Sorry I haven't written here in a while. A couple weeks ago, after eating some B6 foods, I began experiencing serious neurological symptoms. These symptoms are very similar to ALS and MS and are very disruptive. The only way I can describe them is to say that my head feels like a sailboat and my body is the ocean. For a while, it was difficult to walk in a straight line. Since then, I've gotten a bit better, but only by being very strict about my diet.
At this point, I need to be careful, because I can't afford to get any worse. Being bedridden would mean losing my job, and I think that's a real possibility given the experiences that other people have had. I've had two major downturns since the B6 toxicity started. The first gave me severe neuropathy in my arms (which has yet to heal), and the second gave me these neuro-motor symptoms. I don't want to find out what a third downturn will be like, but I imagine it will be horrible.
I was hoping for a speedy recovery from this, but my new hope for recovery is sometime in the next 1-2 years.
Wednesday, December 23, 2015
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
Day 27-39: No Change
Not much has changed over the past two weeks. I've had consistent neuropathy in my arms ever since the last time I ate a meal with a lot of B6 in it (I would guess about 1.0mg, and it was by mistake -- it's very difficult to keep track of the B6 content of foods, especially when different sources don't necessarily agree). I hope that didn't fry my nerves for good, but I guess only time will tell. It's a bit discouraging considering I'd had several symptom-free days before that and seemed to be on the mend. Now...?
P.S. I plan to post another recipe within the next few days.
P.S. I plan to post another recipe within the next few days.
Tuesday, November 24, 2015
Low-B6 Recipes: Pad Thai
Pad Thai
This is one of my all-time favorite dishes. And that's saying a lot, considering how low it is in B6. I often double the recipe so I have enough to last for several days.
Salad ingredients
2. Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding more water if needed.
3. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the cabbage mixture (onion, cucumber, bell pepper) and toss.
4. Serve over Asian rice noodles (sometimes called rice sticks or rice vermicelli), or over white rice. When you store the leftovers, keep the sauce and salad in separate containers.
This is one of my all-time favorite dishes. And that's saying a lot, considering how low it is in B6. I often double the recipe so I have enough to last for several days.
Salad ingredients
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 1/3 cup cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup onion, thinly sliced or chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup red bell pepper, thinly sliced and diced
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup almond butter (harder to find than peanut butter, but much lower in B6)
- 1/2 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chili sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- pinch of salt and pepper
2. Meanwhile, combine all the sauce ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth, adding more water if needed.
3. Add the remaining salad ingredients to the cabbage mixture (onion, cucumber, bell pepper) and toss.
4. Serve over Asian rice noodles (sometimes called rice sticks or rice vermicelli), or over white rice. When you store the leftovers, keep the sauce and salad in separate containers.
Monday, November 23, 2015
Low-B6 Recipes: Carrot, Raisin, and Maple Salad
Carrot, Raisin, and Maple Salad
This side-dish can be served on a bed of lettuce or by itself. The maple syrup brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots.
2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled.
This side-dish can be served on a bed of lettuce or by itself. The maple syrup brings out the natural sweetness of the carrots.
- 1 cup carrots, peeled and grated
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- a pinch of salt
2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve chilled.
 |
| Served with rice and asparagus. |
Low-B6 Recipes: Green Beans and Carrots in Orange Sauce
Green Beans and Carrots in Orange Sauce
All the ingredients of this dish are very low in B6.
2. Add the green beans and steam for another 5-8 minutes, or until the carrots and beans are tender.
3. While the green beans and carrots are steaming, combine the orange juice, lemon juice, salt, and maple syrup in a bowl.
4. Add the cooked carrots and beans to the bowl with the sauce. Toss to coat, and serve.
All the ingredients of this dish are very low in B6.
- 3 cups carrots, sliced and peeled
- 3 cups green beans, cleaned and trimmed
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- a pinch of salt
2. Add the green beans and steam for another 5-8 minutes, or until the carrots and beans are tender.
3. While the green beans and carrots are steaming, combine the orange juice, lemon juice, salt, and maple syrup in a bowl.
4. Add the cooked carrots and beans to the bowl with the sauce. Toss to coat, and serve.
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Low-B6 Recipes: Roasted Parsnip and Carrot
Roasted Parsnip and Carrot
When roasted, parsnips and carrots become sweet and tender and can be added to almost any low-B6 meal.
