Nitrous Oxide

[BirdlessBox]

I just wanted to warn you all about the effect of nitrous oxide. Apparently it will oxidise all the B12 in you body, rendering it useless, and can cause problems for those with low levels. I just had a general anaesthetic with gas and I think it has set back the improvement I was beginning to get. Just be aware if you are going to the Hospital or Dentist, or wherever else you may run across it.

[clivealive Forum Support]

google.com/url?q=https%3A%2...

[BirdlessBox in reply to clivealive]

Thank you. I'm new - didn't think to search before I wrote and then all these other posts popped up. I told them at the hospital I thought I had B12 deficiency but they didn't seem to attach any significance to it. Lucky perhaps that I got them to give me an injection of it a few hours before the gas and I imagine it was only a short time for a silly splinter. It's over 3 weeks now and I don't think I'm as good as I was. I have more pain in my thoracic spine I didn't have before, don't really know if it's connected. Everyone is so cavalier.....

[Emmapemma in reply to BirdlessBox]

I'm a nurse and I didn't know anything about this before I was diagnosed and I think it is the same with most of my colleagues. I think you possibly need to say to the anesthetic Dr that you don't want gas and the reason why and they should follow your wishes. There are as we all know a lot of lack of knowledge among health professionals about PA, I certainly was one of them 6months ago.

Hope you feel better soon.

[BirdlessBox in reply to Emmapemma]

Yes. I didn't know until afterwards myself. I'm only a month into this.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Sorry to hear you have had a setback.

I suspect nitrous oxide in the gas and air mix I had during labour was responsible for some of the symptoms I experienced after birth.

Interestingly NHS Choices website does not mention potential dangers of nitrous oxide on the page for pain relief in labour .

nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy...

I believe it says that there are no harmful side effects for mums or babies from using gas and air mix.

I thought what about those mums with low B12 levels?

Even if patient has B12 levels well within range, if all the B12 is inactivated by nitrous oxide I assume it could take a while for levels of B12 to build up again

I am not sure that all midwives are aware of the possible dangers...I was never warned that it could cause problems.

What about all those women who have long labours with lots of gas and air?

The link that clivealive posted mentions that just one exposure to nitrous oxide can be enough to cause severe problems.

gov.uk/drug-safety-update/n...

I once spoke to a midwife who suspected her B12 deficiency symptoms might be due to exposure to nitrous oxide in labour wards.

[BirdlessBox in reply to Sleepybunny]

Yes. Did you see that video with that baby-child that was B12 deficient? Mum was vegetarian and the child ended up with brain damage. Makes you wonder if the gases during labour would also affect the babies too.

[Ritchie1268]

So sorry it has set you back.

I have read often how nitrous oxide depletes B12 & it's the same old story you hear time & time again, where it's either plain old ignorance, or just certain uneducated "Professionals" who we go to & put our lives in their hands as we believe they know what they're doing.

Due to all the opiates I was prescribed for my back years ago, I was diagnosed with severe "Central" sleep apnoea, (as I learned later that heroin suppresses breathing). All this is what I now know has caused my PA also.

On my last visit to the sleep clinic I asked if there was any link to Macrocytic Anemia & central sleep apnoea, as due to regular B12 injections now, I should be classed as no longer having sleep apnoea as I monitor my "AHI's" after every night's sleep & they're almost non existent.

The "consultant" said no link at all. This shocked me, as looking at it logically how can MA not have any effect.

I also used to suffer what I now know was air hunger. I'd be sat there relaxing then all of a sudden I'd gasp for breath & wonder why. This has also completely vanished since regular B12 injections.

Either I'm just being stupid thinking that 1+1 does actually equal 2, or, those who we go to for help really do need educating!?!

Sorry for the rant 🙄

Hope you feel better soon.

[BirdlessBox in reply to Ritchie1268]

Interesting about the breathing - I have spent much of my life "holding" my breath. I thought it was a stress reaction but perhaps it was a suppressed breathing response (-this is while awake rather than sleeping). I'll have to watch and see if it changes.

[Ritchie1268 in reply to BirdlessBox]

I'll try explain my thoughts of it though I may get corrected as I'm still new to PA myself.

When I was told I had Macrocytic Anemia, B12 & Folate deficiency & PA, I looked it up as i was never told how or why by my Dr. (Not the sleep apnoea) but the breathing bit whilst fully awake as it was starting to worry me, then it all seemed to click in my foggy brain.

Macrocytic Anemia means you have less red blood cells & those you do have are squashed. Red blood cells carry oxygen, hence why those effected get breathless. The breathless bit when doing things never seemed to effect me at all.

Only when sitting relaxed for a while, that's when it always happened.

Just breathing normally, then gasping for air, then fine again.

People would look at me & say what the hell are you doing, I just said I don't have a clue, couldn't get my breath!

But thankfully as I said, never had it since SI.

[BirdlessBox in reply to Ritchie1268]

And I concur about "experts" too. It may be the neural damage rather than the macrocytic side of things affecting your sleep - not that I know much yet....

[e66--]

HI, I HAD ANAESTHETIC FOR OPERATION JUST BEFORE XMAS. I HAVE BEEN INJECTING EVER SINCE. THE ANAESTHETIST ALMOST LAUGHED AT ME WHEN I MENTIONED THE WORRY ABOUT B12 AND THEN LOOKED SOMEWHAT ANNOYED. I JUST WONDERED IF ANYONE KNOWS HOW LONG IT TAKES TO REVERSE THE ANAESTHETIC DAMAGE WHEN SI AFTER AN OPERATION? I'M HOPING IT'S ALL FINE NOW. BUT I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.