This topic is still being debated and I
have had several of our new members on metformin say they don't
believe they have a vitamin B12 problem. Of the seven new members
that are using the VA, only two are on metformin and the rest are
using insulin. On Thursday of last week, two members, Julie and Earl
received their lab results and both were prescribed vitamin B12.
Both have been on metformin for almost seven years. This was the
reason for a few of us meeting at the restaurant to discuss what they
had learned. Brenda, Allen, and I were there plus the two mentioned
above.
When asked, Julie said her results were
severe and she had received a shot and needed to see her primary care
doctor for a second shot. Earl said he was low and the VA doctor had
advised him to start on vitamin B12 immediately. Allen asked Julie
if she was experiencing pain in her in her feet. She would not
answer and Brenda told her that she could not hide this as Allen had
been through this and we know what happens with severe vitamin B12
deficiency. She finally admitted that she was having pain in her
feet and Allen said it was diabetic neuropathy. Earl said he was
beginning to have minor pain in a couple of toes. Allen said that
the quicker he worked to maximize his blood glucose management, the
quicker the pain would possibly go away, and taking vitamin B12 is
part of his diabetes management.
Brenda said this would be added to the
program for January 10. Allen said good, as too many have been
saying that they are having pain and will not let the doctor test
them for vitamin B12 deficiency. Brenda said she has been hearing
the same and she has been wondering why people will not do what is
right.
Brenda then asked Allen and me if it
would be correct to ask for a show of hands on how many had been
tested for vitamin B12. I said the question needs to be asked and
the other question that should be asked first is if anyone has a
burning sensation in their feet or something that feels like a
thousand pins sticking them. Allen agreed and said to ask the second
question first and many will not associate their neuropathy with
vitamin B12 deficiency. Then we will know who needs to be tested.
I then asked both Julie and Earl what
their vitamin D results were. Both answered within the range, but at
the low end of the range and that their doctor had advised taking a
vitamin D3 supplement. I turned to Brenda and said this is another
problem area everyone needs to be aware of and consider taking
vitamin D3, not vitamin D2. Brenda said I remember you blogging
about this and if you would send me the URL, I will review it and
decide if we should use a slide.
Allen said that he was planning to
present this to Brenda, but now that we had another experience with a
member and she was in on it, she knew what needed to be included.
Brenda said it would be nice to have Dr. Tom available, but she
understood his needing to spend less time with our group. Allen said
this may be a good thing and cause us to think more for ourselves as
we did before.
We agreed and said things were right
for the interventions and a few other things when we needed Dr. Tom,
but now we needed to be on our own and work to help our members.
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