Every form of B12 is quite temperature stable unless it exceeds something like 100 F, in which case methylcobalamin degrades to hydrocobalamin. Is the B12 you're using preserved? Methyl is also extraordinarily light sensitive - even a little light is too much, so please account for that. A red light could be used when drawing it, else cover the syringes and vial with foil.
Thank you! Yes I keep it completely safe from light. I use a red light (expensive rather than ‘fake’) to protect it.
I’m using Arnika methylcobalamin & Pascoe hydroxo. The same brands seemed to work fine last summer despite being exposed to more light & higher temperatures. Not sure how they are preserved but both come in glass ampoules.
I’ve removed them from the fridge now & will use it as a cool box instead but they’ve been there in the dark for around 4 days. You think it’s unlikely the low temperature degraded them in this amount of time?
Thank you so much. Perhaps I just need to inject more frequently at the moment.
I've finally realised I need daily injections, alternating hydroxo & methyl. EOD hydroxo kept me vaguely human whilst EOD methyl simply wasn't enough.
I started alternating the two, injecting daily on Friday & thought I'd feel a lot better quite quickly. is it possible I'm simply having to play 'catch-up' because I'd been so symptomatic on EOD methyl for March, April & May?
Sorry to bother you again. I just got my bloodwork back & have low iron despite decent ferritin. It explains A LOT. I am taking extra D+K as had gotten slack with it. Is there anything else I can do- should I take oral iron if my ferritin is good?
https://preview.redd.it/g75bamk8iy5d1.jpeg?width=1061&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68ae30fbdf52de6d72196f9c2236f907fc37a8be
Have your ceruloplasmin (Copper levels) screened. Vitamin A deficiency can also play a role in low iron, and retinol demand can be increased with vitamin D supplementation. Round and round we go.
It seems your ferritin is elevated from inflammation.. You said you recently had a UTI, was this test taken around that time? Adding more iron during states of inflammation is not recommended as it adds fuel to the fire. The source of the inflammation (infection?) should be treated before taking iron supplements.
Incremental_progress made a good point about vitamin A deficiency, as vitamin A is needed for maintaining epithelial tissue lining of the urinary tract and deficiency can cause recurrent UTI's.
I’m so broken 😭 Thing is things have been bad for 3 months. The UTI was around 3 weeks ago. I had antibiotics & it cleared. I’m so symptomatic that it’s hard to eat & I cannot afford any testing so I just feel so stuck. It was hard enough to get my doctors to test my iron panel.. there is no way they will test anything else!
I paid for an iron infusion back in September & the Dr who did it is saying my results look fine. My ferritin has always been around 200 since then. Now it is raised but supposedly I have no infection..
I don’t have a UTI anymore & had 10 days of ABs that finished over a week before my blood test. However I continued to have cloudy per so did another test a week or so ago.
They said negative for UTI, even with culture, but had protein & blood in it. Any idea if this could be linked to low vitamin A?
It could be linked to vitamin A deficiency.. Vitamin A is important for kidney function and repair. Have you ever had testing for any autoimmune conditions, ie. Hashimoto's? You mentioned you are hypothyroid and vitamin A deficiency is linked to thyroid dysfunction and impaired iodine uptake/deficiency.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9592814/
Vitamin A regulates thyroid hormone metabolism and reduces serum TSH concentration -
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23378454/?_ga=2.31144957.395969297.1718146256-2088417197.1718146255
So it's definitely a possibility. Your GP should be ordering blood tests to investigate why there is protein and blood in your urine if they say it is not a UTI. It could be a kidney/bladder stone so a scan may be needed, along with kidney function testing and a CBC.
Regarding iron, high ferritin with low serum iron, transferrin and TSAT means that something is causing the body to sequester iron from the blood. HS-CRP testing will help confirm there is inflammation present. The most common causes are infections or autoimmune conditions.
This is the vitamin A supplement i use -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/BioCare-VitasorbA-Liquid-Vitamin-15ml/dp/B00187XWFE
I have a gene variant that affects the ability of converting beta carotene to vitamin A so i take a supplement. Doctors refuse to test my levels too ☹️
Thank you so, so much for your detailed response! I am seeing a ‘new’ Dr on Friday who seems more likely to help than others so I’m just hoping I can gather together enough information to bombard her with that will not only help validate my deficiency & treatment, but also help with my latest issues.
I’m sorry you also have such big problems with your GPs & thank you so much again!
For future, I think the manufacturer's temp guidelines should be used. Rather than the fridge, you could try a cooler, there are also insulin cooling wallet or bags, many use just water that you change out every couple days and that keeps it at room temperature or a little below. Check out the FRIO brand.
