I am a 75-year-old male. I have been a strict vegan for 15 years. Approximately 14 months ago, my right foot started burning, like a vegan who is not getting enough B12. Also, 14 months ago my right hand began to tremble, and three months ago when I camping out at tempo. Playing tennis, my right hand involuntarily has much control problem when I swing the racket which also started about 14 months ago. I’ve been allergic to sulfa since I was a baby I have tried many different blood pressure pills which I have also been allergic to. Because the regular AMA doctors were just giving me gabapentin for my foot pain, I decided to go to a holistic Doctor Who said that B12 Shots may correct the problem because I may not be observing the B12 in my body. I was reading, that a person can have normal B12 levels, but still not absorb the B12. So, on July 18 I had my first B12 shot of 1000 MCG. They said it took 24 hours to work, and Shernoff, day two and day three, my foot pain went from an 8 to 4 and I slept very well. Three days later I took my blood Pressure, and it was 123/70. A great improvement. I figured I was onto something. Cautiously I waited, and two weeks later, I took the second B12 shot. This time, the doctor only had 5000 MCG and said that I would urinate out what I didn’t need. So the same result. The second and third day my foot pain went from an H204 and I slept very well. I was encouraged, and three days later and decided to take the third shot which was 1000 MCG. Now, and exactly one month, I had taken a total of 7000 MCG. My body has been allergic to most things, and I’m wondering if my body was allergic to the B12 shot, because two days later I got a pressure headache. I figured that maybe it was from the B12 shot, because I had not taken anything else. Four days after the third shot, I took the first shot of 1000 MCG. Two days after the fourth shot my pressure headache was still continuing. I figured that I had better check my blood pressure, which was probably associated with the pressure headaches now and it’s for today. My blood pressure was 196 over102. I waited 11 more days to see if I may have been allergic to the B12 shots and was giving it time to be eliminated through my urine. I checked my picture again 11 days later and it was 190/95. I went to urgent care and they were not able to get my blood pressure down. It has been eight weeks with a constant pressure headaches and my blood pressure extremely high. Do you know of anyone who has had that situation and what did they do about it? Please contact me at givingglorytogod@yahoo.com.
B12 and high blood pressure
- Thread starter Blood pressure manGivingg
- Start date
I don't place much faith in holistic doctors.
We you given a urine MMA test for B12? This is the precise test, but most doctors give serum tests
Was the MTHR genetic factor considered? Where some people have a genetic condition that won't utilize b12 or folic acid, needing the methylcobalimin and natural folate. I know little about this
On b12 and high bp:
Dr Greger recommends 1000mcg B12 daily for those over 65:
nutritionfacts.org
We you given a urine MMA test for B12? This is the precise test, but most doctors give serum tests
Was the MTHR genetic factor considered? Where some people have a genetic condition that won't utilize b12 or folic acid, needing the methylcobalimin and natural folate. I know little about this
On b12 and high bp:
Dr Greger recommends 1000mcg B12 daily for those over 65:
Optimum Nutrient Recommendations | NutritionFacts.org
nutritionfacts.org
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Good recommendation with Greger's army. If I could add one thing from them: make sure it's a sublingual b12 supplement. If you're swallowing a b12 pill, you're not getting an interaction with your saliva that makes the b12 most available further down the line.I don't place much faith in holistic doctors.
We you given a urine MMA test for B12? This is the precise test, but most doctors give serum tests
Was the MTHR genetic factor considered? Where some people have a genetic condition that won't utilize b12 or folic acid, needing the methylcobalimin and natural folate. I know little about this
On b12 and high bp:
Dr Greger recommends 1000mcg B12 daily for those over 65:
Optimum Nutrient Recommendations | NutritionFacts.org
Also in that realm, cut out all the vegan junk foods with added oil, salt, or sweeteners. Whole plants are key to preventing disease.
Good luck.
I don’t know if I’m operating the buttons correctly. I’ve never been on a forum before. But here it goes. I did take the MMA test with my AMA doctor kicking and screaming. It came back OK and in range. However, an army doctor in Germany had found out that if you don’t do the MMA very shortly within a month or two, that it won’t be accurate. My MMA was done well over a year after I realized I needed to get an MMA. I did take the MTHFR and got the results back two weeks ago. The results were 66% and one gene. It was the c6771 mutation. I had already been taking 1000 MCG a day of ADENOSYL/hydroxy B12 for 10 days from a holistic doctor. The report said use methylcobalamin 500mcg A day. So my holistic doctor said to stop the ADENOSYL/hydroxy B12 and start taking 1000 MCG of methylcobalamin B12 a day. After 10 days of the ADENOSYL/hydroxy B12 and now two days of methylcobalamin B12 my blood pressure this morning just shot up to 214/109. Let me go back two months. Back on July 18 I took my first shot of cyanocobalamin 1000 MCG and on August 5 I took my second shot Of methylcobalamin of 5000 MCG and the doctor said I would urinate when I didn’t need out. On August 8 I took my third shot and it was cyanocobalamin of 1000 MCG. Two days later I had a very bad pressure headache which lasted eight weeks and it’s still there and four days after the pressure headache started my BP was 196/102 and I’ve been battling it ever since. It takes 30 days for B12 to leave the system and on October 6 my blood pressure was 121/83. On October 5 I took my first B12 again of ADENOSYL/ hydroxy B12. I took that for 10 days, as I had mentioned, and the last two days have been the methyl cobalamin. It seems like my blood pressure was fine and then after I took the shots back in July and August 1000+5000 +1000 for a total of 7000 MCG, my pressure headache and my blood pressure shot up. This time I’ve taken 12 days total of B12 and there goes my blood pressure shooting up again. However, I did not take the The 500 MCG of methylcobalamin suggested in the MTHFR report. The doctor told me to stop the ADENOSYL/hydroxy B12 and to begin the 1000 MCG a day of the methylcobalamin, As I had mentioned. Sorry if my message seems scattered. So this time, I took a total of 12 days of B12 or 12,000 MCG and the blood pressure spiked. Maybe I’m allergic to B12? My doctor said the cyanocobalamin was what was messing me up. I needed to take the methyl cobalamin. And maybe the a ADENOSYL/hydroxy B12 and the Cyano cobalamin we’re both screwing me up. I’ve tried this now, two times, with taking B12 and it looks like I’m off to the ER. Any ideas?
