Link between PHN & B12 deficiency?
Posted , 6 users are following.
I'm 2+ years recovering from Post herpetic neuralgia right torso. I had a positive intense reaction to a b12 shot about 6 months ago and felt my nerves come alive & huge return of energy and feeling like me again. Continuing to heal and it feels like that gave a boost (acupuncture >1 year ago was another boost)
Has anyone found a link between low end of normal B12 (200) and incidence or experience of PHN? I wish I had gotten this checked early on. Curious if anyone knows anything as my doctor is not suggesting a link but I am wondering given how dramatic it has been.
0 likes, 9 replies
sheila48912 c06728
Posted
I just recently had a complete blood panel done. B12 is actually a little high but all else is normal other than low sodium. I have suffered from PHN for nearly 9 years now. I don’t have to tell you all how it has severely compromised my quality of life.😢
gailanne sheila48912
Posted
Hi Sheila! I stumbled into this blog looking help for my Mother in Law for her pain she has had for over a year after her shingles break out. I am so sorry to hear you have been suffering for over 9 years. I am looking for help. My Mother in Law is 94 and is having terrible pain down one arm. She also has dementia and forgets all the time why her arm hurts. It is very confusing to her. After doing some research, it looks like there really isn't a cure? Just pain management,is that right? After 9 years of pain, I would hope you would have found an answer. I am again so sorry for your pain. How often do you feel the pain? Have you found anything that helps? Maybe one thing over another? I liked the B12 shot mentioned above. Have you tried that? Any advise you can share would be helpful. Thanks!
sheila48912 gailanne
Posted
Gailanne, sadly there is no can cure for this condition as it is not a disease, but classified as nerve damage. There are a number of protocols that the medical community recommends to minimize the suffering. In my case the pain never stops but I do get some relief by using Aspercreme and lidocaine cream, pain patches, opiates, gabapentin and gel ice packs.
Some patients discover that overtime the pain is reduced but never completely gone. Does your mother-in-law have a pain management doctor? Since her pain is mainly localized in her arm I would suggest the lidocaine cream followed by an ice pack. Unfortunately, I have damage throughout my entire torso and chest region so the suffering is immense and rather challenging to control. May I suggest that you read older posts from other sufferers, as you may discover a more suitable option. We must never give up🙏🏼. Keep the faith.
sheila48912
Posted
sue2910 c06728
Posted
Interesting that you mentioned B-12. After 4 years of post-herpetic neuralgia (all on my right side....shoulder blade, armpit, right arm, even a tight right calf, even though I never had lesions on my leg), I FINALLY went to an acupuncturist/Chinese medicine doctor last week. Before that, I was just putting up with it, finding some relief from Lyrica (50 mg a day; I don't like taking drugs of any kind), deep-tissue massage and chiropractic.
After one session of acupuncture that included a B-12 injection, I'm estimating 85% of my pain AND itching has cleared up. There's still minor tightness/stiffness in my right arm and shoulder, but I computer-mouse a lot all day long, and that contributes.
I'm blown away. My neurologist's feedback that the shingles "dermatome" (or map on the body) is horizontal, not vertical, just never made sense to me. That's why acupuncture did. My acupuncturist immediately identified my pattern of outbreak(s) and recurrences on the shoulder/arm/wrist as the liver meridian, and I am blown away at how quick and effective the whole thing was. And only $115 out of pocket, and that included $15 for some Chinese herbs she recommended. I'm going back in two weeks. If one session produced these kinds of results, i'm going back for more.
sue2910
Posted
And a reply to my own reply: I'm not sure how much of the change in my symptoms is the result of acupuncture and how much was the Vitamin B shot. But even one-a-day vitamins make me nauseous, and I barfed three times when I got home (my hunch it was the vitamins working their way out quickly). I'll post another update after the 2nd acupuncture treatment in a couple of weeks.
Hector78249 sue2910
Posted
Hector78249
Posted
To sue2910
Thanks for your information on vitamins B-12 & D-3.
dorothy08743 c06728
Posted
You should definitely get your B12 and vitamin D levels done by your doctor and then, if you are deficient, the doctor should put you on a protocol to raise your levels. You shouldn't take vitamins if you are not deficient. When on a vitamin deficiency protocol you'll probably be getting your levels tested every 3-6 months at first so that the doctor can make sure you're levels are going up and your dosage is correct. I was very deficient and it's made a big difference.