Reaction to B12

[OnePlusThree]

Hi all

Recently I have been feeling very unwell. All of my symptoms have pointed to a b 12 deficiency. Lots of nerve twitching, trembling hands, and tinnitus getting worse, plus debilitating fatigue. I went for folate and b12 blood tests.

Folic acid serum >20 ng/ml

Vitamin b12 606 pg/ml

Despite this I'm still not convinced that I don't have a b12 issue.

The issue I have is I have such an awful reaction to b vitamins. At first I thought it was b complex, but have noticed it is b12 also on its own. I have been taking 1000mcg a day, and for days after I am a blubbering wreck. I cry uncontrollably, feel depressed and anxious, and can't shake it for a while. I don't think I can take b vitamins so what is my alternative?

Thanks

[OnePlusThree]

Also to add. I had vitamin b12 blood test back in November which said levels were at 150. and MMA blood test which was high. I was breastfeeding at the time and stopped shortly after.

My diet since hasn't been great and I'm surprised my folate was that high and b12 came back not as low. If my levels have raised how are my symptoms getting worse?

[spacey1]

Have you been taking B12 in tablet form? if so, maybe your levels are raised in your blood, but you don't have any more 'available' than you did at the low reading a while ago. Once you supplement in any way, blood are likely to show B12 as high, even if you've not got much in your system which can be accessed and used.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

what treatment did you have in November? Shots or just tablets?

have you been supplementing folic acid at all?

[OnePlusThree]

in November I was prescribed x2 2000mcg b12 two times a week. I didn't stick to this.

In the last 7 weeks I have tried a b complex and b12 supplements but haven't been consistent because of my reaction to it. No injections. And I've taken a multi vitamin with folic acid in it and some b vitamins also.

If I don't have any b12 available then what are the supplements for? Does this mean I won't feel benefit until my levels are much much higher?

[wedgewood]

In your position I would try self -injecting for a trial period . At first every other day for 2 weeks and see if you improve . This can do you absolutely no harm at all and only good .Injections are needed if you cannot absorb B12 from your stomach ( I.e. food or tablets ) injections by - pass the stomach . Trouble is that that the B12 in the tablets show up in the blood serum test , making it appear that you have plenty of B12,, but your cells cannot access it .

[OnePlusThree in reply to wedgewood]

Okay so this makes a lot of sense. Is it likely that I'll have a reaction to the injections like I have with the sublingual supplements? I'm apprehensive to take any b12 again but feel that I need to.

[OnePlusThree in reply to wedgewood]

Also, I've read that high folic acid levels can be masking vitamin b12 deficiency, but I didn't think this was the case because my b12 wasn't crazy low on the results. Is it possible that I have low b12 And my folic acid was at >20 because of this?

[fbirder]

Is the B12 you’ve been taking methylcobalamin? I ask because some people can have a bad reaction to it. I’m OK with tablets (probably because they don’t get absorbed) but my one time injecting methylcobalamin I got the same effects as what you describe.

[OnePlusThree in reply to fbirder]

Yes it's methycobalamin. I also took for a few days on the trot and felt like I had overdosed. I Was very spaced out and they knocked me out cold for the day. I'm reluctant to touch them again now.

[fbirder in reply to OnePlusThree]

Some people, possibly those with a mutation in the COMT (catechol O-methyl transferase) gene, do seem to have an adverse reaction to methylcobalamin. But other forms seem to be OK.

You should be able to find pills with cyanocobalamin or adenosylcobalamin to try out.