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Vit B12 and energy.

Posted , 7 users are following.

karenjaninaz
karenjaninaz

i posted my experience on another discussion. With my doctor's knowledge I have been taking Vit B 12 and I believe it's helped me with energy. Has anyone else tried this?

With taking an acid reducer - famotidine- vit b12 absorption from food is reduced. I have been taking the sublingual form and I feel quite well with my 3/4mg reductions. I am usually able to reasonably do regular tasks and walk on my treadmill 30 min at a time. I do get more tired than before PMR pred but I am still able to have a reasonable existence so far.

karen- age 74, dx Dec 2015 , started with 15 pred, now 11.5 mg

snail pace taper.

1 like, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • erika59785
    erika59785 karenjaninaz

    Posted

    Hi Karen, I take B12 sublingual daily. I am also taking an acid reducer.  I am on 7 mg prednisone and try to walk daily.  You are doing great with the snail pace taper.

    Gentle Yoga classes have helped with my lower back muscles which tend to be stiff when not walking for any length of time.

    I am 75, soon to be 76.  It is tough getting older because of OA which I have in additon, but life is good overall.

  • Susanne_M_UK
    Susanne_M_UK karenjaninaz

    Posted

    I seriously thought I had a B12 deficiency and had a couple of tests that proved negative. I do know that the bloodtests are not necessarily accurate, as they also measure inactive B12 in your system.

    I'm vegetarian and take a vegetarian specific multi vitamin which includes the standard B12 RDA. I've since bought a high dose (1000mg), methylcobalamyn B12. I mentioned it to my rheumy, as I thought it would help with my general lethargy and fatigue regardless of the bloodtest, but was told not to "confuse" what's happening in my body while tapering and to just eat a healthy diet.

    I'm not convinced and may just start taking it anyway. I'm the one with the fatigue after all!

    Question - can you take too too much?

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Susanne_M_UK

      Posted

      check mayo clinic website and web md for info about vitamin B12
  • ros85177
    ros85177 karenjaninaz

    Posted

    Hi Karen, I am really interested in your experience. I have GCA and started on 60mg prednisone 2 1/2 years ago. I have managed to come off the prednisone after slow tailing but stil feel exhausted after minimal exercise and if I have one busy day, i am useless the next. I couldnt do 30 mins on a treadmill. I have had normal B12 levels and take omprazole. Think I will try the B12 and see what happens.
    • EileenH
      EileenH ros85177

      Posted

      Experts warn that it takes your body up to a year to get back to normal even after getting off pred altogether - that relates to your adrenal glands being able to produce enough cortisol when required. It isn't that they can't make it - it is to do with the very complex feedback system that governs it and which involves a lot of steps and hormones/other substances which swing about all over the place. 

      The excessive fatigue could well be due to that - you have enough cortisol for normal things but add in a bit more and your body can't keep up. There must be some function there or you wouldn't have managed to get off pred - but maybe you could do with a bit more.

      You can ask your GP to do a blood test and see if your cortisol levels are where they should be. 

    • karenjaninaz
      karenjaninaz ros85177

      Posted

      Ros, I am still on pred (11.5mg) but I take the B12 to avoid depletion which occurs with acid blockers. So a normal blood B12 level is being maintained with the supplement. I also think that my energy is reasonable and I am able to do most normal duties without collapsing. B12 is important for energy and low levels have been associated with dementia.

      It remains to be seen how I fare below 10mg pred.

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