2. Peel the parsnips and carrots and cut them into even pieces, either chunks (for a meatier texture) or long strips (for a crunchier, french-fry-like quality). If using maple syrup, then drizzle syrup on top.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lay the parsnip and carrot on top (as evenly spaced as possible), and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any desired herbs.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from oven and turn the pieces over. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.
5. When the pieces look nicely browned, remove from oven and serve either hot or warm.
When roasted, parsnips and carrots become sweet and tender and can be added to almost any low-B6 meal.
- 1-3 cups fresh parsnip
- 1-3 cups fresh carrot
- salt and pepper
- (optional) any desired herbs, such as thyme
- (optional) 1-2 tablespoons maple syrup
2. Peel the parsnips and carrots and cut them into even pieces, either chunks (for a meatier texture) or long strips (for a crunchier, french-fry-like quality). If using maple syrup, then drizzle syrup on top.
3. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, lay the parsnip and carrot on top (as evenly spaced as possible), and sprinkle with salt, pepper, and any desired herbs.
4. Bake for about 15 minutes, then remove from oven and turn the pieces over. Bake for another 10-15 minutes.
5. When the pieces look nicely browned, remove from oven and serve either hot or warm.
 |
| Roasted parsnip and carrot served with basmati rice and green beans. |
 |
| The roasted parsnip and carrot, tossed after leaving the oven. |
Day 23-26: Ping pong
I feel like a ping pong ball, bouncing back and forth between good and poor health. Currently I'm in the poor health phase -- I ate a lot of B6 foods yesterday and paid for it. My arms feel like they survived a nuclear war -- but just a few days earlier, I had no symptoms at all, I was starting to re-incorporate foods into my diet, and I was ready to claim victory over B6 and enter "post-recovery mode." Now all that has slipped away and I feel like I'm back at square one.
So what about those periods of good health? Over the course of my toxicity, I've had several. These periods typically last a few days, and they don't necessarily occur when I do everything right. For example, I went two or three days without exercising last week due to a stomach virus, but had no toxicity symptoms during that time. So maybe exercise isn't as important to recovery as I had thought. Or maybe the effects of not exercising just take a while to build up.
All I can say for certain is that yes, diet has a huge impact on toxicity symptoms. If you want to do yourself a favor, then eat as little B6 as possible, and don't be fooled by a few symptom-free days. The tide can change with just one meal.
So what about those periods of good health? Over the course of my toxicity, I've had several. These periods typically last a few days, and they don't necessarily occur when I do everything right. For example, I went two or three days without exercising last week due to a stomach virus, but had no toxicity symptoms during that time. So maybe exercise isn't as important to recovery as I had thought. Or maybe the effects of not exercising just take a while to build up.
All I can say for certain is that yes, diet has a huge impact on toxicity symptoms. If you want to do yourself a favor, then eat as little B6 as possible, and don't be fooled by a few symptom-free days. The tide can change with just one meal.
Wednesday, November 18, 2015
Low-B6 Recipes: Bean Soup
Bean Soup
Beans aren't necessarily low in B6 (according to the USDA, a cup of pinto beans has about 0.39mg.) But they don't seem to trigger my symptoms in the same way that other foods do, and they can be quite filling even in small servings. That's why I like to combine beans with other foods to create a complete, low-B6 meal. This simple bean soup goes well with Spanish rice, roasted vegetables, and many other foods
Update (12/23/15): I've since had reactions to pinto beans, and I no longer consider them low in B6. Black beans seem to be altogether better.
2. Strain beans the next day and replace with enough fresh water to rise about 1 inch above the beans.
3. In a large pot, add the beans, water, onion and celery and bring to a boil.
4. Lower to simmer and cook covered for 3 hours. Make sure the temperature isn't too high or the water can boil over. (If you prefer a thicker soup, then cook the beans uncovered for part of the duration. But watch them closely so they don't boil dry and burn.)
