Kathy - need your brain!

Okay, so here's the skinny on the B12, neuropathy thing... Last spring, my B12 and related labs was around 470 - low, but within range tat they gave me which is 200-1100. I don't recall them doing MMA folate or homocysteine. This month, my labs were: Homocysteine - 10.1 (acceptable is < 10.4) so a tad high Methylmaolonic - 170 (reference range is 88-243) so right in the middle of range B12 - 570 (ref range 200-1100) so still a little on the low side but higher than last time Folate - 14.7 which puts it WAY above the normal range of anything above 5.4 My doc and I discussed these and I did some research... B12 is a little on the low side, but better. Typically, if there's a deficiency, you see an increase in both MMA and homocysteine numbers. Homocysteine is on the high side, but MMA isn't. Regardless, I'm having symptoms and told him I'd be happier to just go on the injections. He agreed and wrote me a script... Whaddya think? I'm planning on doing the injections for a while - he said once a week for 4 weeks and then once every 4 weeks after - and see what happens. If there's improvement, great! At that point, if I'm still having problems, I'll have him run B1 and B6. What are your thoughts? Oh - and on the blood sugar thingie, we definately agreed it's reactive hypo and can be treated with carb control. He said if it gets really bad, they can do a pancrease biopsy to remove some of the illeac (sp) cells but I think that's a little drastic I'll just stick with watching my carbs...

I think we should all have B12 800 or above. The reference ranges provided by the labs are worth crap. Neurological issues can happen within the acceptable range. Outside the US the minimum B12 range was recently increased from 500 something to 800 something. I prefer mine above the 1100. I'd see how you do on the shot once a week. You might want to stay there. Bs aren't fat soluable and are water soluable so extra... doesn't cause any problems. Do not think the folate being high is a problem. What are you taking as far as a B complex? B50? B100? 1 a day? Or 2 a day? I think the pancreas cells are islet cells. I think being obese and eating the way we do we have an increased number of these types of cells and they tend to overreact once we've had this surgery and lost weight. I've heard of having some removed but that is quite drastic. If you can do it with diet - fabulous. But some cannot do that. My brain is your brain. Kathy

I'm taking the Twin Lab Super B complex in my shakes (most mornings). Don't let the product info fool you - ain't nothing "pleasant tasting" about it... I've missed the last couple of days because I haven't been doing Nectars - I've been doing Achievs and don't open them till I get to work... http://www.iherb.com/store/productdetails.aspx?c=Herbs&pid=TWL-00628 I agree on the the B12 level - even though it's within range, it still seems low to me... Especially with the high homocyteine - if the MMA was high too, I'd be a lot more worried, but right now, I'm just kinda puzzled... Gotta go pick up my injection stuff. Does anyone know - do they give you some sort of a sharps box? How are you supposed to dispose of the needles?

State laws on medical waste differ. In VA, no real rules. I used to put my old needles (insulin) in a laundry detergent container and tape the thing shut and tra**** This was suggested to me. You can buy a sharps container at the drug store, I believe. Since you won't be using many... you could store 'em carefully and then take 'em to the doctors and have them trash 'em when you go? I know the stuff you mean - B complex. The yellow goop from hell? That is a B 50 complex. I would ditch it and get some B100s. I buy the vitamin shoppes B100 capsules. They are big but I take 'em with hot tea. Much easier to swallow than liquids or horsepills. I take 2 a day. Since a bit after starting 'em... no neuropathy except for what is inspired by my discs in my back (right foot). Kathy

I use a quart milk jug. It takes a while to fill it up. When it's full, I tape the top and throw it away. Heather