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About vit B12 defiency
I was watching Mysterious Diagnosis on TV awhile ago and I was sure that the women could have MS with the symptoms she had but it was'nt she had Vit B12 diffiency, here are the symptoms:
The following symptoms have been recorded, beginning with those perhaps most likely to be indicative of B12 deficiency.
1. Itchy or tingling tongue. The tongue suddenly itches from time to time without warning. This occurs on the edge of the tongue, along one side or the other or at the tip. Some individuals experience stinging, pain, or tingling instead of itching.
2. White spots in the skin, resulting from melanin becoming absent in the area. These often occur on the outside of the forearm, but may occur in other places. The longer these spots are there, the whiter they get. As time goes by, the spots become very dry and flaky to the extent that small raw spots of skin may be exposed.
3. Sharp stabbing, tingling pain in the palm of one or both hands. This occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason in a spot directly below the ring finger, approximately where the first palm crease is. If B12 deficiency is not treated, a tingling pain may begin to occur along the outside edge of the hand, starting from the wrist. This pain occurs when the wrist is extended.
4. Sores at the corners of the mouth, sometimes extending along the edge of the lip. These are raw spots, not blisters, and they tend to come and go.
5. Nerve shock in the side of the body. It can be felt coming on a few seconds before it hits, and then it hits almost like a mild but deep electric shock and quickly subsides. It can occur at the side of either hip or on either side of the upper body, along the ribs. It can occur consecutively in at least two or three locations, one right after the other.
6. Shortness of breath, but without chest pain. This can occur when walking just a few yards.
7. Eye twitch, usually in one eye or the other. It can occur on the eyelid or just below the eye.
8. Facial pain, usually on only one side of the face at a time. This pain varies so much that it would be difficult to describe all the possibilities. This can present as a dull pain in the cheek bone right underneath an eye, or a sharp shooting pain across the forehead, sometimes coming downward from the scalp to the edge of the nose by the eye.
9. Tingling along the back of one or both thighs, starting at the hips and shooting downward.
10. Memory loss and/or disorientation.
11. Migraine headaches. These may be preceded by a temporary blind spot in the center of the field of vision, usually lasting about ten minutes, and sometimes followed by facial pain under the eyes. After the blind spot vanishes, there may be zigzag streaks through the vision that may last up to hours. Even in the same person, there may be extreme variations in the headaches themselves. They may be quite severe with nausea or they may be virtually nonexistent.
Migraines of most individuals have causes other than B12 deficiency, but migraines of certain individuals diminish or stop completely after they are treated for B12 deficiency.
12. Irritability and/or depression and/or personality changes.
[edit] Causes
Inadequate dietary intake of vitamin B12. As the vitamin B12 occurs naturally only in animal products (eggs, meat, milk), and a particular strain of nutritional yeast; a vegan diet can produce a deficiency unless one uses supplements or eats enriched food.[16][17]
Selective impaired absorption of vitamin B12 due to intrinsic factor deficiency. This may depend on loss of gastric parietal cells in chronic atrophic gastritis (in which case, the resulting megaloblastic anaemia takes the name of "pernicious anaemia"), or on wide surgical resection of stomach (such as in bariatric surgery), or on rare hereditary causes of impaired synthesis of intrinsic factor.
Impaired absorption of vitamin B12 in the setting of a more generalised malabsorption or maldigestion syndrome. This includes any form of structural damage or wide surgical resection of the terminal ileum (the principal site of vitamin B12 absorption), forms of achlorhydria (including that artificially induced by drugs such as proton pump inhibitors), as well as bacterial overgrowth (such as in blind loop syndrome).
Chronic intestinal infestation by the fish tapeworm Diphyllobothrium, that competes for vitamin B12, seizing it for its own use and therefore leaving insufficient amount for the host organism. This is mostly confined to Scandinavia and parts of Eastern Europe (for example, in preparers of gefilte fish, who would acquire the tapeworm by sneaking bits of fish before it was cooked while making the Eastern European delicacy).