5. Serve with chopped green onion, grapes, salsa, or anything else you think would be good. Add salt to taste.
Beans aren't necessarily low in B6 (according to the USDA, a cup of pinto beans has about 0.39mg.) But they don't seem to trigger my symptoms in the same way that other foods do, and they can be quite filling even in small servings. That's why I like to combine beans with other foods to create a complete, low-B6 meal. This simple bean soup goes well with Spanish rice, roasted vegetables, and many other foods
Update (12/23/15): I've since had reactions to pinto beans, and I no longer consider them low in B6. Black beans seem to be altogether better.
- 3 cups dry pinto beans
- 6 cups water
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 1/2 cup diced celery
- 1 teaspoon salt
2. Strain beans the next day and replace with enough fresh water to rise about 1 inch above the beans.
3. In a large pot, add the beans, water, onion and celery and bring to a boil.
4. Lower to simmer and cook covered for 3 hours. Make sure the temperature isn't too high or the water can boil over. (If you prefer a thicker soup, then cook the beans uncovered for part of the duration. But watch them closely so they don't boil dry and burn.)
5. Serve with chopped green onion, grapes, salsa, or anything else you think would be good. Add salt to taste.
 |
| Served with green onion and a dollop of salsa. |
Sunday, November 15, 2015
Day 14-22: Steady Improvement
I have been feeling better lately. Recently, I had a few days without any symptoms at all. Because of this, I decided to start reincorporating B6 foods back into my diet in this order:
- leafy greens and tomatoes
- oats, maybe brown rice
- bananas, avocados, and potatoes
- all cereal grains
Friday, November 6, 2015
Day 10-13
Not much has changed in the past few days. My symptoms are about where they were on Monday. I am noticing, however, that even when I'm feeling "good," things can quickly turn sour if I do the wrong things. For example, when I do a lot of manual work, my arms tend to ache or cramp (it's that hard-to-describe carpal tunnel feeling I've mentioned before). In fact, my arms get worn out pretty quickly. 40 minutes of typing feels like 3 hours. I even get worn out holding a book open at night. That's a little worrying to me.
My legs, meanwhile, have felt pretty good for several days now. I think they may have healed quicker because I do a lot of leg exercises and stretches. As a jogger, most of my workout routine is lower-body. This has been a bit of a problem, however, because while my legs are doing well, my arms, as I said, are not. I'm not sure what to do about that, as I can't lift weights every day. I guess I need to find some low-impact arm exercises. Unfortunately, nothing hits the spot the way jogging does.
Meanwhile, I ate more B6 foods today and am again feeling the effects. This time the symptoms aren't as bad (because I didn't eat as much), but it's still disappointing. You might wonder why I would eat food with B6 in it, and there are two reasons. First, eating low-B6 foods every meal has meant missing out on a lot of other vital nutrients, and I don't want to get deficient in other vitamins. Second, I like to test myself every few days to make sure I haven't gone straight from B6 toxicity to B6 deficiency, which has the same symptoms. But given how long it typically takes B6 toxicity to clear up, I think I'll wait a while before trying B6 foods again.
My legs, meanwhile, have felt pretty good for several days now. I think they may have healed quicker because I do a lot of leg exercises and stretches. As a jogger, most of my workout routine is lower-body. This has been a bit of a problem, however, because while my legs are doing well, my arms, as I said, are not. I'm not sure what to do about that, as I can't lift weights every day. I guess I need to find some low-impact arm exercises. Unfortunately, nothing hits the spot the way jogging does.
Meanwhile, I ate more B6 foods today and am again feeling the effects. This time the symptoms aren't as bad (because I didn't eat as much), but it's still disappointing. You might wonder why I would eat food with B6 in it, and there are two reasons. First, eating low-B6 foods every meal has meant missing out on a lot of other vital nutrients, and I don't want to get deficient in other vitamins. Second, I like to test myself every few days to make sure I haven't gone straight from B6 toxicity to B6 deficiency, which has the same symptoms. But given how long it typically takes B6 toxicity to clear up, I think I'll wait a while before trying B6 foods again.
Tuesday, November 3, 2015
Low-B6 Recipes: Rice with Pineapple and Vegetables
Rice with Pineapple and Vegetables
White rice has less B6 than brown rice. I recommend basmati, if you can find it.
2. While the rice is cooking, combine the vegetables, the pineapple, the pineapple juice, and the soy sauce in a skillet, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5-10 minutes.
