numbness in arm-pinky and ring finger...

This is a copied post.  I also posted on the main board.  But, I really need some advice: Hey all, I am kind of freaking out here.  I have read that B-12 deficiencies can be the cause of this.  Has anyone had experience with this? I have been taking 500 mg per day...is that enough?  Should I do more?  Can I overload now?  Also, I HAVE NO DOCTOR!  We have moved to a new city and it's funny but surgeons don't like to take on someone elses cases.  So, I have been hurdling and hurdling trying to get into a surgeon.  AHHHHHHH...any advice?  Any help??  PS, I know once I calm down I will really regret posting, but for right now I just need some reassurance, support, advice...whatever!!

Thanks Grads...I appreciate your support ~

I don't know about the B-12, but read the earlier post from today. It's possible that your numbness could be totally unrelated to WLS.  I had those same symptoms with Carpal Tunnel. You need to find a new Doc.  Since you're having a hard time getting a surgeon, try asking your State Board if any one has a WLS knowledgeable PCP. Michele

I don't think we can overdose on B12 - so I wouldn't worry about that.  What other vits are you taking?  Numbness and tingling can also be caused from carpal tunnel or other things; but also from deficiencies in the other B vits, as well as vitamin D and calcium deficiency when it's severe enough to lead to tetany (google that to see what that's all about).    I developed tetany as a result of vit D definiciency and spent months testing and my docs thinking I had multiple sclerosis!!  The symptoms are that similar and severe.  So it's critically important that we take ALL of our necessary vitamin supplements and get our labs checked at least every 6 months to stay on top of those levels.  Not everyone needs the same amount of supplementing; because some of our post-op bodies do better as maintaining nutrient levels than others.  But you won't know how your body is doing without getting your labs checked regularly. 

Can you please describe your symptoms for me. About two weeks ago I began to have numbness in my feet, hands and head, the intial onset included dizziness. I get bloodwork routinely. So the questions are, how do you test for Vitamen D? What can you take to suuplement that. Did your conditions go away? How did they find out ot wasn't MS? Thank you for your time!

I made a long and thoughtful reply to your post sharing that I was experiencing the same type of symptoms and what tests have been done for me and what the doctors said, then I saw it was posted, now my reply gone. Was it removed? Why? Oh well, I tried, I guess you could pm me if you would like to hear about my experience.

Oh, no!  I certainly didn't remove it!  I am craving this advice.  Thanks so much for your words of wisdom.  Thanks to everyone.   I take a multivitamin and chewable calcium.  Maybe I need to take more of them as well.  Oh, my.  I hope this gets better.   Thanks again for all your support!

Hi Becky: I can't help you about your problem but maybe with a doctor.  Did you move to Little Rock or did you move away from there?  I had my surgery in Little Rock so I can give you some names of doctors there.  Just let me know. Darlene

Hi Darlene,  I moved TO Little Rock.  I am trying to work with Dr. John Baker.  I have been doing the paperwork etc. to get into his office since July.  I am going to try to call again on Monday.  I get it, I mean, if you aren't the surgeon who did the work, why would you want to take on someone else's problem kind of thing.  And, he is probably uber-busy.   I am just praying that he finds a soft place in his heart to take me on.   I have tried going to "my" primary doctor, but he really doesn't know what to do for me either.  I honestly believe that seeing a surgeon who is schooled in RNY would be my best bet as I have other little (yet potentially big) issues too.  I did blood work at the beginning of October.  I wouldn't think it has changed much since then, but who knows??

Hi Becky: Dr. Kerry Ozment did my surgery but has since retired.  He worked with several other doctors in his group from St. Vincent's Hospital in Little Rock.  If you do not have any luck with Dr. Baker, see if you can get in touch with any of the RNY doctors at St. Vincent.  I have been lucky so far and no issues have come up for me.  My local doctor takes care of me and my labs.  Good luck and hopefully getting to talk with someone professional with ease your mind so that you know that it not anything major or cannot be taken care of quickly. Darlene

Well I'll tell ya what - my surgeon is still around, I could go to him.  However, what I discovered was he is not educated in nutrition.  He is great at doing the surgery - that's about it.  If you get levels that come back out of range (and what he would consider "normal" for me as a post-op and what I would - are not necessarily the same. ) he would just refer me to a hematologist or something.  He doesn't have any criteria on what to do or how to treat anything out of "normal" range.  He just refers you out.  Soooooo, that said - I educate myself by reading tons online, finding out what I can and can not absorb as a post-op; what the latest studies are showing normal lab levels should be, then I try to shoot for optimum, just not acceptable (thank vitalady for that ) and I take all my research and info to my PCP and I tell him what I need and what we're gonna do and he does it.  The bottom line is this - it's my health.  I can not afford to screw it up by blindly following the advice of anyone - not even a doctor, who I know good and well only had maybe one semester of nutrition in med school eons ago and that was for 'normal' digestive systems.  They did not go back to school to study-up on nutrition for us post-ops.  And because it's such an individual thing on what we need to take and how much, that's why our labs are so important, I need to learn all I can on what we absolutely have to have to keep us healthy. It may very well be that you could be fine with a couple chewable multi-vitamins and one calcium pill a day.  I know there's no way on God's green earth I could.  I already have osteoporosis and I was taking WAY MORE than that from day one of my surgery!!  There are certain vits that we all need to supplement, over and above whatever would be in a mult-vitamin:  B12, iron, calcium, vit. D, E, B1, A, zinc and of course protein.    B12 needs to be either sublingual or in a shot.  I do shots as the subs didn't work for me.   Make sure your vit. E is in the dry form, same with everything else - no gel caps, we don't absorb the fat from the gel caps, thus won't absorb the vitamin within those.  Michelle (vitalady) is really the guru in this area, but what I've posted is the basics on the supplements we need.  How much you need - would depend on your labs.