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Mysterious fatigue on B12?

NilaJones

Senior Member
Messages
647
No, you would need a doctor and a lab: http://www.exatest.com/

That is the only one I know of but there may be more. It is different from just measuring potassium in the blood.

Sushi

Oh, could we be talking at cross purposes?

I am talking about the potassium crash that comes a few hours after a single (micro)dose of B12. I don't then go and take more B12 the next day, or ongoingly, because I have to take a few months to get potassium up again, and to recover from the fatigue crash. So far.

It could be that I have some underlying potassium problem. I have not been able to get my level up again since last time i tried B12 a few months ago (I forgot that trying it again would make that problem worse. I have such memory issues). I don't know how to find out.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
NilaJones

I don't think we are talking at cross purposes. How do you know that your potassium goes down after a dose of B12? The body had pretty good regulation systems to prevent sudden drops of vital electrolytes.

Are you testing potassium in the blood to get levels? Intracellular is better but blood gives an indication.

Best wishes,
Sushi
 

NilaJones

Senior Member
Messages
647
NilaJones

I don't think we are talking at cross purposes. How do you know that your potassium goes down after a dose of B12? The body had pretty good regulation systems to prevent sudden drops of vital electrolytes.

Are you testing potassium in the blood to get levels? Intracellular is better but blood gives an indication.

Best wishes,
Sushi

I don't have access to testing.

I started the thread to ask folks here what could possibly cause these symptoms. Then I came back to say that taking potassium had helped, and that stuff I had read sounded like that could be my problem.


But I sure don't know, and I welcome other suggestions of things I can try. Without much access to testing :/.
 

Sushi

Moderation Resource Albuquerque
Messages
19,935
Location
Albuquerque
I don't have access to testing.

I started the thread to ask folks here wha t could possibly cause these symptoms. Then I came back to say that taking potassium had helped, and that stuff I had read sounded like that could be my oroblem.

But I sure don't know, and I welcome other suggestions of things I can try. Without much access to testing :/.


I'm sorry you don't have access to testing. That makes it much harder to figure out what is happening. Sadly, we can only make guesses without some real data--but some members here are very good and helping others figure out possibilities from their symptoms.

I hope you'll get some suggestions that will indeed help.

Best wishes,
Sushi
 

NilaJones

Senior Member
Messages
647
So far, I am just reading what little I can, and apparently forgetting important parts, and trying things that seem like they might apply to me.

Folate alone helped significantly, and since my diet has included virtually zero B12 in the last 30 years, it seemed logical to try it, too. But without access to a lab it's all pretty hit or miss.

I would love some guidance but have no idea where to find that other than here.
 

caledonia

Senior Member
Emo from B12 - either CBS or COMT. Get those SNPs tested by 23andme so we can advise you better on what to take!
Twitchy legs can be either magnesium or potassium. You could try some coconut water and see how that goes. It's full of electrolytes.

Many of us do a homemade electrolyte drink as we are leaking electrolytes out due to weak adrenals. Ben Lynch has an electrolyte formula called MTHFRade which is similar. It would be good to get a base of this going before diving into methylation, as methyation will cause an increased need for magnesium and/or potassium.

My personal formula is salt, vitamin C, magnesium glycinate - all powders, which are dissolved in water and drunk (drank?). I seem to be kind of unique in that I don't need potassium, so you may also want to add potassium to that.

I determine what is good to take and what doses by self muscle testing. This helps reduce a lot of the trial and error and adverse reactions.

Here is a suggestion for the brain fog - try 100mg of CoQ10. You should know within a few days if it's going to help. It works wonders for me, and I'm a foggy mess if I don't take it.
 

NilaJones

Senior Member
Messages
647
Emo from B12 - either CBS or COMT. Get those SNPs tested by 23andme so we can advise you better on what to take!
Twitchy legs can be either magnesium or potassium. You could try some coconut water and see how that goes. It's full of electrolytes.

Many of us do a homemade electrolyte drink as we are leaking electrolytes out due to weak adrenals. Ben Lynch has an electrolyte formula called MTHFRade which is similar. It would be good to get a base of this going before diving into methylation, as methyation will cause an increased need for magnesium and/or potassium.