3. Combine the rice with the vegetables, pineapple, and juice.
4. Add more soy sauce or tamari to taste.
White rice has less B6 than brown rice. I recommend basmati, if you can find it.
- 1 cup white rice (preferably long-grain)
- 1/2 cup peas
- 1 can of pineapple chunks, with juice
- 1/2 cup carrot, shredded
- 1/2 cup asparagus, chopped
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2. While the rice is cooking, combine the vegetables, the pineapple, the pineapple juice, and the soy sauce in a skillet, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 5-10 minutes.
3. Combine the rice with the vegetables, pineapple, and juice.
4. Add more soy sauce or tamari to taste.
 |
| The finished meal |
Monday, November 2, 2015
Music for Healing: Beethoven Concertos
I've started a YouTube channel that includes various playlists of classical music. Everything is intended to facilitate healing, so most of it is calming and relaxing. You can find the channel here.
Today, I'm posting the music of Beethoven, a composer whose music is generally considered quite rousing. But sometimes rousing is needed for healing. Stretching, for example, is rousing. So is exercise. Maybe a better word is invigorating.
The following playlist includes most of Beethoven's greatest concertos: the piano concertos nos. 4 and 5, the violin concerto, and the triple concerto. The symphonies might seem like a natural place to start (and I plan to post them at some point), but I find the concertos a little more inviting. Symphonies are big, cosmic, universal -- you can almost get left behind in the torrent of sound. But a concerto is different. A concerto is essentially a dialogue between soloist and orchestra, and that dialogue gives us something to focus on as listeners. Enjoy.
Today, I'm posting the music of Beethoven, a composer whose music is generally considered quite rousing. But sometimes rousing is needed for healing. Stretching, for example, is rousing. So is exercise. Maybe a better word is invigorating.
The following playlist includes most of Beethoven's greatest concertos: the piano concertos nos. 4 and 5, the violin concerto, and the triple concerto. The symphonies might seem like a natural place to start (and I plan to post them at some point), but I find the concertos a little more inviting. Symphonies are big, cosmic, universal -- you can almost get left behind in the torrent of sound. But a concerto is different. A concerto is essentially a dialogue between soloist and orchestra, and that dialogue gives us something to focus on as listeners. Enjoy.
Day 9: Back on Track
Yesterday, I continued to eat an unregulated diet (brown rice pasta, broccoli, etc.), and after a day of severe neuropathy, I am confident in saying that foods rich in vitamin B6 do indeed worsen B6 toxicity symptoms. The neuropathy continued through the night, and it wasn't until this afternoon that I started to feel "normal" again.
Many sites recommend avoiding B6 foods, of course, but my hope was that the effect would be minimal. B6 foods make up a large portion of my diet, so going without them has been particularly difficult. There aren't many ways to combine asparagus, iceberg lettuce, and carrots into a satisfying meal. But as I've discovered, it's just not worth eating foods high in B6. The consequences are just too high.
Luckily, I have found a few good low-B6 recipes, and I will share them with you all at some point. This morning, for example, I had steamed rice with vegetables and pineapple, which wasn't bad at all. I've also been eating homemade bean soup. Beans do have some B6 in them, but I haven't had any issues with them yet.
In other news, I have stopped all supplements except vitamin D3. I also walked 5 miles yesterday and 3 miles today. To reiterate: Exercise is the only tool I've found that gives immediate relief from neuropathy.
Many sites recommend avoiding B6 foods, of course, but my hope was that the effect would be minimal. B6 foods make up a large portion of my diet, so going without them has been particularly difficult. There aren't many ways to combine asparagus, iceberg lettuce, and carrots into a satisfying meal. But as I've discovered, it's just not worth eating foods high in B6. The consequences are just too high.
Luckily, I have found a few good low-B6 recipes, and I will share them with you all at some point. This morning, for example, I had steamed rice with vegetables and pineapple, which wasn't bad at all. I've also been eating homemade bean soup. Beans do have some B6 in them, but I haven't had any issues with them yet.
In other news, I have stopped all supplements except vitamin D3. I also walked 5 miles yesterday and 3 miles today. To reiterate: Exercise is the only tool I've found that gives immediate relief from neuropathy.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
Day 7 & 8: A Step Back?
