B12 Tingling and Numbness

If you experience tingling and numbness after starting B12 you may want to try a children's chewable aspirin or two and see if that helps. I have blurred vision that goes along with mine and it cleared both up within an hour. It might not be just the analgesic effect. I'd be interested in hearing if it helps if you're in the mood for an experiment?

[Hidden]

I am allergic to aspirin but it's a good idea for other.

[Fl17 in reply to Hidden]

Calcium helped me.

[Hidden in reply to Fl17]

I actually don't have problems with anything apart from Aspirin so I am lucky. When I had my gallbladder removed the surgeon remarked that auto immune people are often allergic to Aspirin but I have never heard it before?

[Fl17 in reply to Hidden]

Awesome! Thanks. Hope ur good !

[BadHare]

Childrens' asprin was banned about 30 years ago due to Reye's syndrome.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Hidden in reply to BadHare]

OK What we call children's aspirin. Chewable aspirin. Low dose.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

To build on what Hidden says - although aspirin is a common over the counter pain-killer it is one that some people - particularly those with asthma - should not take.

[Frodo]

I have found a herbal anti inflammatory that is really helping with all sorts of stuff. Doesn't have the bad side effects of aspirin/NSAIDs.

[Hidden]

The only reason I said aspirin is because more people might have that handy and it would be a quick way to test and see if that is what is causing the tingling sensation for you. Try Vitamin E or even straight garlic, if you want to go that route. May take more time, but give it a shot. I had no tingling or blurry vision until I went to bed last night. I woke up the same today. I also added a Vitamin E about an hour after I took the aspirin and take N-Acetyl-Cysteine on a daily basis now which also has an anti-coagulant effect. I had a Glucose test the other day and they stuck me like 20 times trying to get blood over 4 hours. I didn't bleed a drop, which was another thing that led me in this direction.

[Frodo]

Eaoz, thanks for your concern. I have obviously checked it out, the ingredients, the dosage, the interactions, the manufacturer and checked with a pharmacist.

Everything has a degree of risk, including OTC and prescribed medications some of which have made me very unwell indeed. You couldn't get anyone more cautious, risk averse or more prone to side effects than me, I assure you. But I have a long history of chronic and acute pain and unfortunately I have not been helped by the usual prescription medicine, nor really been taken seriously.

And this is why people seek alternative solutions.

[Hidden in reply to Frodo]

That's what you have to do any more. Thoroughly investigate what you put in your body. I was taking parsley for the diuretic effect because my new BP medication is causing a little water retention. After checking it out more, I found out that it is high in Vitamin K, which improves coagulation. haha

Some of us are helped greatly by B12 supplementation, whereas some of us develop new symptoms along with the old. The B12 was definitely helping me at first. Then came the tingling and numbness out of nowhere until it finally spread over my ENTIRE body. I ended up in the hospital over this and the heart doctors are still looking everywhere, but the B12 connection, trying to figure out what happened.

My old neurologist came to see me while I was there and, as I've come to expect, he actually listened to what I was saying. Finally, they ran a B12 test. It's probably not of much use at this point, but at least it is a start. I have an appointment with him this week. I'm hoping we can finally start making some headway with this, instead of doing it all alone.

But yeah, I'm just trying to help others that developed the tingling and numbness AFTER they started supplementing B12. It could very likely be something to do with coagulation and the blood supply to the vasa nervorum. A low dose aspirin is a good way to check for that. Because I have high BP and observed my blood clotting too much and taking my BP reading many times throughout the day every day, I was able to find a pattern.

[topazrat]

A word of warning - if you are taking any blood thinning drugs, do not take aspirin (or ibuprofen) as this increases your risk of bleeding. Aspirin itself makes the blood less sticky and even a 'junior' dose can cause you to bruise easier and bleed more.

[Hidden in reply to topazrat]

That's kind of what we're testing out here is abnormal platelet aggregation. If you're already on prescription blood thinners and still have this problem, you probably have bigger worries. The vasa nervorum is a network of arteries and veins that supply nutrients to the peripheral nerves. Ischemia of the vasa nervorum is thought to be a cause of the "numbness and tingling". Some researchers think not, because of the net like structure that envelops the inner nerve, meaning blood supply would just take a detour around a blockage or two. What I don't think they're fully considering is hypercoagulation, macrocytosis, possibly narrowing of the arteries and plain abnormal folding of erythrocytes. A mixture of any of these could be a recipe for disaster for nerves. We don't know the health history of their cadavers.

SOMETHING happens to some of us when we start supplementing B12 to bring on the numbness and tingling. I've never had problems before with hypercoagulation...until I started supplementing B12. That is why I suggest those with the problem AFTER they start supplementing give the low dose aspirin a try, if they are not allergic, etc. If it works, they can discuss it with their doctor or just add more anticoagulant type foods to their diet and try to avoid some coagulant inducing effect type foods. Diet adjustment may be all it takes, but it will take time for that to work itself out.

[topazrat in reply to Hidden]

Have you considered that the tingling and numbness after starting B12 therapy may be caused by nerves regenerating and healing, and that the effects of the aspirin could be simply reducing the inflammation in the nerve pathways, hence reducing symptoms?

[Hidden in reply to topazrat]

Since I experienced the same effect in the hospital while on a nitro patch (which is a vasodilator), I figured that was what was going on. Low dose aspirin offered relief, but I ended up with small amount of blood in the stool (sorry if that's TMI) so that nixes that as a long term solution, for me at least. I was off long enough for the tingling to come back full force along with the blurred vision and tried a nitro tab and had the same effect again, but short-lived. Nitro patch was even suggested in one study for relief of neuropathy. Will have to look more into alpha lipoic acid and others now.

[Chikinnooodle in reply to Hidden]

I know this is a very old post but I came across it after I began B12 supplementation and began having tingling in my feet, hands, and mouth. Has anyone figured out anything more on this? Is it dangerous? I stopped taking B12 a couple of days ago. My levels are always right around 300 or below.

[Frodo]

'what you're getting will be consistent' yes, and so will the extreme and sometimes disabling side effects.

I understand what you're saying and yes, it is a big concern that it might not be possible to get or afford a remedy or treatment in the future.

But just from reading posts from this group alone it can be seen that tests/diagnoses are frequently inadequate IF you can get them and medical treatment can be refused, withheld, changed or discontinued at any time. New medications/treatment are being developed all the time (eg for migraine) which may be side effect free and actually work, but there's no certainty that sufferers will ever be granted access to those.

What are we supposed to do while we wait for adequate treatment? Just accept our fate, go bankrupt and take to our beds, or look for help elsewhere? Life is short.

[TBirdGT0]

I suggest you investigate Antipolyphospolipid Syndrome also known as Hughes Syndrome. There has been some previously recorded incidents where patients presenting with symptoms of AntiPolyPhospoLipid Syndrome have received an initial diagnosis of MS.

Note: spelling of AntiPolyPhospoLipid Syndrome may be wrong. However it is also known as Hughes Syndrome. A few minutes Googling should put you on the correct path

[gg317]

big dose vit d can be helpful, suggested a anti inflam

[Fl17]

Thanks! Calcium helped me, and rather quickly too!

[Chikinnooodle]

I know this is a very old post but I came across it after I began B12 supplementation and began having tingling in my feet, hands, and mouth. Has anyone figured out anything more on this? Is it dangerous? I stopped taking B12 a couple of days ago. My levels are always right around 300 or below.