The diabetes medication, metformin may interfere with B12 dietary absorption.[18]
Hereditary causes such as severe MTHFR deficiency, homocystinuria, and transcobalamin deficiency.
Some studies have shown that giardiasis, or similar parasite should be considered as a cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency, this a result of the problems caused within the intestinal absorption system
The following symptoms have been recorded, beginning with those perhaps most likely to be indicative of B12 deficiency.
1. Itchy or tingling tongue. The tongue suddenly itches from time to time without warning. This occurs on the edge of the tongue, along one side or the other or at the tip. Some individuals experience stinging, pain, or tingling instead of itching.
2. White spots in the skin, resulting from melanin becoming absent in the area. These often occur on the outside of the forearm, but may occur in other places. The longer these spots are there, the whiter they get. As time goes by, the spots become very dry and flaky to the extent that small raw spots of skin may be exposed.
3. Sharp stabbing, tingling pain in the palm of one or both hands. This occurs suddenly and for no apparent reason in a spot directly below the ring finger, approximately where the first palm crease is. If B12 deficiency is not treated, a tingling pain may begin to occur along the outside edge of the hand, starting from the wrist. This pain occurs when the wrist is extended.
4. Sores at the corners of the mouth, sometimes extending along the edge of the lip. These are raw spots, not blisters, and they tend to come and go.
5. Nerve shock in the side of the body. It can be felt coming on a few seconds before it hits, and then it hits almost like a mild but deep electric shock and quickly subsides. It can occur at the side of either hip or on either side of the upper body, along the ribs. It can occur consecutively in at least two or three locations, one right after the other.
6. Shortness of breath, but without chest pain. This can occur when walking just a few yards.
7. Eye twitch, usually in one eye or the other. It can occur on the eyelid or just below the eye.
8. Facial pain, usually on only one side of the face at a time. This pain varies so much that it would be difficult to describe all the possibilities. This can present as a dull pain in the cheek bone right underneath an eye, or a sharp shooting pain across the forehead, sometimes coming downward from the scalp to the edge of the nose by the eye.
9. Tingling along the back of one or both thighs, starting at the hips and shooting downward.
10. Memory loss and/or disorientation.
11. Migraine headaches. These may be preceded by a temporary blind spot in the center of the field of vision, usually lasting about ten minutes, and sometimes followed by facial pain under the eyes. After the blind spot vanishes, there may be zigzag streaks through the vision that may last up to hours. Even in the same person, there may be extreme variations in the headaches themselves. They may be quite severe with nausea or they may be virtually nonexistent.
Migraines of most individuals have causes other than B12 deficiency, but migraines of certain individuals diminish or stop completely after they are treated for B12 deficiency.
12. Irritability and/or depression and/or personality changes.
[edit] Causes
Inadequate dietary intake of vitamin B12. As the vitamin B12 occurs naturally only in animal products (eggs, meat, milk), and a particular strain of nutritional yeast; a vegan diet can produce a deficiency unless one uses supplements or eats enriched food.[16][17]
Selective impaired absorption of vitamin B12 due to intrinsic factor deficiency. This may depend on loss of gastric parietal cells in chronic atrophic gastritis (in which case, the resulting megaloblastic anaemia takes the name of "pernicious anaemia"), or on wide surgical resection of stomach (such as in bariatric surgery), or on rare hereditary causes of impaired synthesis of intrinsic factor.
Impaired absorption of vitamin B12 in the setting of a more generalised malabsorption or maldigestion syndrome. This includes any form of structural damage or wide surgical resection of the terminal ileum (the principal site of vitamin B12 absorption), forms of achlorhydria (including that artificially induced by drugs such as proton pump inhibitors), as well as bacterial overgrowth (such as in blind loop syndrome).
