In Praise of Vitamin B12..

[Adrim]

A note directed in particular towards those folk affected by Hypersensitive Vasculitis… I was diagnosed about 3 years ago with having High Blood Pressure, and was prescribed medication to help bring it down. Almost immediately I began forming an acute rash on my legs, and to a lesser degree on my forearms. Medication was changed from a calcium blocker and diuretic, to an ACE inhibitor, but with little to no change in the severity of the rash. A change then to an ARB reduced the severity of the rash, but it was still visible. Even when I temporarily stopped taking high blood pressure medication, the rash still remained. I was referred to a skin specialist who confirmed a diagnosis of Hypersensitive Vasculitis.

Then around a year and a half ago, during a routine blood test taken to ensure there was no kidney damage due to a change in blood pressure medication, my GP diagnosed a big Vitamin B12 deficiency, and prescribed 3 x B12 injections in quick succession, followed by a regular B12 injection at 3 monthly intervals. The rash disappeared for a period of time and then reappeared closer to the time I was due to get my next B12 shot. This pattern repeated. About 6 months ago I started taking over the counter B12 oral supplements at quite high daily doses (500, progressing to 1000ug), and found that I was able to keep the vasculitis rash under control. It seems I am lucky enough to be able to absorb enough B12 from a high daily dose of B12 supplement, and therefore have since stopped getting the injections.

I hope this note is of some help to others who find themselves in a similar situation that I have found myself in- my advice is to consult your GP about the possibility of receiving B12 boosts in intravenous and/or oral supplement form in your fight against Hypersensitive Vasculitis.

[Mpeck1977]

I have GPA vasculitus and my nephrologist through the various blood work discovered I was vitamin b deficient as well. He prescribed the cycles of b12 shots like you. Maybe there’s something to the b12 and keeping the vasculitus at bay.