FOOT DROP

Carla,
I read up on slimmers paralysis and it seems, at least in the article I read, that they agree with supplementation of B1 and B6. I went to the doc today and he took blood. I start PT Tuesday. I have also started with B1 pills and I asked the doc to start me on B1 injections. we will see what the blood tests reveal. Thank you os much for your help and support

Shsr

I don't know what "foot drop" is.  Please explain. Thanks, Linda

Linda,
My right foot is "dropped" downward. I can not flex it upwards. I can move to the sides and down but unable to lift it up

Very curious, but YES I had this about a year ago.  i noticed some gait changes as well as loss of sensation in my calves with the left leg worse than the right.  THEN, I found out I could not flex myleft foot.  I went rushing to the doc (unusual for me) as I thought perhaps this was diabetic neuropathy.  She did a brain scan then sent me to a neurologist who in 2 minutes told me this was 100% due to crossing my legs and pinching nerves in my leg.  No treatment needed and low and behold, several months later, the foot drop and loss of sensation went away.  Now I try not to sit with my legs crossed (I had been so proud to be able to do this once I lost my weight).  When I do cross my legs now, i am very conscious to only do it for a few minutes at a time and do notice a slight loss of sensation in my calves afterward.  I should tell you that this problem developed after I was at goal weight.  The neurologist said this was a common problem with women.  I had never heard of this at all before the problem developed.  Perhaps you should talk to a neurologist too and see if the problem has a simple cause and cure like mine.  Good luck.

I agree with adding more B12 and B1.  I take a good B-Complex that is high in all along with B-12 injections.  You need ALL the Bs (bottom line) -- here is the catch -- not ALL B-Complex supplements have B1 or B6.  I have no idea WHY as it makes ZERO sense to ME.  So, make sure these are included.  Specifically for you, B1 is also called Thiamine. I had drop foot but also leg paralysis from more than one factor:  one was (in my case B12 even though my range was "good" at 424) and my THYROID was off.  Your TSH level should be no higher than 3.00 and if you are in between 2.00 and 3.00 with symptoms, you should be suspect for hypothyroidism and considered for treatment.   Please seek treatment for any and all of the above ASAP as nerve damage CAN be reversed IF it is caught soon enough (6-9 months) which it sounds like you have done. I hope this helps and you are 110% very soon!

Awww poor Shar!!! I have been very sporatic on the boards this week and missed a lot of posts! I had what you have at around 9 months out. I couldnt flex upwards but the top of my foot was also going numb in weird patches that spread over a couple of months.  I started taking B-1, B-12 sublingual and B-complex everyday and the neurapathy stopped spreading. After a couple of months I doubled up on all of these and the neurapathy began reversing. I still have a small patch of numbness but the dropped foot is completely gone and has been for quite a long time. The biggest issue, to me, with B deficiencies is that the damage is possibly permanent if not caught quickly enough. Its not a matter of oh I will suppliment when my labs are abnormal. I had HIGH B12 pre op with 1200 and by my 3 month labs it was 800 and even lower at my 6 month labs. Now my level never went into the danger zone. Apparently some people need a higher level of B's than others.  I have tried a few types of B's before settling on the brands/types I have now. I can actually feel myself perk up by taking them and drag when I forget them. I hope you get better soon sweety!!! BIG HUGS!! PK

Thanks, PK. I have been in touch with Vitalady and she is going to help me out. I couldn't do it without all of my OH buddies.

Shar

Hello.  I am not new to OH, but I post in the TN forum. Recently I started wondering around and finding out how big of a world OH really is!  I never heard this called Foot Drop or Slimmer's Paralysis.  Thanks!  I am going to study it, but I had this too, last July through many months.  I take sublingual b12 every day and also added a b complex.  Then started taking the bariatric advantage vitamins instead of flinstones.  What helped, I am not sure.... But my right foot thumped VERY hard on the ground.  My new boyfriend at the time asked me, "What's wrong with your right foot?" as we were out taking an evening walk in the neighborhood.  It astonished me that HE heard it too!  I thought it was my imagination, and no one else seemed to notice it.  I even fell one evening as I could not lift my foot up high enough off the ground and stubbed my toe on the sidewalk, falling face first. I noticed also that I could take a pen or something and scrape it up my leg, and normal feeling was not found until up to my knee.  It was a weird sensation from the tips of my toes all the way to my knee.  Kind of developed it in the left but not as much.  And, I was unable to flex my foot too high off the ground.  I used to have cramps in my toes really bad but now all the symptoms have subsided...  Thanks again for giving me a title for this.