As everyone knows, there is a lot to consider when having MC - food intake, topical lotions, hair products, make-up, supplements, staying hydrated, etc....
I am doing great with intestinal issues and have found I can add many foods back in my diet (irritant foods), and have no problems. I remain GF and DF.
My recent blood tests showed great results IMO.
I continue to experience numbness in my toes. I am only assuming this would mean I need the B vitamins increased. My test result showed my level a 863.
Just wondering if my assumption on this is correct, or should I be addressing something else?
Any thoughts?
Paula
Numb toes...
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humbird753
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Numb toes...
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
Hi Paula,
You're probably on the right track, because that condition is almost surely due to peripheral neuropathy. However, a magnesium deficiency can also cause peripheral neuropathy symptoms, such as numb toes.
Are you taking the active forms of vitamins B-12, B-9, and B-6?
Tex
You're probably on the right track, because that condition is almost surely due to peripheral neuropathy. However, a magnesium deficiency can also cause peripheral neuropathy symptoms, such as numb toes.
Are you taking the active forms of vitamins B-12, B-9, and B-6?
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
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- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
I'm taking an over-the-counter B complex vitamin. In "trying" to read the fine print, I probably am not. Is there one you could recommend. I have to admit I've heard there's inactive B vits and also active B vits, and I don't completely understand it. 
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
Dear Humbird,
You should get Tex' composition of the active B-vitamins. I'm convinced that his advice as to the ratio between the active forms between B12, B9 and B6 have had a massive impact on my recovery.
The new diet - as I learned from this forum - and Tex' advice as to what vitamin B's I had to take, have been my saviors.
Lilia
You should get Tex' composition of the active B-vitamins. I'm convinced that his advice as to the ratio between the active forms between B12, B9 and B6 have had a massive impact on my recovery.
The new diet - as I learned from this forum - and Tex' advice as to what vitamin B's I had to take, have been my saviors.
Lilia
Collagenous Colitis diagnosis in 2010
Psoriasis in 1973, symptom free in 2014
GF, CF and SF free since April, 2013
Psoriasis in 1973, symptom free in 2014
GF, CF and SF free since April, 2013
Paula,
Some of us are have a compromised ability to properly convert the inactive forms of some vitamins into the active forms so that our body can use them. This is often associated with methylation issues (MTHFR gene mutations). If you are checking your labels, the inactive form of B-12 for example is cyanocobalamin. The active is methycobalamin.
There is a prescription combination of the active forms of vitamins B-12, B-9, and B-6, known as Metanx. It's prescribed to treat peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes, and it's also prescribed to treat endothelial dysfunction (associated with cardiovascular issues). Metanx contains:
35 mg of Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (which is the active form of B-6)
3 mg of L-methylfolate Calcium (which is the active form of B-9)
2 mg of Methylcobalamin (which is the active form of B-12)
These doses can also be obtained from certain over-the-counter vitamins:
Vital Nutrients brand of Pyridoxal-5 Phosphate, 50 mg. Inert ingredients are: rice powder, gelatin capsule, leucine, and silica.
To match the dose, take 1 capsule per day, 2 days in a row, then skip the 3rd day, then start over. IOW, this will amount to 2 capsules every 3 days, in order to average out at 33 mg per day.
Life Extension brand of Optimized Folate (L-methylfolate), 1,000 mcg. Inert ingredients are: mirocrystaline cellulose, vegetable cellulose (capsule), silica, vegetable stearate. The label specifically names all of the common allergens (including milk, eggs, soy, wheat, yeast, nuts, corn, rice, etc.), and the product is certified to be free of all of them.
To match the dose, take 3 capsules each day.
2,000 mcg of methylcobalamin. There are a number of options available for methylcomalamin. The one I used is Wonder Laboratories brand of Methyl Cobalamin, 5,000 mcg. Be aware that it contains mannitol, citric acid, and stevia.
To match the dose, take 1 tablet, then skip a day, take another tablet, then skip 2 days, then repeat. IOW this will amount to taking 2 tablets every 5 days, in order to average out at 2,000 mcg per day.