I had two setbacks these past two days. First, I took a megadose of B12 (for a total of 2,000 mcg) and almost immediately developed new symptoms of anxiety and heart palpitations. Apparently, these symptoms are indicative of a B12 overdose. I'm doing better now, but I had a rough night as a result and I've decided to stop taking B12 in the meantime.
Second, I ate a lot of food that was high in B6 yesterday. I was feeling pretty good at that point, and I was starting to crave B6-rich foods, especially since they typically help me sleep at night and I didn't want another restless night after the B12 overdose. Up till now, I hadn't noticed a correlation between eating B6-rich foods and experiencing toxicity symptoms, but today, I woke up with noticeably worse neuropathy in both arms. This marks the first time that I've woken up feeling worse than I did the day before.
It's possible that the neuropathy worsened for another reason: lack of exercise or lack of B12, for example. I didn't get as much exercise yesterday as I normally do, and I didn't take any B12 (I've heard that B12 helps lower B6). But today, I'm going to eat less B6 and see what happens.
Second, I ate a lot of food that was high in B6 yesterday. I was feeling pretty good at that point, and I was starting to crave B6-rich foods, especially since they typically help me sleep at night and I didn't want another restless night after the B12 overdose. Up till now, I hadn't noticed a correlation between eating B6-rich foods and experiencing toxicity symptoms, but today, I woke up with noticeably worse neuropathy in both arms. This marks the first time that I've woken up feeling worse than I did the day before.
It's possible that the neuropathy worsened for another reason: lack of exercise or lack of B12, for example. I didn't get as much exercise yesterday as I normally do, and I didn't take any B12 (I've heard that B12 helps lower B6). But today, I'm going to eat less B6 and see what happens.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Music for Healing: Mozart
Gramophone says that "Mozart's music has humanity, beauty, delicacy and an unmistakable reaching towards the sublime." Some studies have shown that Mozart's music has a positive effect on treating pain, depression, and other ailments:
The most beneficial music for the health of a patient is classical music, which holds an important role in music therapy. It has been shown that music composed by Bach, Mozart, and Italian composers is the most powerful in 'treating' patients. [...] Patients who would receive the most benefit from classical music include those with anxiety, depressive syndromes, cardiovascular disturbances, and those suffering from pain, stress, or sleep disturbances.For me, Mozart is more relaxing than other composers. He brings a sense of calm and normalcy even when his music is quite frenetic. Here is a small selection of works:
Day 5 & 6: First Signs of Recovery?
Six days after developing symptoms, I think I am noticing the first signs of recovery. For one thing, the neuropathy episodes seem less severe and less frequent. I am also experiencing fewer cramp-like sensations, which had been almost constant during the first few days (the exact sensation is hard to describe. In the arms, it almost feels like carpal tunnel or overworked muscles after a vigorous workout).
One facet of B6 toxicity that is especially alarming is muscle weakness. For the first few days, I was experiencing this symptom every day, usually in one limb at a time. It often occurred alongside aches and the cramp-like sensation and would sometimes last for hours, causing me to wonder if the affected limb(s) would ever recover. Thankfully, these episodes always seemed to pass without any (apparent) permanent damage. I'm also glad to say that these episodes seem to be ending, as I haven't experienced one in over a day.
If I really am starting to recover this soon, then I would consider myself lucky. In many of the stories that I've been reading, people have suffered with B6 toxicity for months or, in some cases, years. Their symptoms are also much worse than mine. Perhaps the only difference between their stories and mine is that I stopped taking B6 at the first sign of symptoms. If I hadn't known that B6 was the cause of my symptoms, I might be in a much worse state right now.
I'm also doing everything I can to recover. I am drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day (to flush the B6 from my system), I am staying active (I walked over 2 miles yesterday), and I am eating healthy meals (although I am not avoiding B6 entirely -- unfortunately, most "healthy" foods have B6 in them). In between workouts, I try to do stretches or other low-impact exercises to keep the blood flowing. This is the best remedy for neuropathy that I've found so far.
One facet of B6 toxicity that is especially alarming is muscle weakness. For the first few days, I was experiencing this symptom every day, usually in one limb at a time. It often occurred alongside aches and the cramp-like sensation and would sometimes last for hours, causing me to wonder if the affected limb(s) would ever recover. Thankfully, these episodes always seemed to pass without any (apparent) permanent damage. I'm also glad to say that these episodes seem to be ending, as I haven't experienced one in over a day.
