Symptomatic when stressed

[pslmt]

I have been Self injecting for 2 years and I am 90 percent better. However, If it is that time of month or if I am sick or extremely tired or Stressed, I feel some of the old neurological symptoms. Does this happen to anyone else?

[Gambit62 Administrator]

my main symtpoms are mood related rather than neurological. Can't say that I've really noticed neuro symptoms coming back when stressed/tired but I do find that my mood is much more susceptible as you describe. The exception on the neuro would probably that numbness in hands and feet do tend to get worse around menstruation - but I also suffer from water retention which tends to aggravate carpal and tarsal tunnel

[fbirder]

Like Gambit62, I can tell if I need another jab by my mood. If I wait too long I start getting depressed and irritable. Im getting quite good at recognising the change and giving myself an injection. I'm fine again the next day. A lot of stress or trying to do too much can precipitate that change.

[JGBH]

How often do you self inject B12? I have been doing so for a year now, 3 times per week. Have seen a huge difference in some symptoms disappearing (better balance, no tinnitus in head and ears, tingling and pain in fingers either disappeared or much improved, being able to feel my toes, less tiredness to begin with but tiredness back now (have felt exhausted for 3 years now). However, I wondered if I should inject less often after 3 times/week for one year. Stopped injections for 2 weeks now and slight tingling coming back, tingling in top of back along spine, slight tinnitus ... so will inject again today and see what happens, whether I only need one injection per week, or more. My mood has improved over a long time and I feel less anxious.

Not sure how often I should self inject... B12 is not supposed to be toxic but am not sure whether it is wise and/or necessary to inject 3 times per week now, after one year of doing so. The fact some symptoms are returning after 2 weeks of no injections must indicate that it has been, indeed is useful and necessary, but I wonder how often and how long for.

Do hope Gambit and fbirder's replies help you as they both understand a great deal about B12.

[pslmt in reply to JGBH]

I self inject once a week. It seems to work for me. It seems to control everything until I am like I said, overly tired or stressed or sick.

[JGBH in reply to pslmt]

pslm, thanks for your reply. I have restarted injection again after 2 weeks of not doing so. Will try one injection/week for a while, monitoring symptoms and hopefully it will be alright. Obviously if I feel sick or more stressed then I might have to inject a little more often as you have explained. It makes sense.

[deniseinmilden]

Yes, definitely!

I have have been doing daily SI for over 2 1/2 years and am mostly well now but stress still makes me very tired and when I had a sickness bug a couple of weeks ago, which upset the absorption of my supporting supplements, many of my symptoms returned including the stinging nettle feeling I used to have across my shoulders, the "beetles under my skin" itching, vertigo and problems speaking. As I got better my face broke out in the mad acne I used to get when I first started treatment!

It is well known that stress seems to use more B12 and increase our requirements. Some people use sublingual sprays or tablets to provide the boost required while others can just increase their injections.

[pslmt in reply to deniseinmilden]

Right, which is why I am trying to understand. Does the B12 simply mask/control our symptoms? Not sure if we are "cured". Thanks goodness for it tho. It has made a huge difference!

[deniseinmilden in reply to pslmt]

B12 is needed in every cell in our bodies, for cell replication and energy release which is why it is so essential.

For various reasons some of us don't absorb B12 from our diets and get it to each of our cells for use.

Different bits of the process are "broken" in different people and this affects how much we have to supplement.

Anything that makes us need more cell replacement or more energy, including physical or mental stress, increases the need for B12 and supporting supplements. This is why stress makes everyone tired and vulnerable.

The process that makes the B12 work also uses lots of other vitamins and minerals which is why we need to take supporting supplements.

Once some of the processes are broken there is no cure and therefore we need to take B12 for life.

If enough is taken early enough, in some cases, the additional B12 will help to repair the "broken" cells in the body so it can effect a cure but this rarely happens because too much damage has occurred by the time we are symptomatic and get the extra B12.

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After 2 years of 3 month interval injections I found the neurological symptoms were getting worse after about 6 weeks so I began injecting after a month which dropped very quickly to 2 weekly then to weekly. In all cases some of the symptoms were returning just before the next injection was due at first then gradually it got so that if I didn't inject on the 7th day the problems started, burning feet, tingling fingers, tinnitus and so on, came on during the 8th day. When I did the inject that night the problems began to dissipate so now I am doing the injection just before going to bed on the 7th day. Soon I will begin extending the period beyond 7 days as I know the regime is working, sometime too well as dormant nerves start to recover,

Some years ago I have a single cell tumor removed from the top joint of my third finger on my right hand. The aftermath included some seriously annoyed nerves which had to be taught to be quiet; these seem to have had a wake up call from the hydroxocobalamin and were a real pain, literally, then they have gone back to sleep again now.

The really sad thing about this is I discussed it all with my GP who agreed with what I was planning - he read the literature - but as he has not had any official green light from the hematologist he contacted he cannot actually support me. I would very much like to discuss what is happening with him as even if he isn't an expert on PA and B12 deficiency he is an intelligent man and his opinions would be valuable.