Antibiotics and Increasing B12

[LynetteinUSA]

Hi. I just got over a long bout with covid and am now on antibiotics (ceftin) for an ear infection (caused by covid). I've noticed since I began ceftin (8 days ago) that I'm experiencing fingers and toes tingling. Do you know if antibiotics can cause b12 depletion? I take daily 3000 mgs sublingually. Thanks...

[LynetteinUSA]

I mean I take 3000 MCGs daily

[Narwhal10]

Hi LynetteinUSA,

I am so sorry to read you are poorly. I posted yesterday how COVID and long COVID can impact Vitamins A, C, D, E, B6, B12 and minerals as they are crucial and take part in the production of inflammatory mediators (just medical words for inflammation cells).

Antibiotics can affect the gut microbiome or flora. There are good ones who are utilised in the production and metabolism of vitale amines (vitamins) and minerals. Antibiotics can reduce the goodies. So, listen to your body and consider increasing sublingual dose and possibly a multivitamin/mineral. Only you will know your response.

Some people take keffir, sauerkraut, kimchi or yoghurt with live bacteria after antibiotics. However, we are all different, react differently so, it is using common sense.

There is no point forcing yourself to eat something if you hate the taste. Often, it is the body saying I am intolerant to it. For example kale is a superfood but if someone told me to eat it, I would laugh at them. I know I am intolerant to it, I have an extensive report as well. It is not me being ‘fussy’.

Hope you feel better soon.

🐳

[LynetteinUSA in reply to Narwhal10]

Thank you, Narwhal10. Believe it or not my doctor actually told me to eat a lot of Greek yogurt when taking the meds as it will protect my stomach from discomfort. So I have been eating 1/4 cup or more each time I take a dosage (I add either jam or maple syrup) and it really has worked! In the meantime, I had been wondering about whether b12 depletes when on the meds because by 2ish in the afternoon my toes and fingers start tingling. Today I popped another 1mg (1000 mcg) of b12 and took note that it did improve a bit. I think I will take another one after supper tonight. Thanks again for your response. I don't read this wonderful site daily.

[EiCa in reply to LynetteinUSA]

I think the antibiotics themselves can cause innumerable symptoms. I get a flare up of POTS syndrome when I have to take antibiotics.

[LynetteinUSA in reply to EiCa]

Wow. Never heard of it and just looked it up. I've been feeling a bit that way but not extremely. Thanks.. good to know.

[HeartyGilly]

Each time I have had Covid or flu I have needed extra B12.

[MrsTuft]

Yes certain antibiotics can lower B12 such as Nitrofuratonin or lower folate such as Trimithoprem. But being ill and covid can make you need more B12 too. Or maybe you need injections rather than sublinguals?

[Oneash]

It was Covid that pushed my B12 deficiency into full Pernicious Anemia, so make sure you don't need injections now.

[Whoa182]

I had the same issue with all antibiotics. The issue is because of hyperexcitable nerves from C fiber nerve damage, loss, or irritation due to B12 deficiency.

In late 2022 I was not able to tolerate doxycycline or trimethoprim for more than 2 -3 days without extreme nerve pain, tingling, and even my limbs would start falling asleep all the time. It was very bad.

I was evetually able to figure out how to tolerate Trimethoprim, which I took for over 4 weeks without a problem in late summer 2023. Whereas late 2022 I could not go beyond 2-3 days as the neuropathic pain was extreme.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

That is one of the posts I made about this.

It really doesn't have much to do with needing more B12 at the time of taking antibiotics, gut bacteria, or anything like that. It's simply because your nerves are hypersensitive or irritable. Different antibiotics may cause these increased nerve pains via different mechanisms from altering energy metabolism, redox status, ion channel changes, etc.

After a year of treating B12, I do not react badly to antibiotics anymore. I can tolerate them perfectly fine! And I don't react negatively to supplements that also caused similar reactions as antibiotics.

So, once your nerves heal (can take a long time), you will be able to tolerate antibiotics a lot better again. While my nerves weren't fully healed in summer 2023, I really needed to take Trimethoprim for over a month. Lucky I was able to figure out how to tolerate it by using Life Extension R- Lipoic Acid (250 mg, 3 times a day on empty stomach).

Hope that helps! k