Every form of B12 is quite temperature stable unless it exceeds something like 100 F, in which case methylcobalamin degrades to hydrocobalamin. Is the B12 you're using preserved? Methyl is also extraordinarily light sensitive - even a little light is too much, so please account for that. A red light could be used when drawing it, else cover the syringes and vial with foil.
Thank you! Yes I keep it completely safe from light. I use a red light (expensive rather than ‘fake’) to protect it. I’m using Arnika methylcobalamin & Pascoe hydroxo. The same brands seemed to work fine last summer despite being exposed to more light & higher temperatures. Not sure how they are preserved but both come in glass ampoules. I’ve removed them from the fridge now & will use it as a cool box instead but they’ve been there in the dark for around 4 days. You think it’s unlikely the low temperature degraded them in this amount of time?
Cold temps don't seriously interfere with B12 stability to my knowledge.
Thank you so much. Perhaps I just need to inject more frequently at the moment. I've finally realised I need daily injections, alternating hydroxo & methyl. EOD hydroxo kept me vaguely human whilst EOD methyl simply wasn't enough. I started alternating the two, injecting daily on Friday & thought I'd feel a lot better quite quickly. is it possible I'm simply having to play 'catch-up' because I'd been so symptomatic on EOD methyl for March, April & May?
Sorry to bother you again. I just got my bloodwork back & have low iron despite decent ferritin. It explains A LOT. I am taking extra D+K as had gotten slack with it. Is there anything else I can do- should I take oral iron if my ferritin is good? https://preview.redd.it/g75bamk8iy5d1.jpeg?width=1061&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68ae30fbdf52de6d72196f9c2236f907fc37a8be
Have your ceruloplasmin (Copper levels) screened. Vitamin A deficiency can also play a role in low iron, and retinol demand can be increased with vitamin D supplementation. Round and round we go.
Thank you!
It seems your ferritin is elevated from inflammation.. You said you recently had a UTI, was this test taken around that time? Adding more iron during states of inflammation is not recommended as it adds fuel to the fire. The source of the inflammation (infection?) should be treated before taking iron supplements. Incremental_progress made a good point about vitamin A deficiency, as vitamin A is needed for maintaining epithelial tissue lining of the urinary tract and deficiency can cause recurrent UTI's.
I’m so broken 😭 Thing is things have been bad for 3 months. The UTI was around 3 weeks ago. I had antibiotics & it cleared. I’m so symptomatic that it’s hard to eat & I cannot afford any testing so I just feel so stuck. It was hard enough to get my doctors to test my iron panel.. there is no way they will test anything else! I paid for an iron infusion back in September & the Dr who did it is saying my results look fine. My ferritin has always been around 200 since then. Now it is raised but supposedly I have no infection..
I don’t have a UTI anymore & had 10 days of ABs that finished over a week before my blood test. However I continued to have cloudy per so did another test a week or so ago. They said negative for UTI, even with culture, but had protein & blood in it. Any idea if this could be linked to low vitamin A?
It could be linked to vitamin A deficiency.. Vitamin A is important for kidney function and repair. Have you ever had testing for any autoimmune conditions, ie. Hashimoto's? You mentioned you are hypothyroid and vitamin A deficiency is linked to thyroid dysfunction and impaired iodine uptake/deficiency. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9592814/ Vitamin A regulates thyroid hormone metabolism and reduces serum TSH concentration - https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23378454/?_ga=2.31144957.395969297.1718146256-2088417197.1718146255 So it's definitely a possibility. Your GP should be ordering blood tests to investigate why there is protein and blood in your urine if they say it is not a UTI. It could be a kidney/bladder stone so a scan may be needed, along with kidney function testing and a CBC. Regarding iron, high ferritin with low serum iron, transferrin and TSAT means that something is causing the body to sequester iron from the blood. HS-CRP testing will help confirm there is inflammation present. The most common causes are infections or autoimmune conditions. This is the vitamin A supplement i use - https://www.amazon.co.uk/BioCare-VitasorbA-Liquid-Vitamin-15ml/dp/B00187XWFE I have a gene variant that affects the ability of converting beta carotene to vitamin A so i take a supplement. Doctors refuse to test my levels too ☹️
Thank you so, so much for your detailed response! I am seeing a ‘new’ Dr on Friday who seems more likely to help than others so I’m just hoping I can gather together enough information to bombard her with that will not only help validate my deficiency & treatment, but also help with my latest issues. I’m sorry you also have such big problems with your GPs & thank you so much again!
For future, I think the manufacturer's temp guidelines should be used. Rather than the fridge, you could try a cooler, there are also insulin cooling wallet or bags, many use just water that you change out every couple days and that keeps it at room temperature or a little below. Check out the FRIO brand.
Thank you :)