Some help

[Shonkie]

While not a cure I have found that vitamin B12 helps. My feet are less painful since I started taking it in spite of not really believing in it!

[KittyJ]

That’s good that it’s helped you as long as you checked with your doctors it was ok to take with your other meds? Relief from pain is a joy 😊

[Fruitandnutcase]

Have you tested your B12 levels to see if you need to take it?

[Shonkie in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

I have lots of blood tests but no idea how to read my B12 level.

[Fruitandnutcase]

It should be listed somewhere if you have had it done. I use Medichecks to do my own home fingerpick testing for that sort of thing - much easier than trying to persuade my doctors to do it.

You could check with your pharmacist that it is ok to take with your other meds.

[Shonkie in reply to Fruitandnutcase]

Good idea, as i take a low dose I have rather taken it for granted that is OK. Our local pharmacy is very good.

[AgedCrone in reply to Shonkie]

Whilst on any prescription drugs you should never decide to add anything …… even vitamins- especially if you don’t need them….can react with your prescribed drugs & really mess things up

I know it can be difficult…but with RA you should always run things by your rheumy nurse before taking anything extra,

[helenlw7]

I have vitamin B12 deficiency and have been having two monthly injections for three years, and they’ve not done anything for my painful feet!

[medway-lady in reply to helenlw7]

I also have injections and don’t they hurt!

[helenlw7 in reply to medway-lady]

They don’t!

[Runrig01]

As agedcrone says you really need to check with your pharmacist that these are ok to take. Many supplements use the same enzyme to metabolise, as the meds we take. . This can result in enhancing or inhibiting the metabolism of your meds, which can result in toxic levels, or insufficient levels, if your meds, where it doesn’t reach therapeutic levels.

I took a high quality turmeric, that is only available on prescription in Australia. I knew you couldn’t take with warfarin, but the person selling it, assured me it was fine with clopidogrel, an antiplatlet. I ended up covered in bruises, where the clopidogrel levels were too high. So I always do my own research now and speak with pharmacist or rheumatologist. .

[medway-lady in reply to Runrig01]

I have a hot line to a Renal Pharmacist to check all new medications as it’s suprising what effects different things. And a long list of foods to avoid. lol x

[BonnieG123]

I asked my doctor to check my B12 levels and she said insurance won’t cover it. I’m not sure I understand that. But I’ve been taking B12 for many years I feel like I need more as my fatigue level is high But my feet hurt even though I’m on the B12 Sometimes I feel it’s all a guessing game Best wishes that your B12 continues to help you

[Stills]

in the 33 pages of the colonoscopy preparation pack there is a paragraph on supplements/vitamins that must be avoided 7 days prior to the procedure. B12 is among many listed as not to be taken as it skews results. You’ll be aware of this no doubt but worth a share just in case for other readers.

If it works for your feet let me know as mine are agony and I’m waiting for a guided steroid injection still.

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

How as a colonoscopy is a camera?

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

Perhaps my post is badly worded it meant to say ahead of my colonoscopy I was told to stop all vitamins and supplements 7 days prior to the procedure, I assume this is so one’s insides appear usual and not affected by colours or dyes from fillers in vitamins or supplements but it doesn’t say why.

The steroid injection I’m waiting for is in the fused big toe joint caused by RA.

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

I hope it works I had my foot straightened a few years and the broke my toes to enable them to be straightened. It worked really well. I had a colonoscopy last year and was told to take stuff as normal so these things are always subject to change but no one seems to know why! X

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

If you have Morton’s Neuromas which are helped with steriod injections then B12 can’t help. As a Neuroma is a non malignant growth on a nerve. Sometimes people with Pernicous Aenemia get painful feet but the amount of B12 used to treat it is much larger than that bought OTCin the UK which is classed as a foodstuff. And is injected. I’m sorry but this is puzzling and I’d be very worried if low B12 wasn’t tested especially with symptoms which include extreme fatigue, dizziness, feeling the cold etc. I’d. Urge anyone to ask for a blood test for PA as it is easily treated but left untreated painful feet would be the last of their problems becuase it can kill. This is really important if anyone is a vegetarian becuase we don’t make B12 but eat it.

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

I don’t have neuroma. I am veggie however but I think we have our wires crossed in this thread?

[medway-lady in reply to Stills]

I was just trying to say because B12 is present mostly in meat that vegetarians are more likely to have lower levels and one common symptom of PA not just RA is painful feet so there is a very good reason to try to get levels properly checked to find out if it’s PA rather than RA causing an issue. I hope that makes it clearer as RA is sometimes assumed to be the issue when it might be something else that needs treating.

[Stills in reply to medway-lady]

That’s interesting, I didn’t know that so thank you. My new symptoms which started last November are still being investigated, complicated by a cancer flag in bloods, so lots of horrid scopey pokeys. Personally I suspect thyroid , possibly autoimmune related but from what I’ve read on HU thyroid pages drs won’t test or treat for that currently. However painful feet take up more of my pain tolerance I admit.

[medway-lady]

Your GP has to do a blood test if it’s thyroid and don’t worry it’s very easy to treat and there was a lot of nonsense on here the other week about thyroid being cured by owning it or some other such rubbish. please just ask GP to do blood test it’s very common and I just take 2 pills a day and have done for over 30 years without any issues at all. Hashimotos is just the posh name for a type of hypothyroidism and and hyperthyroidism is Graves yes it’s an AI but really not a problem. I really hope your cancer marker is resolved and nothing to worry about but do ask GP for the blood test for thyroid too. Xxx

PS often the outer third of eyebrows disappear with untreated thyroid issues. Not always but it is worth looking in the mirror!