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Hi all,
I believe I am experiencing hypokalemia onset, but have some symptoms I am not sure about. All yesterday I had a strong muscle spasm in my thumb that came and went. I took some potassium (two 99mg tablets) in a divided dose through the afternoon but it didn't get much better. In the evening it got worse and stayed longer, and I also got a muscle spasm in my left thigh for a short time and then a tingling sensation started up in my hands which hasn't completely gone away even now, and I am also feeling it in my feet and legs occasionally. It is not like the pins and needles I had in my arms and hands before I began B12, it is milder and really just feels like a tingle. The muscle spasms in thumb and legs have so far stayed away today. I have looked at the symptoms of Potassium deficiency and see that spasms are a symptom I can't find out much about the tingling?
I have also been experiencing increasing anxiety, which started two nights ago, where I would wake in the night feeling very anxious and not be able to get back to sleep for some time. Last night I was extremely anxious and had a 'wired' feeling so that I couldn't stay asleep although I repeatedly dropped off for a few minutes. This is still going on today, when I do fall asleep it isn't deep or refreshing and simply feels like my brain switched off without me resting.
I had come to the conclusion this anxiety was a methylfolate side effect, as I have been taking a high dose to get myself out of what I think was folate deficiency. Does this sound correct or could the anxiety also be a symptom of a possible Potassium deficiency?
To explain about what I have been taking, I started hydroxycobalamin injections (1mg) a couple of months back to help with my fatigue and other symptoms for what I was told was B12 deficiency, like pins and needles and numbness in my fingers. At that point I didn't know anything about methylation so wasn't taking folate. Initially, I felt fantastic, but began experiencing a return of brain fog and low energy and some skin symptoms which is when I did some research and began methylfolate. I have slowly increased this from 1000mcg all the way up to between 7000-8000mcgs a day in order to eliminate the brain fog/fatigue and the skin symptoms (cheilitis/bleeding lips). So far it has been working, has made me feel energised and very calm/happy. Only this last ten days or so have I properly understood the need for Potassium and started adding this in, one or two of the 99mg pills per day. These seemed to further increase the feeling of energy and calmness. Just the last three days however, this sudden increase in anxiety symptoms began and then the muscles spasms/tingling has occurred. Other symptoms last night included light headedness and felt I was going to pass out, had nausea, and felt really disturbed with an odd sensation I was floating above my body (I wonder if this was all just extreme anxiety, like a panic attack?).
Can anyone point in the right direction? I haven’t taken anything yet today. Do I need more Potassium based on the spasms and tingling sensations? Could the anxiety also be Potassium deficiency or is it more likely I am now taking more folate than I need and the anxiety is a side effect of excess folate? Thanks in advance for any advice.
I believe I am experiencing hypokalemia onset, but have some symptoms I am not sure about. All yesterday I had a strong muscle spasm in my thumb that came and went. I took some potassium (two 99mg tablets) in a divided dose through the afternoon but it didn't get much better. In the evening it got worse and stayed longer, and I also got a muscle spasm in my left thigh for a short time and then a tingling sensation started up in my hands which hasn't completely gone away even now, and I am also feeling it in my feet and legs occasionally. It is not like the pins and needles I had in my arms and hands before I began B12, it is milder and really just feels like a tingle. The muscle spasms in thumb and legs have so far stayed away today. I have looked at the symptoms of Potassium deficiency and see that spasms are a symptom I can't find out much about the tingling?
I have also been experiencing increasing anxiety, which started two nights ago, where I would wake in the night feeling very anxious and not be able to get back to sleep for some time. Last night I was extremely anxious and had a 'wired' feeling so that I couldn't stay asleep although I repeatedly dropped off for a few minutes. This is still going on today, when I do fall asleep it isn't deep or refreshing and simply feels like my brain switched off without me resting.
I had come to the conclusion this anxiety was a methylfolate side effect, as I have been taking a high dose to get myself out of what I think was folate deficiency. Does this sound correct or could the anxiety also be a symptom of a possible Potassium deficiency?
To explain about what I have been taking, I started hydroxycobalamin injections (1mg) a couple of months back to help with my fatigue and other symptoms for what I was told was B12 deficiency, like pins and needles and numbness in my fingers. At that point I didn't know anything about methylation so wasn't taking folate. Initially, I felt fantastic, but began experiencing a return of brain fog and low energy and some skin symptoms which is when I did some research and began methylfolate. I have slowly increased this from 1000mcg all the way up to between 7000-8000mcgs a day in order to eliminate the brain fog/fatigue and the skin symptoms (cheilitis/bleeding lips). So far it has been working, has made me feel energised and very calm/happy. Only this last ten days or so have I properly understood the need for Potassium and started adding this in, one or two of the 99mg pills per day. These seemed to further increase the feeling of energy and calmness. Just the last three days however, this sudden increase in anxiety symptoms began and then the muscles spasms/tingling has occurred. Other symptoms last night included light headedness and felt I was going to pass out, had nausea, and felt really disturbed with an odd sensation I was floating above my body (I wonder if this was all just extreme anxiety, like a panic attack?).
Can anyone point in the right direction? I haven’t taken anything yet today. Do I need more Potassium based on the spasms and tingling sensations? Could the anxiety also be Potassium deficiency or is it more likely I am now taking more folate than I need and the anxiety is a side effect of excess folate? Thanks in advance for any advice.