Connect
← Return to B-6 vitamin danger!
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
Hello @linnythepoo - I love that user name! Welcome to Mayo Connect - I'm happy you found us. It is a great place to ask questions, share your health concerns and learn what others with similar health issues are doing for treatment. Yikes is right from my perspective but I have no medical training or background. I would want to get an opinion or see a neurologist first.
Have you received a diagnosis of a form of neuropathy from a neurologist or had any tests to confirm the diagnosis?
I had a roundabout discussion through a 3rd party who I asked to check out a list of supplements that I'm taking for my peripheral neuropathy and this person giving the opinion was a neurologist. They said meh to my supplements and said they would probably recommend Metanx which contains L-methylfolate calcium, an active form of folate, and other essential B vitamins (B6 and B12) instead. B12 is in my list of supplements but I had already heard some bad stuff about B6 so I filed her opinion away under the category - it's my body, my decision. It's really a good idea to learn everything you can about your health condition and any drug used for treatment paying close attention to any side effects. I don't have any medical training or background so this is just based on my opinion and how I've dealt with my own idiopathic small fiber peripheral neuropathy.
Here's a more reliable source from the University of Virginia Health System - Peripheral Neuropathy and Vitamin B6 (PDF):
https://cancer.uvahealth.com/images-and-docs/neuropathy.pdf
Hope this helps,
John
Replies to "Hello @linnythepoo - I love that user name! Welcome to Mayo Connect - I'm happy you..."
So is B12 ok to take?
I am surprised to hear that vitB6 has such a suspect history in connection with neuropathy. I checked several very well known supplements used for neuropathy and every one contained B6 of various amounts. I also checked my own Bcomplex and this too contained a small quantity. Where has the adverse info about B6 come from.
Connect
A wound and pain doctor I went to in Cinci put me on Metanx and it is promoted specifically for peripheral neuropathy in diabetics. I think I was on it 3 yrs along with her quackery medical device to stimulate nerves. But the pain got worse not better. When I finally went to neurologist, he said first off that the Metanx is probably making me worse not better. When tests came back for B levels they were at the highest toxic level!! It took 4 month s to get it out of my system. I still have the pain and numbness, but will not take a supplement again. He told me not to take any kind, not even a daily multi vitamin. That plus the doctor had put me on methadone for pain, was on it three years til my GP said she didn't know to do an EKG every 6 months to monitor my heart. Sure enough, again I was at a dangerous point with my QT wave - a very dangerous situation. So the GP took me of methadone cold turkey with nothing else. The withdrawal symptoms were worse than anything I ever experienced in my life. I have heard it is similar to withdrawals from heroin or similar drugs. Don't take Metanx!