Neurological damage from B-12 deficiency

[MarshaV]

Six years ago after many tests I was diagnosed with B-12 deficiency. I had extreme fatigue, pain and numbness in my arms and legs among other symptoms. After much research I found out that if pernicious anemia is left undetected too long irreversable damage can occur. Six years later I don't have one day where I do not experience all of these problems.  At times I can't lift my arms, my muscles ache like I have been lifting weights and when I rest my arms on a chair arm they go to sleep. My legs ache constantly, from the ham string muscles down to the calf muscles.  I try to walk a treadmill at a slow pace just to exercise my legs, but it doesn't help.  Sometimes when I walk I get such pain in my ankle that it feels like it's broken.  Of course it isn't and 5 minutes later the pain is gone.  I have taken yoga and pilates trying to regain some strength but it never changes. I give myself B-12 injections monthly but these symptoms never change. Lately I have started experiencing esophogial spasms which scared me at first, but now I just ride them out. My question is, I'm trying to find out if this is an expected result of the damage from B-12 deficiency and if it is expected, is there anything I can do to help this.  I'm 50 years old and hate to think that this is what I have to look forward to especially if there is something I can do to remedy some of the aches and pain.

[CCF-Neuro-M.D.-PW]

After initiation of treatment of B12 deficiency, further damage to the nervous system can be prevented. Whether damage that had occurred already will reverse is less clear, and depends on the type and severity of the damage (if nerve axons have died then they may not recover at all).

Of course, your doctors need to ensure that other processes are not contributing to your pain also - such as secondary arthritis, myopathy (causing muscle aches) or pinched nerves (which can cause your arms to go to sleep particularly when resting on an armchair)

Otherwise, a good rehabilitation program and physical therapy are important to maximise your recovery

[Chet56]

WHy are you B-12 deficient? Have you been tested for Chrones disease? That could be causing the spasms. It causes aches and pains also. You could also be deficient in other nutrients too.

[Jake34]

Suffering as you are from a severe malabsorption of B12 which has brought about pernicious anaemia you really should be taking your B12 in the most effective form and strength.  This means you should be taking B12 in methylcobalamin form at the strength of 5000mcg per day using sublingual lozenges. Your injections which are probably cyanocobalamin? are much too infrequent to have any positive effect on PA.

Whether it is too late to reverse any damage is questionable. But if you really want to stand the best chance of doing so then you must move fast to do as I suggest above. By all means continue the injections if you so wish but alongside the above they are not going to be very if in anyway productive.

I and a lot of sufferers that I know get their B12 methylcobalamin from iHerb.com. I mention this not because I have any connection with the company whatsoever other than as a customer (I live in the UK).  They are a good reliable firm but other companies as you probably know are on the internet and the choice is yours.  BTW you will also need a good B complex to run alongside the B12 meth so as to maintain a balance of B’s.

I hope for your sake to hear that you have done as I suggest, if not your problems will only get worse.

Take care

Jake34

[bdc1956]

I'm writing about my husband. 23 years ago(when he was in his 20's) he had hepititas B, followed shortly afterwards by Guillian Barre. 10 years later vit. B-12 diffency. Now 10 years later after a epideral syeroid injection in his back he has numbness in his feet with burning, tingling.  The numbness goes upto his mid thighs. (He has had 4 MRI's on his back lately) Its very painful and has been going on for about 1 year with this symtom.  He is seen a specialist at the U. of WA.  She has proformed every test possiable. "Everyone"   Now he has been on the gamit of all the different meds from Amitriptyline, Neurontin, Mirapex and a few others.  For pain viocodine and later methadone.  None of the meds work and nothing takes the pain away.  He is back to taking viocodine 6x a day only and just one amitriptyline to sleep at night.  Lately he has lost weight or should I say muscle. (My husband works out daily and still has a good appetite.) Also has developed night sweats and has a non restful sleep.  He is 6" tall and use to weigh 225.  Now he weights around 210# but looks so much thinner.  He looks thinner then when he was in the hospital with guillian barre at 190#.  He has been check 2x by the specialist and our family doctor for diabetes.  All reports and test show normal.   Any ideas..... Please ps he has developed a big sweet tooth also

[MarshaV]

Sorry I didn't get your note sooner.  I will try it.  The symptoms seem to be getting slowly worse.  I will let you know how I make out. Thanks so much.