B12

Hi all

Just got results for B12 blood test and show 461 ng/L which is apparently within limits for a “normal !!” person. I am PPMS and suffering a lot of fatigue lately. Would vitamin supps help or do I need something else to try and beat the fatique?

Would like to add that this site and the people on here are fantastic!

Steve

Hi Steve,

In all types of MS, fatigue is one of the commonest symptoms, but unfortunately also one of the least understood and hardest to treat.

I’m not optimistic that vitamin supplements will make much difference, particularly as you haven’t been shown to have a deficiency in the first place.

Lots of people with MS do choose to take vitamin supplements anyway: Vitamins B12 and D3 are common choices. But I think more people take them for their presumed protective effects and/or possible role in repairing MS damage, than as a treatment for fatigue, specifically.

Personally, I take loads of vitamins (could open a shop!) but I’ve never felt they are lifting fatigue. In fact, I’ve never FELT they are doing anything, but I just have to be hopeful they’re working away behind the scenes, with invisible effects, and that I’m not wasting my money completely.

There are drugs prescribed for MS fatigue, although I haven’t tried them. One of them is amantadine.

The other common one used to be modafinil, but I believe there’s recently been a clamp-down on the prescribing of this, because it’s not licensed for MS, so it’s become a lot harder to come by.

Tina

I’ve recently been trying amantadine (3 weeks). It really does help my fatigue, maybe 20% improvement. I take a capsule after breakfast. It lasts till about 2.00 pm. Some people take a second capsule at lunchtime, but a side effect is insomnia. I’m definitely not sleeping as well. The other uncomfortable side effect is constipation. I suffer anyway, but amantidine has made it worse.

John

Have you tried googling vitamin b12 deficiency ms - you will be surprised how much info there is. Our GP’s are working on a b12 level much lower then we with ms require. As usual the NHS is so out of date. A vitamin B12 deficiency can damage the myelin - so actually mimicing ms. Look up ’ Could it be B12’ an Epidemic of Misdiagnosis.

F.

Hi Stevie. I have normal levels of b12 but I get b12 by injection once a month. I take it in conjunction with Amantadine and it has certainly helped my fatigue. A couple of times i was late getting it and I could really feel the diffference.

HTH