Side Effects of always peeing B12 ?

[CH52]

This is a strange question (or maybe not?): does anyone experience side affects from large amounts of B12 being constantly eliminated they your kidneys and ruination process? First if all I was born with only one functioning kidney. So worried about that there might be side affects. Second: since this all started my urine has a very different medicine odor and at times irritates despite meticulous hygiene practices. Is this just me? I figured if all of us are peeing on a daily basis huge amounts of B12 someone out there might have an answer for me?

[Gambit62 Administrator]

if you are having irritation then I would recommend that you speak to your GP as it could be an indicator that you have an infection. Really not come across B12 injections causing irritation when urinating.

There has been at least one post relatively recently by someone who found that they urinated a lot more after injections - can't remember who it was though.

[CH52 in reply to Gambit62]

thanks Gambit62. I'll check with my new internist next visit. No infection as I know what they are and can self test which I did. Also have had several urinalysis performed at doctors to be sure and came back normal. The chemical Odor only started after I started on B12 back in April and is strongest the first few days afterwards. I pee alot but that's because I was told to drink large volumes of water which I have always done. At first I wondered if it was the iron infusions but since I'm not getting those each month it isn't that. I was wondering if it was the cyanide in my B12 that might be causing this....?

[pvanderaa in reply to CH52]

I've had several UTIs that the Drs ran a whole suite of tests including one scystoscopy which wasn't at all pleasant and one STD / STI tests which also wasn't pleasant even after i assured him it wasn't going to come back positive.

The Drs finally came up with "UTI of indeterminate causes". Then the consultant said, "you wouldn't have believed me if I said this at the start, but orange juice is your best friend".

You know what, it worked. I take regular acidic drinks daily, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, tomato juice, etc and the only irritation I experience is when the B12 is low and I need an injection.

The acidity cleans excess calcium out of the plumbing. This calcium build up is where the bacteria like to grow and the body reacts to them hence the irritation.

I think that when my B12 is low, my immune system isn't killing off the bacteria as fast as they grow so the overgrowth causes the irritation.

I still get occasional irritation of the urethra but not a full blown UTI.

Also, the color of my urine tracks to my B12 level. The darker it is, the higher my level. When it gets pale, I start to get concerned.

The kidney(s) have been working with the B12 all along and can handle any amount. (FYI the antidote for a cyanide poisoning is several 10 ml hydro-B12 jabs as the hydro-b12 form has a great affinity to the cyanide molecule.)

My jabs are currently cyano-b12 1ml per week. I split my dosage and take my B12 injections 0.5 ml on Monday and Thursday mornings. If I get too much sunlight on the weekend, I can get irritation on Sunday night.

If your irritation continues or becomes a full blown UTI, then please see your Dr.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to CH52]

the cyanide is so tightly bound in a molecule of cyanocobalamin is really difficult to separate it and the amounts are really small anyway because the rest of the molecule is so large so doubt it is that that is causing the smell.

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to CH52]

Hi CH52 I've been having cyanocobamalin B12 injections for 46 years and haven't had any "side effects" with urination. Any "increased frequency" is more down to the fact that I'm a 76 year old diabetic male with an enlarged prostate.

[CH52 in reply to clivealive]

Thanks Clivealive! You always make me smile! I hate to say it but it a actually feels like an allergic reaction more than anything else. I've been hyper sensitive since this PA all started even with my seasonal allergies and have had hives and even reaction to mosquito bites are worse than normal. am beginning to wonder if my autoimmune system is going haywire even more than normal. My rheumatoid arthritis is more active too with my hands and wrists and hips. That runs in my family. I just keep things lubed by moving as much as I can. . I'm 65 and keep wondering what else can go wrong but don't want to push that envelope! I guess I should be grateful I'm doing as well as I am and can keep my solitary life in the woods for a while longer. Guess since this PA hit I never really worried about my health as much as I do now. It's always there, it's always that next injection or doctor's visit . It's having emergency treatment at the ready in case I'm snowed in. And now I find myself worrying about every little deviation from normal in my health! Damn. I think there is a term called "Woods Queer" that people who live like a hermit can get!!! (Think I read that in an old pioneer book once. Hah! I) I will see my oncologist next week before the internist visit so will see what he thinks . Numbers are all looking good and will have current numbers from this weeks lab work which he pulls every month . Thanks for being so patient with me.

[clivealive Forum Support in reply to CH52]

Could just be that your brain is "waking up" as the B12 repairs the damage done to your nerve endings caused by the deficiency.

Hope your test results are good next week.

Goodnight from the UK.

