2 antibiotics and prevacid combo) WOW it worked! Guess what? A month later it was back. Tried it again. It worked for a while and came back again. I think it just helped calm the inflamation going on in there. 3rd try of prev-pac did not work. Dr. Mary would take my chart home and ponder.(at least she was trying) I also tried rhumatologist and endacronologist. All testing neg. I have an aunt on dads side with rhum arth. I decided to try a doc here who I knew did stomach surgery, like gast. bypass. I thought he might have an idea about my problem. He ordered a gallbladder scan. Came back positive. I cried because I thought this was finally the answer. The boiled food diet I was on I was putting through the blender by then. Yuk! I entered surgery with thoughts of pizza, breyers vanilla with peach schnapps drizzled on top and lobster. Within a week of surgery I was way worse. Could not believe it. Dr. Mary suggested I get an MRI on my brain. Called new regular doctor (also a woman) Dr. Michele and she ordered one. My tests came back and showed unspecified areas. She referred me to Dr. Peter a neurologist. OK now i was really scared! Dr Michele was kind of leaning to MS. I have an aunt on dads side with MS. I tried not to freak out until I talked to Dr. Peter. I wanted to be told something. Put a name to all this! I just did not want a death sentance. I have a sweet and caring husband, and 4 kids. My youngest 14. What would happen to all of them without me? Many times I thought the worst. Please God no MS.
My appointment with Dr. Peter was long and exhausting. He tested me and we talked. He assured me that the leisions were not MS (HUGE SIGH OF RELIEF) He also told me he would not abandon me. He would figure this out! He ordered bloodwork. I cried because it was a relief to find a doc that was sincerely concerned. My second visit he ordered a lumbar puncture. I agreed. In the meantime, I'm reading a column in the paper. A doctor question and answer column. It's called Dr. Gott. Someone asked about B12. He gave a few symptoms(research only gives a few also). I showed my husband and he said to call the doc. Dr. Michele ordered it and it came back low. I started injections in 2006. I asked Dr. Peter if we could put off the lumbar puncture. He said yes, but wanted to monitor me along with the shots. This took a lot of patience. I had shots for 6 months before I felt anything! It took almost 2 years to heal along with physcial therapy to get my body going again. I was a mess!
Its a slow comeback, but it is a comeback! I still have stomach upset once in a while. My eyes will never be the same. The pain is my biggest beef. Im back to work and do too much, like the old me. I'm OK with that, and I deal with the pain by keeping busy. No meds, Do not want any. Stomach can not tolerate them anyway.
If I did not see Dr. Gotts article I'd probably be dead. I'm happy I'm alive, and pretty much well. If this is as good as I get, I can deal. I found out after the fact that my Dads Dad had pernicious anemia. Inherited?
My regular Dr. now screens all patients at their physcial for B12 because of me.
I highly recommend the book "Could it be B12" to anyone suffering with this problem. The woman who inspired it lives in my neighborhood.
A few months after starting injections, I tried sublingual B12. My level jumped right up. Try it. I still do both and feel good when my level is 600 or higher.
I have been looking at a few different sites on Pernicious Anemia/B12 deficiency and think I need to change to MethylB12. I've been on cyanoB12 all along. Did'nt know there was an alternative. Sounds like I could benefit from the change as I still have lingering neuro symptoms that could be helped by the change. Good luck to all

Hi Cindy:

Your post was the most moving and interesting post I have ever read. Because you know that B-12 is helping you, (and because you know you've been on the slow dosing cyanocobalimin), go to iherb.com and type in Methyl b-12.

Get the Jarrows 5000.

Saved my life, believe me.

Take care,

Melody

B12 Levels
 

To MelodyL:
Thankyou for the reply. I've only been able to research properly since xmas. Finally received a computer. Sure wished I'd had one a few years ago. I have many questions for you!!! I'll start slow. I have my neuro doc. looking into the MethylB12 for me. I have an appt. with him on Feb. 24, which is when we will discuss this. I'm confused on level to start. What to add and when. Is there a list of the other co-factors etc. that I could get. I don't have most of the bad symptoms anymore. Do I still need all the co-factors and showstoppers I read about. My lingering symptoms are: joint pain, muscle pain, slight imbalance, stomach gastritis comes and goes and is infrequent and eyesight is still bad. What is your story. Is there a post I could go to to read about you? I'm not very versed in vitamin treatment. I do take a multi, zinc, calcium/D, fish oil, C, E, and Folate. Any help would be appreciated.

The best thing for you to do is go to the top of these threads (where it says SEARCH), and type in Methyl B-12.

There you will find ALL POSTINGS about this supplement. You'll find me there too!!!

My story is quite easy to tell. I was diabetic for 20 years, did not watch anything I was supposed to watch and I developed diabetic neuropathy about two years ago. Because I knew all about Methyl B-12 (from going on these forums), I immediately knew what I had to do.

