Yet another MS thread (or B12 deficiency)

[JB1985]

I feel sort of ashamed writing this post, as I have been doing quite well, but right now I feel like I'm spiraling due to a myriad of different - to me - alarming symptoms.

During the last 2 months I've have the following:

* Problems concentrating / not being able to finish sentences (still present, daily).
* Week legs / cramping (still present)
* Tingling, most prominently in my right hand, but also in my feet and left hand occasionally. The tingling is not constant, it comes at goes (still present).
* Tinnitus (has gotten better, but still present)
* Fatigued, but not to the point that I cannot function (still present).
* Very painful/stiff neck (no longer present)
* Dizziness (subsided, mostly gone)
* Eye problems with my left eye. It felt slightly blurred and kept watering (no longer present)
* Headache and pain around my sinuses (no longer present)

I went to the doctor focusing primarily on the tingling and the tinnitus, as this was most concerning to me at the time. She diagnosed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, but ordered an array of blood samples to be sure something else wasn't going on, e.g. metabolism or diabetes. The blood samples came back pretty much normal. My B12 was borderline for Danish values, as it was 242 (normal range is 200-800). The fact that it's in the lower end prompted another bloodtest called MMA, which, when raised, could indicate B12 deficiency. My MMA was slightly raised (0.36 with normal value being <0.28). Normally, it would be around 0.75 to really indicate a defiency, but it's still raised. My doctor told me to take supplements for a month and do a retest, which I will.

I realize that all of these symptoms can be symptoms of a B12 deficiency, but the fact that my symptoms are not improving after taking supplements combined with the fact, that my last blood sample 6 years ago also showed values around 240, is making me nervous that something else is going on.

I do also know, that the symptoms I have listed are quite normal for anxiety sufferers, but most of these symptoms are very new to me, and they are quite persistent in the sense, that I've now had them for two months.

I realize that noone in here is able to diagnose me, but I'm wondering if anyone else have had similar experiences with B12 deficiency despite being in the "normal range"?

Or perhaps someone who's already talked to a neurologist about similar symptoms. Would the tingling be constant if it was indicated of MS? I also heard that the tingling would usually not affect different places of the body at the same time, but I'm not sure if this is true or not.

P.S. my doctor told me she would refer me to a neurologist if the symptoms were still there after one month, making me just even more nervous.

[Scass]

When did you start taking the vitamin supplements? Let’s hope that they just take a little while to help you stabilise.


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[JB1985]

Hi Scass. Started roughly two weeks ago.

[RadioGaGa]

To be honest JB1985 your symptoms are rather non-specific and don't really indicate anything sinister.

I do think this is really just your anxiety causing these symptoms. I'm in a hole (to put it mildly) myself at the minute, and the concentration/sentences issues definitely rings true.

I don't think you have anything to worry about (easy said, hard done) but just keep taking the B12 and consult with your GP, as necessary.

Good luck

[cattia]

I'm going through something similar with intermittent tingling in both feet and legs. It's there most days lately but not all the time. I don't know if I'm deficient, I wasn't last time I was checked but I used to supplement and I stopped around six months ago so guess my levels could have dropped. It's one of those things that once you notice it, you can't stop obsessing over it.

[JB1985]

I'm going through something similar with intermittent tingling in both feet and legs. It's there most days lately but not all the time. I don't know if I'm deficient, I wasn't last time I was checked but I used to supplement and I stopped around six months ago so guess my levels could have dropped. It's one of those things that once you notice it, you can't stop obsessing over it.

Hi cattia. Have you seen a doctor about it? What did they say? For how long have you had it?

[cattia]

I'm seeing a doctor next Friday which was the first appointment I could get.

[JB1985]

Ok, I hope you cope well until then, that’s a long wait. I would not worry, but I would ask the doctor to check for different defiencies. One thing to know about B12 is that your test can be in the normal range, but still give you symptoms.