Doctor found cause of nerve pains!

[Taramc]

Hey out there,

I've been whining about diffuse nerve pains for about 3 months now... they got into my arms, hands, and face recently in addition to my back, legs, feet. I was freaking out because I thought there was something neurologically wrong with me.

But NO, what happened was the IC-Safe diet caused Vitamin B12 deficiency! I've been living off mostly vegetables since June, and I take Prelief with everything and stay acid-free otherwise. This CAUSED Vitamin B12 defiency so I guess that's something else we all need to look out for.

Heads up! I'm getting prescription B12 supplements today. If that makes the stabbing in my fingers and arms stop, I'll be SO happy:woohoo: It's about time somebody checked my blood.

[ICNDonna]

Dairy products, meat, eggs are good sources of B12 --- a very important nutrient we all need. I know it's important to stick with an IC diet, but we do need to look at nutrition. I also found out the hard way!

Be sure to let us know how this works.

Warm hugs,
Donna

[Taramc]

I'm on my 2nd day of B12 and already the nerve pains are out of my fingers and toes. I had really hit rock bottom, with the pains everywhere and all the time - even in my face and the inside of my mouth! They were getting in the way of sleep.

The weird thing is I never stopped eating milk or eggs. But I wonder if it could have just been the DRAMATIC CHANGE in my diet. I'm still confused about nitrates so I quit meat except for poultry and fish, and even fish has given me trouble.

And of course I absolutely quit all my favorite foods like burritoes, chilli, hot dogs, etc. I was a real junk food eater. And lots of those junk foods contained vitamin B12.

I've also read online that taking too many antacids will cause B12 deficiency. I was taking PRELIEF with EVERYTHING. My bladder is so mean I felt I had to.

Now I've lost 22 pounds since June. 162 to 140. The ONLY good thing about this whole horrible nightmare.

[GriffsMommy]

I'm glad it seems you found the cause of all that nerve pain. I hope it works quickly for you so you start to feel better.

[Vicki]

I also found out I have a B-12 deficiency. I have been doing shot since February. I started out with 2x/week for three weeks and then did one/week for about four months. Now, I am down to 2x monthly. I feel so much better. I did not have nerve pain. However, I did not have an ounce of energy. -vicki

[born2swim]

I'm sorry you went 3 months with that! I too was B12 deficient. I have been on monthly injections and sublingual 2500mcg. They checked my blood after 3 months and it barely went up. I am now taking 5000mcg sublingual and then an injection every 2 weeks. I see my primary care doctor tomorrow to follow up with that. I sure hope you feel better soon. I didn't get to the nerve pain, but my toes would go numb (pins/needles feeling) but not that often. The biggest problem was feeling liked the living dead due to 0% energy. The B12 has certainly helped.

[traceann]

Hey there! I am sooooooooooooooo glad to hear there's a fix for it! YAY!!! ;)

[Taramc]

My bladder hasn't been tolerating the supplements - I was up all night last night and the pain is ongoing now six doses in. So I'm going to do the B12 shot instead, tomorrow. The nerve pains are totally under control, though :woohoo:

[glassd18]

I'm glad you got that worked out. I also wondered how my vegetarian diet was effecting my B12 levels, and wonder can a B12 difficiency cause bladder problems too? I haven't tried the sublingual B12's because I feared my bladder would scream. Not that it matters, it's screaming all the time these days no matter what I do.

[born2swim]

I did research about B12 deficiency and found that it can lead to incontinence or bladder control problems. I was only taking my Flintstones vitamin 3 times a week and not eating meat, so I feard for my B12. I asked my primary for a serum B12 check and it was deficient. Monthly shots, sublingual (from Walgreen's), and recheck after 3-4 months, I am still too low (but no longer in the deficient range). I am on bimonthly shots, doubled the dose for sublingual (and am taking my multi-vitamin again) and I will get my B12 recheckd in November. She will also look for certain metabolites that are made and some that use B12 to see if those are "off". If those are, I'm having a serious B12 problem. If those are normal, a low B12 is not metabolically affecting me (so everything else should be fine).

Good luck! B12 deficiency is nothing to play around with! Since you are a vegetarian I would get your serum B12 checked, especially if you cut out your vitamin for IC.