unmotivated

[mellowtigger]

I spent about 6 hours yesterday outside in the garden.  I moved dirt and cinder blocks.  I planted sprouts.  I drank the last bottle of my blueberry lager that I bought last week.  I had a good day.

I was hoping to continue the adventure today, finishing the plants and starting the brick patio layout.  I spent about 90 minutes and quit.  I was planning to do bicycle repairs today and maybe do some riding.  Unlikely.  The AIDS Walk is today, and I skipped that too.  I think I'm going to settle for food and more sleep.

I should probably go in to get my B12 tested again.  I dunno, I could get B12 shots monthly, but it just seems like that would be covering up symptoms instead of identifying and coping with whatever is the underlying problem.

Comments

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

If you tend to run low on B12, it might be a lack of intrinsic factor (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intrinsic_factor) - the digestive secretion that brings B12 into the bloodstream from the gut. But even with low intrinsic factor, modern high-dose oral B12 supplements are enough that B12 shots aren't essential. The only thing to be careful of is that B12 can mask folate deficiency, so if you supplement B12, be sure you get enough folate.

I suppose what I'm really saying is - have you considered that if B12 helps your symptoms, maybe your underlying problem is a difficulty in absorbing B12 from your food?

[mellowtigger]

And, I'm back. Food was good. Sleep was also good. Slight headache now, though.

I asked several weeks ago what condition always looks like thyroid malfunction but isn't, because throughout my life doctors have always checked that measure. Looking it up now, congenital lack of intrinsic factor would do it. Except for that whole anemia problem, the low red cell count. I always come up within normal range on that point. The other side effects, though, sound quite familiar: paleness, weakness, diarrhea. It even mentions developmental delays, but nothing about loss of speech.

Several years ago, the podiatrist put me on Metanx for my peripheral neuropathy. It includes a blend of B12, B6, and folate. It seemed to stop the progression of the neuropathy at the time, but it didn't help restore anything. I'm not sure that matters, though, since without the drug I still haven't had a progression of the neuropathy in my feet... just everywhere else.

Looking it up further, I see that there are two medical tests that I would like to pursue.

First, there are two blood tests that can be done to help measure the effectiveness of intrinsic factor.
http://www.muschealth.com/lab/content.aspx?id=150365

Second, there is a series of tests that can be done to determine the exact fault point of B12 absorption. (Bonus points for using radioactive B12.)
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003572.htm

I wonder if my general doctor nearby would be able to determine if my insurance would cover either/both of these tests. *ponder*

[pi3832.livejournal.com]

>I dunno, I could get B12 shots monthly, but it just seems like that would be covering up symptoms instead of identifying and coping with whatever is the underlying problem.

And what is wrong with that? For some medical conditions, treating the symptoms is the treatment for the condition.

[mellowtigger]

If my body does not absorb B12 properly, then getting vitamin shots might forestall any damage and hopefully even reverse the current symptoms. B12 shots might be a necessary lifelong solution to the problem.

If my body absorbs B12 just fine, however, but is hastily using every available bit of it to repair neuron damage from some other cause, then masking symptoms would just delay treatment and allow the actual problem to continue damaging my nervous system unchecked.

I think that Shilling test would be able to determine if low B12 is merely a symptom (if the radioactive tracer metabolizes as expected for all 4 tests) or a cause (where the tracers pinpoint the nature of the B12 absorption problem). I intended to call my general doctor today to schedule an appointment, but I lost my cell phone somewhere. *ignorant shrug*