By doing this, you can not only avoid all the undesirable inert ingredients in Metanx, but you can also save roughly half the cost of the branded product. And all of these products are available without a prescription. If I recall correctly, Brandy has also used a similar "home-compounded" version of Metanx, with good success.
Tex
Some of us are have a compromised ability to properly convert the inactive forms of some vitamins into the active forms so that our body can use them. This is often associated with methylation issues (MTHFR gene mutations). If you are checking your labels, the inactive form of B-12 for example is cyanocobalamin. The active is methycobalamin.
There is a prescription combination of the active forms of vitamins B-12, B-9, and B-6, known as Metanx. It's prescribed to treat peripheral neuropathy associated with diabetes, and it's also prescribed to treat endothelial dysfunction (associated with cardiovascular issues). Metanx contains:
35 mg of Pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (which is the active form of B-6)
3 mg of L-methylfolate Calcium (which is the active form of B-9)
2 mg of Methylcobalamin (which is the active form of B-12)
These doses can also be obtained from certain over-the-counter vitamins:
Vital Nutrients brand of Pyridoxal-5 Phosphate, 50 mg. Inert ingredients are: rice powder, gelatin capsule, leucine, and silica.
To match the dose, take 1 capsule per day, 2 days in a row, then skip the 3rd day, then start over. IOW, this will amount to 2 capsules every 3 days, in order to average out at 33 mg per day.
Life Extension brand of Optimized Folate (L-methylfolate), 1,000 mcg. Inert ingredients are: mirocrystaline cellulose, vegetable cellulose (capsule), silica, vegetable stearate. The label specifically names all of the common allergens (including milk, eggs, soy, wheat, yeast, nuts, corn, rice, etc.), and the product is certified to be free of all of them.
To match the dose, take 3 capsules each day.
2,000 mcg of methylcobalamin. There are a number of options available for methylcomalamin. The one I used is Wonder Laboratories brand of Methyl Cobalamin, 5,000 mcg. Be aware that it contains mannitol, citric acid, and stevia.
To match the dose, take 1 tablet, then skip a day, take another tablet, then skip 2 days, then repeat. IOW this will amount to taking 2 tablets every 5 days, in order to average out at 2,000 mcg per day.
By doing this, you can not only avoid all the undesirable inert ingredients in Metanx, but you can also save roughly half the cost of the branded product. And all of these products are available without a prescription. If I recall correctly, Brandy has also used a similar "home-compounded" version of Metanx, with good success.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
Thank you very much, Tex (as always) for your informative detailed response. I've been looking each of those up on the computer. I am not able to access Vital Nutrients' site without a "practitioner's" code. I've also read some on the Folate B9, and the Wonder Labs Methyl Cobalamin (5,000 mg). I can't help but ask - is it better to take it in 3 separate pills, or would a combined B vit do - such as:
http://www.wonderlabs.com/itemleft.php? ... 92#factbox
I don't mind buying 3 different ones and will if this is the best way to take them. I am just wondering if it can be just as effective from the one I posted on that link.
Paula
http://www.wonderlabs.com/itemleft.php? ... 92#factbox
I don't mind buying 3 different ones and will if this is the best way to take them. I am just wondering if it can be just as effective from the one I posted on that link.
Paula
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
The product you referenced contains the active form of B-12, but the other 2 vitamins are in conventional, inactive form. Methylcobalamin is readily available from many sources, but the other 2 are not. The only combination (all 3 in 1 capsule) that works properly is the prescription med, Metanx. That's why I listed the other options for B-9 and B-6, because they can only be bought in their active forms OTC individually. I buy mine on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Vital-Nutrients-P ... +Phosphate
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Op ... %2C000+mcg
Tex
http://www.amazon.com/Vital-Nutrients-P ... +Phosphate
http://www.amazon.com/Life-Extension-Op ... %2C000+mcg
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
Thank you very much, Tex. I've placed my orders. I will also continue to use Epson salts for bath & foot soaks. I should look into a spray as baths and foot soaks don't always fit into the schedule. Is it possible to overdue the B's? Or, for that matter, the Magnesium? I realize I can have my B levels checked, but I read it's not possible to have Magnesium level checked.