I started taking the 1000 of the Jarrows formula. Within one week I knew I had to go on the 5000. I tried other brands. They did not do for me what the Jarrows 5000 did.

Stopped the burning in its tracks. And I mean, burning, buzzing, etc.

I also got real about my diet and I watch it like a hawk. My diabetic doctor will say "it's because you are controlling your sugar, that's why you have no symptoms of the neuropathy". I disagree.

You see doctors (and I love my diabetic doctor), but they really are not trained in nutrition.

I had gone to a nutritionist years ago. I got my diet under control 4 years ago but I really kicked it into high gear this year when I started to grow my own sprouts (which are full of anti-oxidants).

It's just something I enjoy doing. And I get to eat what I grow, and me and my husband feel soooo much better after eating this way.

We go to the bathroom every day (that in itself is a BONUS), believe me.

When you clean out your gut, you can face the day. When you are all backed up, well, you don't walk around smiling.

From what I've read, there are absolutely no side effects from taking the dosage I'm taking. None whatsoever. Because even though I am taking 5000 each morning, I have read that only a fraction actually gets into my blood stream.

methyl B-12 needs intrinsic factor (it's in the stomach), to make it absorbable. Read up on this and you'll understand it all.

I wouldn't count on your physician to be all gung ho and say "oh, wow, you want to go on Methyl b-12.".

They don't do this. They just look at you like you are crazy and give you pills.

I for one, don't want to be on any more meds.

My goal is to be off ALL my meds someday. Might not happen.

Then again, it just might happen.

I can tell you one thing.

The eating plan that we are using in this house, WORKS WONDERS!!!

And because I take the Methyl b-12, I have energy to do what I need to do.

I also walk as often as I can. Good for the muscles, and nerves.

Gets the blood going.

If you can't do this, then sit down and try and do some light weights. (I do 3 lb weights).

It's a no brainer.

If we don't move, eventually WE CAN'T MOVE.

That's why, at my age (61), I try and move as often as I can.

And the fish oil I take has helped tremendously with inflammation in my body.

I'm a big believer in all this.

I never was before.

I just took my oral meds (now this was YEARS ago), and I thought I could eat whatever I wanted.

I self medicated with food. I no longer do this. I guess I just got scared enough to make a change.

Not easy, this I can tell you.

But it's a part of me now, and I don't think I could eat any other way.

I like my salads, my extra virgin olive oil, my greens, and my sprouts.

And I eat fish. i love salmon, and tuna.

I keep away from the carbs.

I eat my protein.

and I take my supplements.

I take Vitamin D, fish oil, magnesium, chromium picolinate, B-complex, Methyl B-12 and probably others that I can't remember ...lol

I have them all ready in the morning when I get up.

I take the methyl b-12 immediately when I get up (on an empty stomach),

So do the best you can.

Read up on the Methyl b-12.

I wish you much success.

Melody
And you can pm me any time you wish.

I am having some computer problems lately so if I don't answer right away, don't think I don't check my email. I check in every day, but sometimes we get viruses and I have to get rid of them, and reboot and sometimes, I want to take a hammer and kill my computer. lol

I know the discussion about B12. Unfortunately in my hospital there is a minimum level of 150 and I am 'lots' above that. I already thought by myself, when they don't find a cause for my sfn, I will ask/beg for a B12 treatment. Here the problem is, that your doctor has to agree with you for getting the injections, you cannot buy them by yourself. Or you have to be rich and I am not :(

you don't need injections. You can do oral by yourself.

Many non-American people visit these boards and self medicate.

iherb.com ships to Netherlands. You may have an import quota,
because of Codex. That you would have to research a bit.

http://www.iherb.com/info/shipping/International.aspx

Oral daily has been shown as effective as injectable in medical studies.

I hate to say this, but a cut off of 150 in your country is archaic.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/20030301/979.html
Given that B12 is benign and has little or NO potential for causing harm, hesitating to use it
when frank neurological symptoms are present, is a poor decision, IMO.

B12 Levels
 

Thanks MELODYL! I am healed enough that I can do most everything I always have. I just deal w the pain. I work as a designer in a flower shop. Everyone thinks its a fu fu job. Most people haven't a clue how physcial this job is. Lots of lifting, lugging and twisting motions. Fill a 5 gallon bucket up about halfway and lug that around w you all day long. In the summer, I do that, and I am a landscape designer on the side. Also all physcial work. (love it all tho.) I'm a very outdoorsy (that a word?!) type lady. I have to stay moving to deal with body. I have a question for anyone that might have an answer: Has anyone been on cyanoB12 for years, healed pretty much, and then changed to MethylB12? Did you reverse to old symptoms? Did you feel better? How long did it take before you felt anything? Any reactions, good or bad? I'm very curious, as I don't see this discussed so far. Still reading and asking questions at this point.