I have been supplementing with B12 for over two years. Most of my B12D symptoms have gone and I feel great so we have just been on a short stay in the Peak District.
We went on several hikes and I found I have a problem. When I'm climbing up a trail and turn my head to admire the view I get very giddy. Which can be dangerous. Does anyone else get this - is it a B12 thing? Will it get better?
A sign of vertigo.
It's a degree of vertigo and can be:
* you are having an isolated attack. It's not uncommon and if you have been changing altitude more than you are used to, it can trigger it. Sturgeron 15 anti-sea sickness tablets, available OTC in most pharmacies, will stop it.
* it might be as a result of where your nerves have been damaged by the B12 deficiency, and the extra nutrients used when hiking are making it noticeable; in which case it will improve when you are exercising less, and over time with more nerve healing, You can probably get a benefit from taking more supplements to balance your activity levels.
* you are possibly slightly short of folate, and the extra nutrients you use when hiking are dropping your levels from a sub-clinical deficiency, which you don't notice, to a clinical one that you do. You could try increasing your folate levels and see if that helps.
It's an absolutely horrible feeling and you do have my complete sympathy. It's not a good thing and needs to be sorted out. I hope you manage to very soon.
I have not. was bed ridden with the b12 deficiency but have been doing daily injections for almost 3 years now. Started avid hiking last year.
I did git vertigo 2-3 times a year which stopped after injections.
Do you do injections? If so how frequently and what type of b12 (methyl, hydroxo, cyano)?
Dizziness was one of the main and most disconcerting symptoms of PA for me. It has declined dramatically since SI EOD for eight months now.
I was told my cerebellum part of the brain was damaged by b12 deficiency. After a brain MRI scan.
It was never mentioned again .
Saw it written on notes recently from mri report.
So i imagine varying degrees of damage and varying degrees of repair .
If possible ??
I think I've learnt to manage symptoms as years go by as well as some repair .
Yes, I had this condition to the point of if I turned my head a certain way sometimes I'd become dizzy, disoriented and often id almost black out. At least for me it resolved slowly but took at least two years of injecting every 4 days with 2000mcg methylcobalamin.
Don't give up hope! 🙏
Rexz
Many thanks for all your replies. I have never had vertigo before when hiking. I think my problem is down to B12D. But It's good to know that it can get better.
Another problem I have is that at the end of a strenuous hike my balance gets worse and I start tripping up. Unfortunately my balance still isn't very good. It got dramatically better in my first few months of supplementing with B12 but then plateaued out. I think it is one of my symptoms that will never resolve properly.
As I take oral B12 I think I will take a very large dose before the hike and take some with me and keep topping up.
Hi, Sorry to hear you're having that problem 😕 It happens to me too.
Most of my neurological problems, numb feet and hands etc resolved with B12 injections, unfortunately I feel my balance is still not so good when turning quickly.
Can't suddenly change direction, eg. dancing or zumba type exercising without falling flat on my face !
Sadly no more Eightsome Reels or Gay Gordons at weddings for me ! 😔
I have to admit that I've been reluctant to get back to walking where the trail is narrow with a drop at the side.
Everyone is different though, and yes, perhaps topping up on B12 before you go would do the trick 👍
Good luck and enjoy the hills xx
Not in hiking, but when I turn my head one way or the other it affects my balance and causes a very sharp increase in tinnitus. Often the tinnitus stays at that level for ages. I try to just look ahead.
B12 rejuvenation for most neurological problems. 
Stomach problems
Test for intrinsic factor antibodies - when to do?
Why no consistency when diagnosing B12D
