vitamin B

[mkay]

I wanted to add vitamin B as a supplement, if any of you take it what do you recommend B12 or B complex?  Does anyone have good results with vitamin B and if so what?  I thought it couldn't hurt the energy levels!  🙂

[Maz]

[user=1403]mkay[/user] wrote:

I wanted to add vitamin B as a supplement, if any of you take it what do you recommend B12 or B complex?  Does anyone have good results with vitamin B and if so what?  I thought it couldn't hurt the energy levels!  🙂

Hi Mkay,

Quick answer – both!

Longer answer – the B vitamins are synergistic, working together, so if you are low on one, like B12, then it's also important to take a B complex.

Have you been tested for your B12 levels or diagnosed with pernicious anemia? If low, some docs will prescribe B12 shots, especially if orals aren't effective – some folk have trouble assimilating B12. Still important to take an oral B complex, though. For oral B12, the sublingual microdots, dissolved under the tongue, or drops (put under tongue and not swallowed for a minute or two), are the best for absorption.

Peace, Maz

[Kim]

Hi Mkay,

I do exactly what Maz said……I do B-12 injections at home and sub-lingual B-complex.

Take care….kim

[lynnie_sydney]

mkay – just to reiterate. It's imperative that you take a B-Complex if you also take one of the B's by itself. Lynnie

Be well! Lynnie

Palindromic RA 30 yrs (Chronic Lyme?)
Mino 2003-2008 100mg MWF - can no longer tolerate any tetracyclines
rotating abx protocol now. From Sep 2018 MWF - a.m. Augmentin Duo 440mg + 150mg Biaxsig (roxithromycin). p.m. Cefaclor (375mg) + Klacid 125mg + LDN 3mg + Annual Clindy IV's
Diet: no gluten, dairy, sulphites, low salicylates
Supps: 600mg N-AC BID, 1000mg Vit C, P5P 40mg, zinc picolinate 60mg, Lithium orotate 20mg, Magnesium Oil, Bio-identical hormones (DHEA + Prog + Estrog)

[mkay]

Thank you so much for your responses.  What I actually bought is B Maxi Complex which seems to have thiamin (B-1), riboflavin (B-2), niacin, B-6, folic acid, B-12, and pantothenic acid in it.  I hope this is ok.  Do I need to add anything else?

I went to the doctor last Thursday and had a complete thyroid panel ran (my mother has hyperthyroid) everything came back normal, I thought I would probably have it after hearing how many here have thyroid problems…unbelievable I had a  test come back normal  😯 .

[mkay]

Kim- Do you use the microdots or the liquid drops?

[Kim]

[user=1403]mkay[/user] wrote:

Kim- Do you use the microdots or the liquid drops?

I stand corrected, the sub-lingual spray I use is a Mercola B-12 product.

“NanoMist

[Merla]

I use the B12 and B6 combination injections. They really give me an energy boost.

[Velouria138]

[Maz]

[user=2043]Velouria138[/user] wrote:

Is it common for people with RA to have a low blood count also?
My blood count is about 9-10.

I take b12 and just recently added b6

Hi Velouria,

When you say, “low blood count,” do you mean your hemaglobin levels are low?

If so, for a woman, hemaglobin should be within the 12-16 gm/dl range. So, yes, if this is the case and you mean hemaglobin, this is cause for further investigation by your treating doc, because low hemaglobin means pernicious anemia, but it can also mean blood loss from ulcer bleed-outs or some other cause. You are also likely to feel quite rough…very tired, breathless, etc.

If low hemaglobin levels are your problem and other stuff has been ruled out, it might be worth investigating B12 shots and incorporating an oral B Complex. All the Bs are needed, because they work synergistically with one another. Some folk aren't able to assimilate B12 in their guts properly, so the shots are needed….sometimes daily for a while to get those hemaglobin levels back up.

If it's not pernicious anemia, yes, anemia is very common in RA. Brown talks about this in the book. Unfortunately, this isn't rectified in the usual way with iron supplements, but does improve with antibiotic therapy over time. Why this happens in some folk with RA isn't really known…but for those who believe in infectious causes, it's those dastardly pathogens that sequester iron from our bodies. :X

Please let us know what you figure out with this low blood count, Velouria.

Peace, Maz

PS Are you still taking Relafen? Just checked the side-effects of this drug on Drugs.com and one of the risks with it is as follows. Velouria, would suggest you check with your doc about this possibility in relation your low blood count with your doc ;):

 http://www.drugs.com/relafen.html

“This medicine can also increase your risk of serious effects on the stomach or intestines, including bleeding or perforation (forming of a hole). “

[Velouria138]

[Maz]

[user=2043]Velouria138[/user] wrote:

I have a Dr appointment in May so I will ask him about the relafen and see what he thinks is the cause of my anemia. I don't really think it's pernicious anemia. I did just find out I have a gluten sensitivity so it could be that I have malabsorption. Ugh! haha, so many side effects from this or that.
Until then though I'm gonna buy an oral b complex.

Hi Velouria,

If this helps, malabsorption can be a cause of pernicious anemia, which is essentially the inability to absorb B12:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pernicious_anemia

Do hope your doc will investigate the low hemaglobin for you, Velouria. These pain meds can tear up the gut (leaky gut) and may even be the ultimate cause of malabsorption.

Hope you're feeling okay until your doc appt and you can get some answers. Please stay in tough and let us know how it goes.

Peace, Maz

[Author]

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