Astounding Information about B12 Deficiency

I knew B12 was important, but I had no idea how many things low B12 can affect.  As they say in the video below, B12 is a horse, not a zebra.  In other words, B12 should be something our physicians routinely check.

http://youtu.be/BvEizypoyO0
Symptoms and Related Disorders
Memory Issues, mental confusion, "brain fog," short attention span
Nerve issues, Numbness, Tingling or "Pins and Needles" esp. in hands or feet, Gait problems, and urinary incontinence due to nerve damage
Muscle Issues: Weakness, Clumsiness
Pale or yellow skin

Mood Issues: Anger, Irritability, Depression, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Thoughts of Suicide, Psychosis
Stomach and GI Disturbances, including food allergies
Eating Disorders: Anorexia, Bulimia
Sore mouth or tongue, including swollen tongue, possibly dark red
Visual Disturbances
Dizziness
Orthostatic Intolerances
Tachycardia
Edema
Elevated Homocysteine
Elevated MMA
Shortness of Breath
Migraines
Fatigue
Tremors
Dysplagia, including epithelial dysplagia which can result in a false positive pap smear for women
Neurological lesions
In children, repetitive gestures, possible regression in developmental areas, small head circumference, slow growth, failure to thrive,

Risk Factors include:
A diet low in meat and animal protein, esp. vegetarian or vegan
Celiac Disease
Use of acid-blockers (see here, if you have stomach acid issues)
Use of Birth Control
Use of Nitrous Oxide anesthesia (which inactivates B12)
Stomach Surgery
Pregnant and post-partum women (increases B12 needs), especially those women taking supplements high in folic acid - particularly women with post-partum depression

Those with low stomach acid (esp. the elderly)
Age over 50
Parasites
Pernicious Anemia
Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth
Peptic Ulcer
Transcobalamin Deficiency



Serum B12 labs are not always enough to rule out a deficiency because the lab is checking serum levels, not tissue levels of B12.  The video explains that the following labs might need to be done to rule out a B12 deficiency:

• Serum B12
• HoloTranscobalamin
• Homocysteine
• Methylmalonic Acid
• Unsaturated B12 Binding Capacity

http://b12awareness.org/2013/01/21/2013-b12-documentary-by-elissa-leonard-completed/

http://www.pernicious-anaemia-society.org/phpbb/

All rights reserved, copyright information Elissa Leonard 2011

My Updated Answer to "How did you do it?"

Eleven months ago, I wrote this post to share with others who asked how I was finding healing and treating my health issues.  Given that I've made a few discoveries since then and learned that healing is going to take longer than I thought, I figured I should write an update!   

• I'm still taking Natural Dessicated Thyroid (NDT) hormones.  

• I'm also still taking Cytomel brand T3 for the Circadian T3 Method which I have been using since the end of March 2012 to heal my adrenals.  (You can read here how CT3M and the other things I'm doing have changed my life, and you can read here to see how my adrenals have healed).

• I'm starting my treatment plan for eradicating Helicobacter pylori, which will help raise my iron levels.

• I'm continuing progesterone shots, which will help support my adrenals as well.

• I'm continuing my gluten-free diet, as well as limiting grains and dairy, focusing on non-processed foods.  High fat, moderate protein, with plenty of veggies (admittedly, I struggle to eat enough!) and limited sugars (natural, no refined) is the diet I feel best consuming.    

• All of the above, as well as good sleep, good vitamins and supplements, and stress-reducing practices, to help heal my whole body, including adrenals. 

• The biggest new thing I'm working on is my methylation issues due to having MTHFR gene mutation. 

Also, remember my symptoms list?  Last March, I was down to about six symptoms.  I was feeling really good and starting to work on my methylation issues.  Then I had some gluten mis-adventures, which really set me back.  I'm still amazed at how identical those symptoms were to my hypo/adrenal symptoms. 

If you're just beginning your journey to health: 

Then, remember:

• If you're going to get well, you have to assume ownership of your health issues and control over your education about those health issues.

• If you have brain fog, you have to read and re-read.

• Find a support network in various areas of your life.  This might include family members, friends, health care providers, a health coach, or peers who share your health issues in real life or in support groups online, like these.  

• There will be stumbling blocks.

• Healing ebbs and flows.  There are good days and bad.

• Step away.  Sometimes we can get bogged down in learning about our health issues.  Learn when to step away from it all and get centered on the other things that matter - like faith, family and friends.

