Symptoms and Common Cold

[Kristavh]

Hello!! Long story short, I started having symptoms about a year ago and thought it was due to overexerting myself. They all mimic MS with the addition of tinnitus and geographic tongue which I know is more common with b12 deficiency. Symptoms would improve then get worse again but never completely disappeared. Finally got my b12 levels checked in November with a standard vitamin b12 blood test and it was at 139. I’ve been getting injections once a week and taking sublingual Methylcobalamin the other days. So! Questions are!

1. Symptoms get considerably worse when I get an infection like the common cold (which I’ve had 2 times now since November) my twitching and numbness and feelings of electric shocks increase in frequency and severity. I also notice worsening of symptoms when I’m particilarly stressed or have a heavy night out. Is this normal for tingling etc to worsen when you get sick/stressed?

2. My doctor is worried about MS or a tumor because symptoms are still bad after 2.5 months of supplements (I read it can take much longer to heal if ever completely.) So my doctor is scheduling an MRI. My question with this is if I have damage due to the deficiency, could I receive a false positive for multiple sclerosis when it’s just from the b12?

Thanks everyone so much!!

[fbirder]

An MRI test can easily tell MS from a B12 deficiency.

You've only been treated for two months. It can take a lot longer for symptoms to abate. Some, especially nerve damage, never go away totally.

[Kristavh in reply to fbirder]

Ok thanks! I’m ok with a bit of permanent nerve damage. Hate to say but ms is a harder pill to swallow. You think it’s normal for symptoms to “flair” if you will when I’m sick etc?

[fbirder in reply to Kristavh]

The B12 deficiency seems to have lowered my 'normal' level of stamina. In the past I could quite happily walk 10 miles a day, carrying about 10 kilos of equipment. Now I can walk 3 miles quite happily - but it wrecks me for 24 hours.

A viral infection is a bit like lots of exercise. I seem to be hit harder than I used to be, and it takes longer to recover.

[ktwing in reply to fbirder]

Hi fbirder , with respect, is it not the case that it can still be tricky to tell MS from B12 deficiency even with an MRI. In the Sally Pacholok book 'Could it be B12?', she writes that Robert Schilling notes that MRI findings, while 'a significant advance in the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis' are 'not 100 per cent specific and cannot be relied upon to rule out cobalamin deficiency or any other condition'. Even if demyelination is found, it could surely be caused by the B12 deficiency?

[fbirder in reply to ktwing]

Yes, I should have said - 'In most cases'.

[Buttoned]

I have both MS and Pernicious Anemia. When I first began the diagnosis process for MS, the neurologist tested for many things that can mimic MS symptoms, including a B12 deficiency.

I am not at doctor and I cannot tell you how your doctor should or should not diagnose you, I can only tell you about my personal experience. Based on my own experience, it is my understanding that any CNS damage that may be attributed to B12 deficiency will have a very different appearance/pattern/placement than MS. MS can be very difficult to diagnose because it is really often a diagnosis made through elimination. There is diagnostic criteria available online if you want to look up what is required to be diagnosed with MS.

It is not common for MS to be diagnosed based off of the results of a single MRI. Usually, this first MRI would really serve as a baseline for future testing. That doesn't mean that people AREN'T diagnosed with only a single MRI, it's just not typical.

I know it probably sounds impossible to you, but try not to freak out about MS. It's a great thing that your doctor is being diligent and ruling out other things instead of telling you to just wait a while to see if the B12 injections work. Hopefully you just need more time for your body to rest.

[Kristavh in reply to Buttoned]

Thank you so much for the thoughtful reply. I really thought it was one mri and a yes or no diagnosis from that. So thank you for explaining the process a bit for me. I have a friend with a quite severe case of MS and it had me scared to death. After reading more blogs and educating myself a bit on this possibility, I still don’t desire it but I realize life won’t be over. Again thank you!!