My personal formula is salt, vitamin C, magnesium glycinate - all powders, which are dissolved in water and drunk (drank?). I seem to be kind of unique in that I don't need potassium, so you may also want to add potassium to that.

I determine what is good to take and what doses by self muscle testing. This helps reduce a lot of the trial and error and adverse reactions.

Here is a suggestion for the brain fog - try 100mg of CoQ10. You should know within a few days if it's going to help. It works wonders for me, and I'm a foggy mess if I don't take it.

Thanks, caledonia :)

I have tried CoQ but it didn't help me. I'll try taking some magnesium :).

I sent in my 23andme on June3rd, so i hope for results sometime soon.

>Emo from B12 - either CBS or COMT.

Ok, that's great info! I will read up on those.

I am still feeling emotionally weird, but not completely freaking out like last night.
 

Freddd

Senior Member
Messages
5,184
Location
Salt Lake City
Oh, could we be talking at cross purposes?

I am talking about the potassium crash that comes a few hours after a single (micro)dose of B12. I don't then go and take more B12 the next day, or ongoingly, because I have to take a few months to get potassium up again, and to recover from the fatigue crash. So far.

It could be that I have some underlying potassium problem. I have not been able to get my level up again since last time i tried B12 a few months ago (I forgot that trying it again would make that problem worse. I have such memory issues). I don't know how to find out.

HI NilaJones,

Excess B1, B2 and/or B3 can really skew some of these symptoms. Doing stop and start on MeCbl causes all sorts of stabilizing surges. I had to cut back on B1, B2 and B3 to get potassium under control. Also, a number of diuretics can throw that way off and push out potassium and magnesium while accumulating sodium. Also, having it happen hours after a dose doesn't make sense as when caused by cell formation it usually takes 3-4 days to get going.
 

NilaJones

Senior Member
Messages
647
HI NilaJones,

Excess B1, B2 and/or B3 can really skew some of these symptoms. Doing stop and start on MeCbl causes all sorts of stabilizing surges. I had to cut back on B1, B2 and B3 to get potassium under control. Also, a number of diuretics can throw that way off and push out potassium and magnesium while accumulating sodium. Also, having it happen hours after a dose doesn't make sense as when caused by cell formation it usually takes 3-4 days to get going.

Thanks, Freddd!

I don't take any diuretics, although I do drink a lot of water.

I have been taking magnesium for the past 4 days, and it seems like it might be helping. Yesterday I ate less of high-potassium foods, and, although I still had restless legs at night, they were not worse, as I would have expected.

I don't take a B complex or any B vitamins solo. I do take multi (Thorne) that contains:

Thiamin (as Thiamin HCl) 30 mg.
Riboflavin (as Riboflavin 5'-Phosphate Sodium) 8 mg.
Niacin (130 mg as Niacinamide and 30 mg as Niacin) 120 mg.
Vitamin B6 (as Pyridoxal 5'-Phosphate) 8 mg.
Vitamin B12 (150 mcg as Adenosylcobalamin and 150 mcg as Methylcobalamin) 450 mcg.
Biotin 300 mcg.
Pantothenic Acid (as Calcium Pantothenate) 309 mg.

Are those too much?
 

taniaaust1

Senior Member
Messages
13,054
Location
Sth Australia
Hi, try not to get overwhelmed, just find one thing you wish to focus on and concentrate on just learning about that. It can take years to understand all this stuff, you will understand more as time goes on. Many of us do need to become our own doctors and with time we do learn to do a fair job at this. I think the ones who can just go and get whatever tests they wish are rare.. as most of us only have doctors who just do the standard tests they know about. It may take time but you will learn more and more about what is going on with you.

I'd like to say a couple things for you to think about (I'll try to make sure I express in an easy way for you to follow).

- B12, Ive never heard about it causing weight, in fact B12 injections are actually given in some weight loss clinics as it can add in weight loss.

- Fatigue..is a symptom for so many different things, that this symptom itself is practically useless to work out what you have an issue with. eg just cause potassium issue can cause fatigue, it doesnt necessarily mean you have an issue with potassium. Seek more evidence on what is going on.. eg experiment to work out exactly what you have issue with.