Chronic intestinal infestation by the fish tapeworm Diphyllobothrium, that competes for vitamin B12, seizing it for its own use and therefore leaving insufficient amount for the host organism. This is mostly confined to Scandinavia and parts of Eastern Europe (for example, in preparers of gefilte fish, who would acquire the tapeworm by sneaking bits of fish before it was cooked while making the Eastern European delicacy).
The diabetes medication, metformin may interfere with B12 dietary absorption.[18]
Hereditary causes such as severe MTHFR deficiency, homocystinuria, and transcobalamin deficiency.
Some studies have shown that giardiasis, or similar parasite should be considered as a cause of Vitamin B12 deficiency, this a result of the problems caused within the intestinal absorption system
Did you have burning tingling in your hands?? I have sometimes tingling in my tongue. I had blood test today to check my Vit B12..I do have Benign MS but better check it anyway...Better prevent ...Tks for you comments on it...will help some people..
I was diagnosed with a mysterious vitamin B12 deficiency last October (2008). My levels were 202 and the normal is between 200 some and 900 some. Even levels in the mid range can cause damage. I have done MUCH research on B12 deficiency, and it can reap irreversible damage to your central nevous system...
The last neurologist I saw thinks I have permanent nerve damage from my chronically low and untreated vitamin b12 deficiency which was found in October. My GP and I were suspecting possible MS, and I'm still awaiting my cervical MRI results, but B12 deficiency seems to be causing the issues..Although my levels have been back to 'normal' since March. Low levels can cause problems, creating irreversible damage to the central nervous system. The neuro and I discussed this in detail.
My doctor never discovered why I was so deficient in the first place because I am not a vegetarian, and you get B12 from animal-derived products, even in small quantities. The amount needed on a daily basis is very small. I do have irritable bowel syndrome and that could have contributed to malabsorption of the vitamin in my intestines. Also, I am very very sensitive to alcohol, and B12 deficient people are very sensitive-which explains why even a few sips of alcohol send me into a full blown balance attack!
I have done a LOT of research on B12 and the problems it causes. It may be true that I was deficient for a very long time before it was found, and that created the damage.
The symptoms you mention here are in fact true and real, as I experienced and still do experience MANY of them. Also not mentioned that B12 can cause is heart palpitations, especially on exertion.
The last neurologist I saw thinks I have permanent nerve damage from my chronically low and untreated vitamin b12 deficiency which was found in October. My GP and I were suspecting possible MS, and I'm still awaiting my cervical MRI results, but B12 deficiency seems to be causing the issues..Although my levels have been back to 'normal' since March. Low levels can cause problems, creating irreversible damage to the central nervous system. The neuro and I discussed this in detail.
My doctor never discovered why I was so deficient in the first place because I am not a vegetarian, and you get B12 from animal-derived products, even in small quantities. The amount needed on a daily basis is very small. I do have irritable bowel syndrome and that could have contributed to malabsorption of the vitamin in my intestines. Also, I am very very sensitive to alcohol, and B12 deficient people are very sensitive-which explains why even a few sips of alcohol send me into a full blown balance attack!
I have done a LOT of research on B12 and the problems it causes. It may be true that I was deficient for a very long time before it was found, and that created the damage.
The symptoms you mention here are in fact true and real, as I experienced and still do experience MANY of them. Also not mentioned that B12 can cause is heart palpitations, especially on exertion.
It was a good episode. Maybe something for the LimoLanders to keep in mind, just in case their doctors don't consider the possibility.
Here's an answer to my question, an old entry in MedHelp's Neurology Expert Forum:
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurology/b-12/show/896247
This says that untreated B12 deficiency symptoms do not have a relapsing/remitting pattern.
ess
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Neurology/b-12/show/896247
This says that untreated B12 deficiency symptoms do not have a relapsing/remitting pattern.
ess
Have you come across anything that says B12 deficiency has, or can have, a relapsing/remitting course? I haven't. Since 85% of MS, give or take, is RRMS, at least at the beginning, this factor might make the difference in diagnosis.
ess
ess
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