Paula
Paula
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
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Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
Paula
using the 'spray' magnesium is best way to get good high doses of elemental magnesium.
invest in a couple of small spray bottles.
I purchase my magnesium spray in 1 litre bottle, and then fill the small spray bottles, i have one in the bathroom, one by the bed, one in my handbag, one at my desk.
through the day and night, i spray as often as I can. top of legs when i go to the toilet, neck and shoulders at computer; stomach and legs and arms when going to bed and when I wake up. stuck in traffic spray some.
doing this, i am getting about 500mg elemental magnesium per day just by spraying
http://www.amazon.com/Fantasea-Fine-Spr ... B000NIY7QM
using the 'spray' magnesium is best way to get good high doses of elemental magnesium.
invest in a couple of small spray bottles.
I purchase my magnesium spray in 1 litre bottle, and then fill the small spray bottles, i have one in the bathroom, one by the bed, one in my handbag, one at my desk.
through the day and night, i spray as often as I can. top of legs when i go to the toilet, neck and shoulders at computer; stomach and legs and arms when going to bed and when I wake up. stuck in traffic spray some.
doing this, i am getting about 500mg elemental magnesium per day just by spraying
http://www.amazon.com/Fantasea-Fine-Spr ... B000NIY7QM
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
Paula,
Yes, it is possible to overdo almost any vitamin or mineral supplement, especially if our kidneys are not functioning properly. Too much magnesium can cause basically the same symptoms as a magnesium deficiency. The RDA for magnesium is 320–400, depending on gender and the source of the information. Of course if we have a deficiency, or we have a problem absorbing it, we may need to take more than that for a while.
Probably the main risk with the B vitamins is too much B-6, which can cause paresthesia of the extremities (numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes). Since paresthesia is one of the main reasons for taking B-12, this can create sort of a paradoxical situation. However, that's not likely to happen unless one takes a significant amount of B-6 for an extended period of time, takes large doses, takes B-6 without taking B-12 and B-9, or has compromised kidney function.
And since a magnesium deficiency can also cause paresthesia of the extremities, that can further complicate the situation. I had that problem with some of the fingers of my left hand when the antibiotic reaction last spring caused an acute magnesium deficiency. At the time, I thought that maybe I had been taking Metanx too long, and the B-6 was causing the paresthesia, so I backed off on taking B-6 for a while. I couldn't understand why that didn't resolve the problem. But as soon as I figured out that I had a magnesium deficiency, and upped my magnesium intake, the paresthesia faded away. So looking back, I'm reasonably sure that the magnesium deficiency caused the paresthesia problem, not the B-6. As long as supplements are taken in reasonable amounts, one is not likely to get into trouble. It's taking megadoses or taking large doses for long periods of time that tend to cause problems.
The daily dose of those 3 B vitamins that I listed in a previous post is what I have been taking (for the past 6 years). The label on Metanx allows twice that dose, and some physicians prescribe it at the higher rate, especially if symptoms are severe. So the dose I am using seems to be relatively safe, in the long run.
Tex
Yes, it is possible to overdo almost any vitamin or mineral supplement, especially if our kidneys are not functioning properly. Too much magnesium can cause basically the same symptoms as a magnesium deficiency. The RDA for magnesium is 320–400, depending on gender and the source of the information. Of course if we have a deficiency, or we have a problem absorbing it, we may need to take more than that for a while.
Probably the main risk with the B vitamins is too much B-6, which can cause paresthesia of the extremities (numbness or tingling in the fingers or toes). Since paresthesia is one of the main reasons for taking B-12, this can create sort of a paradoxical situation. However, that's not likely to happen unless one takes a significant amount of B-6 for an extended period of time, takes large doses, takes B-6 without taking B-12 and B-9, or has compromised kidney function.
