Overdosing with Vit B12 is it possible?

[avocadopeardrops]

Hi I am sorry bt I cannot get my head round a lot of this about VitB 12 deficiency and pernicious anaemia. I amtaking10000 mcg s/l B12 daily and have neuro signs and symptoms of burning, tingling, numbness, spasms , muscle stiffness and difficulty in balancing due to feet feeling numb and contracting with what one dr said looked like ganglia on top of each foot.

My ankles feel as though they are being constricted and the skin is about to burst. Today this has gone much worse.

I posted on here a day or so ago about the loading dose of B12 as I intend to si. I am now asking for your help again please. I was wondering if it is safe to SI I ml of hydroxylcobalamin as well as taking daily1,000 mcg of s/l B12?

With many thanks in anticipation of your kind help.

GP disinterested and waiting six weeks for blood test. I feel I am being marginalised.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi again avocadopeardrops personally I would concentrate on the injections as the amount of B12 absorbed via a sublingual is a lot less. However as you cannot overdose on B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine the choice is yours.

Again, personally, I use a B12 spray between injections and supplement with 1 – Folic Acid 400μg tablet every day.

Does your GP know you are self injecting and supplementing?

What test is he waiting to do in six weeks?

I'll bid you goodnight as it's my bedtime now but there might be some "night owls" on here who will give you advice..

[avocadopeardrops in reply to clivealive]

Thanks clivealive.

My GP tells me that my Vit B12 is okay , it is 200.FOLATE not some

Ferritin sat level is 5, range is between 50 to 100.

My HB is 103. RBC are wider than normal.

I am unable to take oral iron and he says I have to have a gastro appointment in order to qualify for an iron infusion.

Iihave neurological signs and symptoms but he says that 'one does not get neuro signs an symptoms even with a B12 deficiency!

He has been allegedly trying to make an appointment for the District Nurse to take blood as I am housebound with back pain atm. I have now been waiting 6 weeks for the appointment.

I also need my thyroid hormones checking. He does not recognise that the TSH is low despite it being marked as low/alert on Lab reports!!

I intend to collect all my blood reports together and send them to a private physician for his or her comments.

At the same time I am aware that these neuro signs and symptoms need treating.

I am fed up of being in constant pain and pain killers do not help. I have reflux and gastritis but no cancer.

All the GP can talk about is how little resources there are in the NHS.

The above is just the tip of the iceberg in terms of getting anywhere.

Thanks for your interest and support it means a lot to me.

[fbirder in reply to avocadopeardrops]

Even if your doctor was right in saying that a B12 deficiency can't cause neurological symptoms (and he is totally wrong) then he should still be trying to find the cause for them.

Write to him (apparently letters will be filed with your records) demanding a referral to a neurologist. You symptoms may be caused by a B12 and/or folate deficiency, but they may have a different cause. A neurologist will be able to order tests to try and determine the cause.

Also ask to be prescribed gabapentin for the neuropathic pain. This sort of pain doesn't respond to normal analgesics like paracetamol or ibuprofen. I've been told to take cocodamol when it's really bad at night, but I don't like taking codeine too often (I have an addictive personality).

[Chrys in reply to avocadopeardrops]

I can't help with most, but have you tried Betaine HCL +Pepsin for reflux? My wife was on PPI's for it and since taking Betaine no longer has reflux.

[Peepsdog]

I'm sorry that you are feeling so unwell. I too was house/bed bound for 2 years when I was first dx with celiac disease it is very difficult and frustrating. I'm new to this b12/folate deficiency but the iron deficiency I have had for many years. A ferritin of 5 is completely unacceptable. When my ferritin drops below 50 I get an iron infusion it makes a huge difference. I have terrible pain, neuro symptoms and severe fatigue. Please don't let them tell u that u are fine with a ferritin of 5 that is no qulaity of life. I hope that u get the help u need soon and can get back on your feet.

[potter5]

Hi Avocaodpeardrops, I self inject every three days with hydroxocalalamin and have done so since last September. Sometimes I also take sublingual, cutting a 5000mg lozenge in 3. I was diagnosed with b12 deficiency 164 last june. My neurological symptoms in feet similar to what you prescribe. Burning, spasms tingling, toes turning up, foot twisting , cramps where I think my bones are breaking and banding round ankles like tight elastic bands which I can't cut off, toes feel like they are stuffed with cotton wool, . Drive me crazy. Some of my symptoms have improved a little but not my feet and feel injections only at best keep things from getting worse and sometimes feel I am as bad as I was last June and am very worried. When I saw neurologist last September he said the nerves would take a couple of years to heal but I am concerned that I should have made more progress by now. I hope your self injections help improve your symptoms which are most certainly neurological. Best regards.

[Patmcf in reply to potter5]

I am 67 year old British lady living in Spain, I too have neurological symptoms for years although up to the last year or so they were very mild and my doctor prescribed Lyrica (pregabalin) for the pain. This has helped me not to have bad attacks of the pain during the night that kept me awake but has not got rid of the pain when I wake up in the morning, burning in my head hands and feet. Once I get up it is just mainly a tight feeling in my head and my feet and ankles also feel as though the skin is too small to fit my feet. I am now under a neurologist and my EMG Test was positive for damage. My B12 level was 304 which is in the normal range apparently but my B6 was 112.7 which is too high (may be toxicity?) I am not sure about anything else as it is in Spanish and I don't know what to look for. My neurologist has only told me not to have any alcohol (I am not an alcoholic, only normal social drinker) and come back to her in 6 months. I have not had any alcohol in nearly 6 weeks now and it has made no difference. I am going to go back to my go and ask for more blood tests as my mother had pa and rheumatoid arthritis.

[potter5]

Hi Patmcf, your B12 levels are within UK range but if you had been supplementing prior to blood tests, this would affect your reading Also your folate levels are important, low folate I believe can also cause these symptoms. I am not sure about b6 but I think it can also affect your b12 uptake. When I saw a neurologist last June my B12 level was 164 which is very low but he said that even around 300 neurological symptoms are possible. I understand drinking alcohol regularly can prevent the uptake of b12, and now I am on 2 or 3 weekly injections I rarely drink alcohol, firstly because I am worried that it will stop the b12 getting to my cells and the sugar in the wine causes me to have such cramps I think my bones are breaking. There are lots of people on this site with sound knowledge and information who may be able to give you more information. I certainly wouldn't wait six months as your neurological symptoms could get worse if you do not get the proper B12 treatment. Going to your GP asap would be wise although in UK it is very difficult to get doctors to treat b12 deficiency unless your levels are below 200 which is far too low. It is your symptoms they must treat not your levels, so don't be put off. It was only when I went to neurologist last september did I get 1 injection weekly prescribed rather than 1 every 3 months, The other injections are self injecting. I know how difficult it is when you are struggling with pain and sensations and no one really understands or knows how to treat you. If you look on this site you will see lots of links re b12 including NICE protocol for neurological symptoms. Might be best to go armed with as much information as you can. I hope everything goes well for you. Kind regards Potter 5