Tingling in fingers and B12
Hello all,
I have had a tingling sensation in the tip of my left index finger for 8 days, sometimes it spreads to the thumb and other fingers but is mainly in the index finger. I am worried it is a sign of a b12 deficiency. I've booked an appointment with the doctor for next week but was wondering if this was something anyone has had and they've found out they are low in b12?:confused:
Do you think it's worth getting b12 supplements before my appointment? The tingling is on and off but has not gone away fully. I normally wake up with it feeling really strong and as the day goes on it comes and goes. I thought it was carpel tunnel syndrome at first as my mum suffers from it but now I think it might be b12 deficiency since reading up on it online. I also had a burning/prickly heat sensation a few evenings ago over my body (mainly left side and back) when we had a really hot day in London, but I wasn't out in the sun that day, I was at work. It hasn't come back since but I also read that burning or prickling sensations are linked to low b12. I eat nutritional yeast fortified with b12 and cereals and milks fortified with b12 too but are they enough?
I've been a vegan for 7 months now and feel fine otherwise, not had any major problems up until now.
Any insight would be appreciated.
Thanks
edit : I've also noticed a slight tingling in my right foot (toes)
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
You should be supplementing with b12 either way, as should the majority of the population.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Quote:
HannahBanner
I've booked an appointment with the doctor for next week but was wondering if this was something anyone has had and they've found out they are low in b12?
Hi!
The kind of tingling you describe could be a sign of low B12 levels, and the only way to find out is to take a blood test – but if you look at this thread, you'll see that it takes very long to develop a B12 deficiency... OTOH, you could have had very low B12 levels even before you started to eat vegan.
Quote:
Do you think it's worth getting b12 supplements before my appointment?
It doesn't hurt to take B12 supplements for a week - unless you already have very high B12 levels and some medical condition which could worsen by taking a lot of B12.
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I eat nutritional yeast fortified with b12 and cereals and milks fortified with b12 too but are they enough?
If you have an actual B12 deficiency, you need therapeutic amounts of B12, which you won't get from fortified food.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
It would be a good idea to supplement with B12, as others have suggested, but have you also looked into ergonomic factors in your home/office? You could be sitting incorrectly at the desk/computer which can result in tight neck/shoulder muscles which can compress the nerves and result in tingling fingers. I'm not too sure about how your foot would also be affected, but again it could also be a result of ergonomics. It's a good thing that you have made an appointment with your doctor, I do hope they can find out what's going on for you.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Thanks for all your replies , they have been very helpful. The tingling has decreased a lot since yesterday , I think it's starting to go away now. Will keep you updated on what happens , incase anyone else is experiencing this.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Hannah, I've been experiencing something similar, DESPITE taking a B12 supplement. Instead, my entire leg or arm will fall asleep. I feel as if this is happening more frequently. Today, my arms both feel "heavy" - I don't know how to explain it.
I take 2.5mcg of B12 nearly every day, and supplement with fortified soy milk and nutritional yeast. I had a blood test in December '11 and was "borderline" but now I think I might need to go back?
What do you all think? I was vegetarian for four years before going vegan 8 months ago.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
It's probably nothing to do with b12, but 2.5mcg isn't a lot. I think there are calls to up the RDA to at least 6mcg. Personally I take 500mcg daily (which is admittedly overkill).
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Hmm... thanks, Risker. I thought I was covered, but I'll bump it up.
Yeah, I didn't *think* it was B12 related until I saw this thread. The perils of using the internet to diagnose yourself!