[CH52]

Thank you both for your responses. Feel better regarding the cyanide based B12. I'm not a juice drinker but will try the OJ. I too have had scopes with the dye they push into kidneys and that is where they saw where I along with my one brother were born with only 1 functioning kidney. they found out I have abnormally small tubing so that was where I was prone to these infections. Have not had an infection since before starting my B12 injections but yes urine starts out dark then pales as I get nearer my next shot. Had the last urinalysis 2 weeks ago and nothing shows up so that is why I asked if B12 was perhaps the issue. No sign of yeast infection either. I also have not changed soaps, detergents etc. we had a heatwave hit up here last week and was in yard working a lot so I know the sun can dehydrate you rather quickly. This morning woke up to 26 degrees and heavy frost and ice...I guess our Indian summer is really over! Will bring this all up with my new internist on my next visit. Thank you both again!

[CH52]

I like your thinking Clivealive. That is what I was trying to convey in my last post when I mentioned always being made aware of yet another thing different with my body and how I feel. The hands and feet numbness and iciness that comes and goes, the acute itchiness just under my skin. In different areas including my eyes that I never had before. While my major symptoms like heart pounding and not catching my breath and chronic fatigue are gone it's these other little symptoms that I'm now paying attention to that were not so much a concern as was being able to breath, heart rate wacky and not normal and major foggy brain and extreme dizziness and falling and arms and legs not even working!!guess these leftover smaller symptoms still need to be repaired? Sometimes I wonder if I'm being foolish thinking about all these smaller residual issues. I wonder if I'm losing it.

[Lizreds1]

I think I read this in the b12 fb page, if you havnt got enough folate, when you have your b12 your body will just excrete it all, I had trouble with getting my folate right, and would pee like a racehorse, and yes it did get a bit stingy, doesn't happen now I take methylfolate

[CH52 in reply to Lizreds1]

Folate levels have been good as hemotologist tests every 6 weeks. Will get new numbers this Friday and will ask about that so thank you! It's not a stinging sensation more an allergic type reaction.

[Hidden in reply to Lizreds1]

I never thought it would be midnight and I'd be reading about peeing lots (which I am too right now lol) and making a shopping list including methylfolate cos from all I've read I do think I'd do better on it than folic acid, would like to try it and see anyway.

Life, eh.

[terrybraden]

Hi CH52

I had no idea my irritation was due to the amount of B12 I was excreting! Thanks for clueing me in. Now I know I'm not alone. It's not just you.

I am trying calamine lotion, wearing cotton underwear and loose fitting clothing, plus airing out that area before bed. Hope this helps you and I. I guess drinking lots of water to dilute your urine might help too.

Let me know how it goes. All the best.

Terri

[CH52 in reply to terrybraden]

Oh thank you for not making me feel like I was totally alone with this issue!!!! I was almost embarrassed to write that post but being 65 I said what do I have to lose?!?! I wear cotton and loose clothes and am diligent on my hygiene and I change underwear several times s day when I'm working in yard or skiing etc. so glad I'm not losing my mind!!!

[ribbon]

It happened to me after each injection before I found out I needed potassium supplements. When I took the supplements the peeing stopped. B12 injections can lower potassium especially in those who have pernicious anaemia. It's because of the potassium being used up with the sudden creation of new red blood cells. I need my potassium to be at 4.5 or 4.6, any lower and I get low potassium symptoms of peeing, more thirsty, weak, muscle aches. The peeing is the first thing I notice. I take 3 x 99mg potassium tabs every so often during the day. We need 4,500mg of potassium daily and it's difficult to get that from food. The potassium gluconate in the supplements is much more effective than food potassium for me. I've been doing this for two years. My kidney function is >90. I get blood tests every 6 months to keep an eye on things.

[ribbon]

P.S. Agree with earlier post too. We need our folate to be at the high end of the range in order to grab onto the B12 and bring it into the cells. We need a whole range of vitamins of minerals to do this and we need adequate thyroid function. It's taken me 3 three years to go from bedridden from decades of untreated pernicious anaemia to being able to walk 20 minutes daily, get housework done, and sleep properly. But I need a lot of nutrition and supplement support. Doctors won't tell you any of this unfortunately, but lots of info online and on this excellent forum.

[terrybraden]

I didn't think that light urine indicated low B12. (Sorry, I just read the other posts). I'll have to keep an eye on that. Glad I have your advice and experience all.

[CH52]

Oh the best to you also!!!

[CH52]

Thank you again to all of you who have been brave enough to respond and add your thoughts, ideas and suggestions! This was bothering me since my PA was diagnosed and treatment began. This is not an easy disease to live with and it amazes me how complicated all the components of treatment fit together. Best wishes to all on your treatment and good health challenges and again thank you for all the input I have received!!