[mushroom]

Hmm, I eat a lot of Red Star nutritional yeast (atleast twice a week) so I thought that I was safe, not to mention soy milk etc...

Yet, I have been experiencing tingling in my hands and feet the past couple of months...

How do I find out?

(I have been a vegan for almost four years)

 

[GhostUser]

Simple blood test can find out for you.

 

[epski]

Yeah. I doubt those things are "causing" it. Must be a lack of something else? I'm no doctor, though.

 

[mushroom]

Well, a couple of months ago I thought that I had the flu. I was achy...then it got very bad that night. Every joint hurt. For two days I had trouble walking...so, I went to the doctor and she said possibly viral arthritis.

Did some blood tests but nothing came back positive. Now my only symptoms are some tingling and numbness in my hands and feet.

I would just hate to think that I caused this myself...

 

[GhostUser]

Mushroom,

Did you ask for a B12 test? Often, they only test iron, not B12. Perhaps call your doctor's office and ask them to check on your chart if they tested for it.

My BF's youngest (4) got a viral arthritis and he had a lot of pain, too. It comes back rarely now.

 

[mushroom]

No, I didn't but I sure will tomorrow...

I told her that I was a vegan, but she seemed confident that had nothing to do with my symptoms...

 

[DrVeg]

my pathology book states this about b12 deficiency:

"the neurologic symptoms may present in the course of a few weeks, initially with slight ataxia [incoordination] and numbness and tingling in the lower extremities. Complete paraplegia may occur, usually only later in the course of the disease. with prompt vitamin replacement therapy, clinical improvement occurs, however, if complete paraplegia has developed, recovery is poor."

i would go get another blood test that specifically looked at b12 asap!

 

[GhostUser]

I wouldn't fret, unless you were a vegan for 10+ years and/or over 50. And I wouldn't fret over the 10+ years vegan thing, unless you didn't consume active B12, as contained in fortified soy milks and nutritional yeast.

Still, doubt check, just to make sure. If it is B12, it could be that you simply don't absorb it from vegan sources as well as from dairy/egg/omni sources. Even then, you could still maintain a vegan diet, if you wished, by getting B12 shots every 3-6 months.

Let us know when you know more please.

 

[GhostUser]

DrVeg,

FYI - the same sensations come about with my BF's child, due to his viral arthritis, which is also something mushroom experienced.

I do agree, however, that she should rule B12 def out.