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Hey,
Interesting! Glory, Sometimes my legs go 'numb' or pins and needle-y if i've been in one position too long but doubt its because of low b12....the tingling in my finger magically stopped on the 9th day, but did come back slightly for a couple of minutes randomly one day but not had it for about a week now so things are looking good. Since the 10th day I started sprinkling more nutirional yeast into my foods and taking more note of how much fortified milks i'm getting...I then went and bought a vegan multi vitamin which since I've been taking, not had any tingling. So I guess its possibly linked to b12? The multi vitamin has 2.5ug of b12 and other low amounts (but within daily allowance) of all the other vitamins. So now, adding to my vitamin D3 (5000iu) and occasional sea kelp I take a multi vitamin. I think it's helped me feel a bit more vibrant, although it's still early days. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow and going to demand to have a thorough blood test done to check all my levels. I will keep you all posted.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
hello, so back from the doctors and this is the update: I actually woke up with the tingling in that finger again but it wasn't as bad as it was before. It has gone now, seemed to last for about half an hour. Anyway, saw the doctor and she's given me an appointment to test my blood levels for b12, iron and folate. She mentioned that they don't do 'screening' on the NHS, whatever that means. I'm guessing it means a more thorough test that you can only get done privately. I asked her about homosystine levels too and she said that's also something they wouldn't do. So this test will probably not be as thorough as if I went private, but at least i've got an appointment now. It's for the 30th, so I'll let you all know what happens. When I told her about the tingling in one finger she said that it's most likely a 'trauma to the nerve' and it doesn't sound like a b12 deficiency. She didn't elaborate much, and was very rushed (all the GP's are very rushed, like they want to get things over and done with quickly). Will keep you posted.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Thanks for updating us, Hannah!
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Quote:
thegreenjudy
Sounds to me like a trapped nerve or bad circulation.. Do you suffer from neck or shoulder pain? Tingling can also be a symptom of diabetes. Are you very thirsty?
You should take a b12 supplement anyway as the others said. And as Korn said it usually takes a long time to develop a b12 deficiency.
Regarding screening on the nhs: it means they don't just test on b12 levels from time to time to check if you've gone low as your diet is your own choice. However, they do check if you show symptoms of a deficiency. Some gp's can be a bit dismissive if you don't turn up with half an arm missing... But what works for me is if you have to go for some sort of blood test anyway (I need my thyroid checked every now an then) just ask if they can check your b12 levels as well as it won't cost them much extra if you have to get a test done anyway.
Sent from my ZTE-BLADE using Tapatalk 2
AH, thank you for explaining what screening meant! lol.
I did think about diabetes too....i do get tired a lot :S and the tingling has come back today :( it's just in one finger so it sounds very likely it's the trapped nerve thing. I could be tired because I'm such a light sleeper (i never NOT dream) and wake up a few times in the night, it's always been like that. My neck only hurts when I sleep on it in a funny position, but it's rare....and no I don't get thirsty a lot, so it's probably unlikely it's diabetes, but from the blood test I'm having would they be able to see if it is anything other than b12?
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
I just wanted to mention that I get tingling and spasms in my right hand. At first I thought it was related to the shoulder joint pain I was having and ergonomic issues at work. I had a scanner I use switched to my left side at work. The shoulder pain went down but not the tingling/spasms. I went to my doctor for unrelated reasons and mentioned my hand and she manipulated my spine and areas in my right upper back, where the brachial plexuses are located (group of nerves that control the arm). She could feel a major tightness in that area (and it hurt when she pressed there), and I am also aware that I have scoliosis in my spine and the misalignment might be causing some of it too. So for me more than likely it is nerve and spine related. I am guessing this sounds more like it might be the case for you too. I know that using a mouse at the computer for long periods of time makes it worse for me too. It isnt constant but comes and goes.
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Robinwomb, thanks for sharing your story. I've not had the tingling for about 4 days straight now so it's either from taking more b12 or a nerve that has random spasms like you say. I'll see what happens after my blood test ... I'm right handed so it seems weird that the hand I don't use the computer mouse in would have spasms but then I am on my phone a lot lol!
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
UPDATE:
Blood test results came back normal.
Tingling hasn't returned for at least a week...so good news but wish I knew what the tingling actually was!
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
I'm glad to hear that your tests were normal Hannah. Have to say, I'm a bit dissapointed myself that you didn't find out what it was. My right leg has been numb for the last 3 or 4 days. I'm trying to pin-point what it is. I'm a runner, so I fear that it has to do with my IT band. But, I'm also increasing my B12 just to be on the safe side. I was taking around 1,000 mcg once or twice a week, which should have been enough. Now I'm taking 1,000 daily and will probably continue for the next week or two to see if it helps. My leg isn't completely numb, but numb enough to throw off my gait when I run. I have a marathon coming up in 2 1/2 months, so I need to get this figured out quick :)
Re: Tingling in fingers and B12
Hi Brandon,
I am still annoyed that I never found out the cause but I haven't had the tingling since so I'm happy about that. I hope you find out the cause of your numb feeling!