And since a magnesium deficiency can also cause paresthesia of the extremities, that can further complicate the situation. I had that problem with some of the fingers of my left hand when the antibiotic reaction last spring caused an acute magnesium deficiency. At the time, I thought that maybe I had been taking Metanx too long, and the B-6 was causing the paresthesia, so I backed off on taking B-6 for a while. I couldn't understand why that didn't resolve the problem. But as soon as I figured out that I had a magnesium deficiency, and upped my magnesium intake, the paresthesia faded away. So looking back, I'm reasonably sure that the magnesium deficiency caused the paresthesia problem, not the B-6. As long as supplements are taken in reasonable amounts, one is not likely to get into trouble. It's taking megadoses or taking large doses for long periods of time that tend to cause problems.
The daily dose of those 3 B vitamins that I listed in a previous post is what I have been taking (for the past 6 years). The label on Metanx allows twice that dose, and some physicians prescribe it at the higher rate, especially if symptoms are severe. So the dose I am using seems to be relatively safe, in the long run.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
Gabes - Thanks for the tip (and link) for the spray bottles. They are a very convenient size, and I will try them.
And, Tex, thank you for this information. For the meantime, and possibly the long run, the doses you recommended should be safe.
Paula
And, Tex, thank you for this information. For the meantime, and possibly the long run, the doses you recommended should be safe.
Paula
Paula
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
"You'll never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have."
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass... It's learning to dance in the rain."
-
humbird753
- Rockhopper Penguin
- Posts: 1014
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 4:44 pm
- Location: Wisconsin
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louis
tex,
would it be safe for anyone here with mc to take the 3 active forms of b-vitamins with your adviced dosage? Until now i only took b12 every few days.
I have found the right supplements for b9 and b12 in the german amazon, but not the b6 you suggested.
From the ones below, which one would be the best alternative in your eyes?
http://www.amazon.de/Now-Foods-P-5-P-Co ... +Phosphate
http://www.amazon.de/ZeinPharma-Germany ... +Phosphate
would it be safe for anyone here with mc to take the 3 active forms of b-vitamins with your adviced dosage? Until now i only took b12 every few days.
I have found the right supplements for b9 and b12 in the german amazon, but not the b6 you suggested.
From the ones below, which one would be the best alternative in your eyes?
http://www.amazon.de/Now-Foods-P-5-P-Co ... +Phosphate
http://www.amazon.de/ZeinPharma-Germany ... +Phosphate
Hi Louis,
As you know, I'm not a doctor, so I can't give anyone any medical advice, but that combination of B vitamins has certainly helped me, and many others here, so it certainly seems to be safe for most of us.
Either one of those products should work, because they both contain the active form of vitamin B-6, and the amounts of the additional vitamins in them are not large enough to cause any problems for most people.
Tex
As you know, I'm not a doctor, so I can't give anyone any medical advice, but that combination of B vitamins has certainly helped me, and many others here, so it certainly seems to be safe for most of us.
Either one of those products should work, because they both contain the active form of vitamin B-6, and the amounts of the additional vitamins in them are not large enough to cause any problems for most people.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
-
Gabes-Apg
- Emperor Penguin
- Posts: 8332
- Joined: Mon Dec 21, 2009 3:12 pm
- Location: Hunter Valley NSW Australia
Paula,
As I am in Aus, I have different products here, so can not comment on USA based products.
Based on the discussions here, most products will state how much elemental mag you are getting per 5ml etc. (or per x oz in USA) There are some conversations in the magnesium sticky at the top of main message board where people mention what spray they are using..
As I am in Aus, I have different products here, so can not comment on USA based products.
Based on the discussions here, most products will state how much elemental mag you are getting per 5ml etc. (or per x oz in USA) There are some conversations in the magnesium sticky at the top of main message board where people mention what spray they are using..
Gabes Ryan
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama
"Anything that contradicts experience and logic should be abandoned"
Dalai Lama