If you're not familiar with Janie Bowthorpe's Stop the Thyroid Madness website, blog and books, I will enlighten you to the fact that this is the precise reason why she has had such huge, rapid success:
 

Patient-based experience and patient-based information sharing 

is the brilliant, short-cut way to learning 

about the reasons for your health issues and how to treat them. 

If you've been on this journey a while and you're road-weary:

Then, keep plugging away.  You are not alone.  Review the basics and make sure you're supported by peers who are on this journey, as well.

MTHFR in My Life

Re-published from here: http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com/mthfr/marys-story/

I first heard of MTHFR, or methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase, enzyme deficiency on the STTM patient to patient groups.  My first reaction was to blow it off, which I did.  I did not want another health issue to deal with in addition to my juvenile diabetes, Hashi's, adrenal fatigue, very low iron, Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome and endometriosis with low progesterone, estrogen and testosterone.  I finally felt like I could see the light at the end of the tunnel, so to speak, with regard to my hypothyroidism and adrenal fatigue!  I was treating my issues well and finally getting a taste of feeling good, and I just wasn't ready to deal with some other health issue! 

But as time went on and I learned more about it from other patients, I realized that this gene mutation just could be the thing that connected the dots.  And what if treating it would not be another health issue to add to my list, but rather would speed along my healing in the long-run, if it was part of the core underneath all these layers?

In the back of my mind, I also wondered if testing and treating MTHFR, which is connected with miscarriage in some women, could help me to conceive again and carry to term?  After I miscarried, my health hit rock-bottom and that was the impetus behind my finding STTM and seeking proper treatment for my thyroid and adrenal issues. 

Still, I put off testing.  

Then I had labs drawn that revealed I had high B12 levels, despite only getting a small amount of B12 in my B complex.  I had multiple people suggest that it could be due to having MTHFR, due to the fact that the test reveals blood levels of B12, not the levels that are getting into the cells.  I knew then that I should get tested for MTHFR.

Since I have a very supportive health care provider, I chose to start with getting the Lab Corp blood test which my insurance would cover entirely.  (Many patients choose to test through 23andme.com, which is excellent.) 

But the lab sheet results were confusing, suggesting that it was not important if a person has the A1298C copy of the mutation, if they do not have the C677T copy, which is the one associated with having elevated homocysteine levels while the A1298C copy is not (when the C677T copy is not present).  The doctor at the LabCorp laboratory confirmed this, as well. 

So I did what has been the number one best help to me: I sought the advice of other patients.  After talking with other patients on the MTHFR support groups, I felt confident that this is not the case - that having any MTHFR mutation is significant - and I decided to move forward with my treatment. 

I started with taking methylated B12 and felt an improvement in my energy levels quickly.  I am taking my treatment plan very slowly.  Later, I plan to add methyl-folate.  If I tolerate that with no ill effects, I will then try a methylated B complex.  Again, all of this will be done very slowly so as to track symptoms and reactions, and generally allow my body time to respond.  

At the same time that I had my MTHFR lab drawn, I had my copper, ceruloplasmin and zinc levels checked.  Those revealed that my free copper levels were double what they should be and my zinc was low. 

So shortly after starting the methyl-B12, I started trying to balance my high copper and low zinc by taking zinc picolinate.  I chose Solgar brand which is 22 mg per tablet.   

Unfortunately, the detox process resulted in what seemed like a return of my hypothyroid and adrenal fatigue symptoms - some of which I had not felt in ages!  I was fatigued especially in the afternoon, had cold hands and feet, no motivation, was easily stressed, irritable, emotional, emotionally sensitive, weepy, and had sore breasts, acne, and water retention in my ankles.  Whoah!  This was a lot to hit me (again) in a relatively short period of time. 

I stopped taking my zinc supplement to see if that was the culprit. Within a day and a half, I felt like myself again.  It was surprising! 

I plan to resume my zinc picolinate supplementation, but I will opt for a lower dose - probably a quarter of the 22 mg tablets to start - and I will increase as time goes on, but s-l-o-w-l-y.  

It's worth mentioning that molybdenum can help detox copper, and P-5-P (the active form of B6) and magnesium can help reduce symptoms.  

I am confident that as time goes on, treating my MTHFR will help my other health issues to diminish.  I am also very thankful to have learned that I have this gene mutation, since my children are likely to have it as well.