Vitamin b-12

Where is the best place to get the sublingual B-12 and does anyone have any views on how important it is to take? Just wanting to get all my ducks in a row for when I get my approval (HOPE, HOPE, HOPE). This site is wonderful and thanks in advance for all your help. Good luck to all and may the good Lord Bless us all. Donna

Walmart, Walgreens, Osco....just about everybody has it. You don't really need it till after your surgery, though, unless your bloodwork shows you do. Even after surgery, it usually takes a deficit up to a year to show up as b-12 is one of the vitamins the body stores up. Most doctors recommend that you start taking one a week starting a few months after the surgery. - Stephanie J

B-12 is a water soluble vitamin so it's very difficult to build up a harmful or toxic level. Your body will eliminate any excess b-12. B-12 is not a vitamin that I mess around with since my doctor had two patients that ended up with some paralysis from not taking a supplement. I take a liquid form every Monday morning. You can pick up the sublingual tablets almost anywhere. I like the liquid a little better and keep it under my tongue for about a minute. I've attached some info about B-12 at the bottom. While I'm on my soapbox, let me talk about calcium. I have a kidney disease that causes my kidneys to leach the calcium from my bones and teeth and collect in my kidneys. My kidneys are calcified and form stones very easily. I've never taken supplements per doctor's orders and always relied on food and weight bearing exercise to keep up my bone density. Prior to surgery, I had a bone density test done and the results were excellent. One year after surgery, my bone density is waaaaaay below normal. I'm 44 and have the bone density of a 70 year old. Remember that I don't take supplements, but I do eat a lot of cheese and do tons of weight bearing exercise. I'm now working with my doctors to get my bone density back up, but this is tough because of my kidneys. Make sure that you take calcium citrate as your surgeon recommends. Even with the need to supplement vitamins and the toll on my bone density, this surgery is the best thing I ever did for myself. I'd do it over in a heartbeat. Best of luck on getting approved. Connie Why does a vitamin B12 deficiency cause anaemia? To produce red blood cells, the body needs, among other things, iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid (one of the B group of vitamins). If one or more of these ingredients is lacking, anaemia will develop. Vitamin B12 is also essential for the nervous system, which is why a deficiency can also cause inflammation of the nerves (neuritis) and dementia (mental deterioration). Vitamin B12 deficiency is frequently caused either by the inability of the small bowel to absorb vitamin B12, or by a lack of food containing vitamin B12. It frequently occurs in elderly people although it may also be present in the young, particularly women. What are the causes of vitamin B12 deficiency? A vegetarian or vegan diet can cause vitamin B12 deficiency because vitamin B12 is only found in foods of animal origin, such as meat, liver, fish, eggs and milk. In the UK, by far the most common cause of vitamin B12 deficiency is a lack of 'intrinsic factor', a substance which is produced in the stomach and enables the body to absorb vitamin B12 from the diet. Causes for a reduced production of intrinsic factor are: the formation of antibodies against the cells producing intrinsic factor. The cells then die and B12 deficiency and anaemia (also called pernicious anaemia) develop. stomach cancer and ulcers can take up so much room in the stomach that there are too few cells remaining producing intrinsic factor. diseases of the small intestine, fish tapeworm and the after-effects of surgery to the small intestine can all mean that the surface of the small intestine is too small to obtain B12 and intrinsic factor effectively. What are the symptoms of anaemia due to vitamin B12 deficiency? The first symptoms will be unusual tiredness, difficulty in breathing and dizziness. Further symptoms specific to vitamin B12 deficiency are: a red, irritated and possibly shiny, tongue. a reduced sense of taste. altered or reduced sense of touch. reduced sense of vibration (an inability to feel the vibrations of a tuning fork). some people with vitamin B12 deficiency will experience symptoms in their nervous system first. headache. psychological symptoms. pains in the legs (intermittent claudication), difficulties with walking and coordination will gradually occur together with muscle spasm paralysis. a less sensitive sense of touch. shortness of breath, palpitation and chest pains (angina). with pernicious anaemia there is an increased danger of developing cancer of the stomach. What can be done to avoid vitamin B12 deficiency? Eat a varied diet. Good sources of vitamin B12 are liver, fish and eggs. Because vitamin B12 is only found in food of animal origin, strict vegetarians should take vitamin B12 supplements to avoid deficiency. If a family member also suffers from pernicious anaemia extra care should be taken to prevent deficiency. Anyone who has undergone surgery in their small intestine or stomach should pay attention to any of the symptoms mentioned above. How does the doctor diagnose vitamin B12 deficiency and anaemia? First the doctor must be sure that the patient is suffering from anaemia. A blood sample will be taken and an analysis of the red blood cells will usually be included. In cases of vitamin B12 deficiency, the red blood cells will be the usual colour but larger than normal. If the blood test shows a low vitamin B12 count, it must be established whether it is pernicious anaemia or if there is some other cause. The patient will be given the Schilling test to measure the body's ability to absorb vitamin B12 from the bowel. This will show whether the anaemia is caused by a lack of intrinsic factor. Blood tests will also show if the patient has any antibodies to intrinsic factor or to other organs in the body. What can the doctor do? Examine the patient and prescribe treatment to deal with the causes of the disease. Prescribe vitamin B12 injections. These are given every three months and will usually be continued throughout the patient's life. They have few side effects. Prognosis By eliminating the cause and taking the necessary vitamins by supplement or injection, there will be a complete recovery. However, even if the pernicious anaemia is treated, there is a slightly increased risk of cancer of the stomach and if the treatment is started too late there is a risk of permanent damage to the nervous system.

Excellent info. I'm cutting and pasting it to my files. Thanks. - Stephanie J

Wow, You are awesome. Thank you for all the info, I am so new to all of this and I just want to be doing all I can to make this WLS work. I do a b-12 drink every day to boost mental awareness (MPB) is the product so maybe what I am already doing will work. Again THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!! Donna

Seems like you already have a lot of info, but I get mine at Trader Joes! Sincerely, Laura C.