David3
Forum Legend
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This sounds awful! I'm sure that we all wish we could help, but we are not qualified to prescribe medical treatment.
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If I were in your shoes, there are a few things I would try. First, if it seems like the b12 helps, maybe make sure you keep the dose as low as possible. Sometimes too much of something is as bad as too little. It sounds like you suspect your headache trouble began when you accepted the higher dosage for the shot. Most doctors, allopathic and holistic both, will hopefully want you to use the lowest effective dose of all medications/supplements. It seems suspicious to me that it sounds like you were pressured into getting a higher dose.
Generally for lowering blood pressure, I have seen potassium suggested. You could speak with your doctors about that, though I would consider it carefully (and the dose), since some people can get abnormal heart rhythms or palpitations with too much potassium. And for headaches, magnesium is sometimes helpful, though it is unlikely that you are low on magnesium on a vegan diet-- Personally, when I use myfooddata.com to check my totals for a day, I am just about always over the requirement for magnesium.
One more thing I have seen on this forum in particular is omega-3 supplements from algae oil. I have read elsewhere that they work with the b vitamins somehow--I'm sorry i don't remember where I read that. I know a lot of people, including me, find them helpful, even indispensable.
For anything you decide to add or subtract from your diet or medication, it never hurts to get a second (or third) opinion, and it is very wise of you to pay as much attention as you do to your symptoms, reactions, etc. You have to be your own physician first, because any doctor can only work with what information you are able to give them. They don't live in your body--you do.
In any case, congratulations on your long record of good health. I have a feeling I will be asking your advice in return.
Generally for lowering blood pressure, I have seen potassium suggested. You could speak with your doctors about that, though I would consider it carefully (and the dose), since some people can get abnormal heart rhythms or palpitations with too much potassium. And for headaches, magnesium is sometimes helpful, though it is unlikely that you are low on magnesium on a vegan diet-- Personally, when I use myfooddata.com to check my totals for a day, I am just about always over the requirement for magnesium.
One more thing I have seen on this forum in particular is omega-3 supplements from algae oil. I have read elsewhere that they work with the b vitamins somehow--I'm sorry i don't remember where I read that. I know a lot of people, including me, find them helpful, even indispensable.
For anything you decide to add or subtract from your diet or medication, it never hurts to get a second (or third) opinion, and it is very wise of you to pay as much attention as you do to your symptoms, reactions, etc. You have to be your own physician first, because any doctor can only work with what information you are able to give them. They don't live in your body--you do.
In any case, congratulations on your long record of good health. I have a feeling I will be asking your advice in return.
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@Blood pressure manGivingg How are things going for you?
Vitamin B-12 is one of the few supplements I take (along with calcium, occasionally, which has vitamin D added). These are over-the-counter tablets. I also take a vitamin D softgel every few days during colder months. A few years ago, at my annual physical/checkup, I was found to be very low in vitamin D, which surprised me because I spend a lot of time outdoors in the warmer months and make a point of sunbathing in my shorts once or twice a week during that time.
I don't have anything against supplements, but I don't see the point of taking them unless needed. I can't imagine I'm short of vitamins A, C, or K for example.
Vitamin B-12 is one of the few supplements I take (along with calcium, occasionally, which has vitamin D added). These are over-the-counter tablets. I also take a vitamin D softgel every few days during colder months. A few years ago, at my annual physical/checkup, I was found to be very low in vitamin D, which surprised me because I spend a lot of time outdoors in the warmer months and make a point of sunbathing in my shorts once or twice a week during that time.
I don't have anything against supplements, but I don't see the point of taking them unless needed. I can't imagine I'm short of vitamins A, C, or K for example.
I have had great results by adopting a whole food plant based diet with minimal added salt. It is the same type that Dr. Greger suggests all over his website and in the video I have linked to below. My blood pressure got so good I had to get off the medications, because sometimes I got dizzy while driving in the morning. This morning my BP was 124/78 on no medications, and I haven't been eating perfectly lately. Try it out! I also enjoy exercising now. It feels good to move. Try diving in to all the videos Dr. Greger has on his site. After a while you wont miss the salt. There are so many great recipes you can make that are WFPB, without added salt, sugar or oil. But you don't know until you try it out.
Lower blood pressure naturally
Lower blood pressure naturally