If I really am starting to recover this soon, then I would consider myself lucky. In many of the stories that I've been reading, people have suffered with B6 toxicity for months or, in some cases, years. Their symptoms are also much worse than mine. Perhaps the only difference between their stories and mine is that I stopped taking B6 at the first sign of symptoms. If I hadn't known that B6 was the cause of my symptoms, I might be in a much worse state right now.
I'm also doing everything I can to recover. I am drinking at least eight 8-oz. glasses of water a day (to flush the B6 from my system), I am staying active (I walked over 2 miles yesterday), and I am eating healthy meals (although I am not avoiding B6 entirely -- unfortunately, most "healthy" foods have B6 in them). In between workouts, I try to do stretches or other low-impact exercises to keep the blood flowing. This is the best remedy for neuropathy that I've found so far.
Thursday, October 29, 2015
Music for Healing: Bach
Music can facilitate healing, so I will be occasionally posting music (via YouTube) that I think is especially calming, relaxing, soothing, or otherwise conducive to healing.
First up is Bach (1685-1750), the Baroque master. Generally, I find Bach's music, like Mozart's, to be both relaxing and mentally stimulating. The interplay of the different voices and instruments brings something new to every listening experience. There's always a "new" way to experience a Bach piece, depending on how we perceive the counterpoint at any given moment.
Both selections are performed by Andras Schiff, who has the mellowest tone of any Bach performer I know. The first selection, the Sinfonias (or 3-part inventions, as they're commonly known), is a series of 15 contrapuntal exercises. The second selection, the Goldberg Variations, was written for a Count who suffered from insomnia. In other words, it's especially conducive to restful sleep.
First up is Bach (1685-1750), the Baroque master. Generally, I find Bach's music, like Mozart's, to be both relaxing and mentally stimulating. The interplay of the different voices and instruments brings something new to every listening experience. There's always a "new" way to experience a Bach piece, depending on how we perceive the counterpoint at any given moment.
Both selections are performed by Andras Schiff, who has the mellowest tone of any Bach performer I know. The first selection, the Sinfonias (or 3-part inventions, as they're commonly known), is a series of 15 contrapuntal exercises. The second selection, the Goldberg Variations, was written for a Count who suffered from insomnia. In other words, it's especially conducive to restful sleep.
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
B6 Toxicity: What Helps
It's surprising how hard it is to find information on B6 toxicity and what to do about it. The medical consensus seems to be to stop taking B6 supplements and hope you recover. In other words, you're up a creek without a paddle. Fun, huh?
In my search, however, I have found a few good sites and recommendations. (First and foremost is to stop taking B6!) Here is a list of things that have worked for me:
(1) Drinking water. B6 is water-soluble, which means you can flush it out of your system. According to this article from LiveStrong: "Typically, it takes the body between 15 and 25 days to eliminate unused pyridoxine [i.e. B6]. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day as part of a healthy diet." I plan to keep this up until I'm fully recovered.
(2) Exercising. Unlike some sufferers of B6 toxicity, I can manage moderate exercise. My symptoms are not so bad (yet?) that I'm completely bedridden. I've found that staying active helps with my neuropathy (and mood, and sleep, etc.). In general, exercise is very important for overall health, not just B6 toxicity, and because of this, I try to stay active throughout the day.
I've also found that one burst of exercise doesn't do the trick, even if it's the "recommended" 30 minutes a day. While I do try to do a 30-minute workout every day (right now I'm trying to do two), I also try to keep the blood moving throughout the day. Personally, I prefer walking, but I've also done trampoline and light weightlifting.
Oh, and another reason exercise is good is because (I've heard) that B6 is stored in the muscles, and working up a good sweat is one way of excreting it. If I find a reliable source for this, I'll link it.
(3) Getting good sleep. This was very difficult (i.e. impossible) on the first night due to severe anxiety (probably a combination of natural anxiety and B6 toxicity). I felt much better after the second night, when I was able to get a good night's sleep. There's no real trick to this, I've found; either you're anxious, or you're not.
(4) Avoiding foods high in B6. This is one of the recommendations from the same LiveStrong article mentioned above. I'm not sure this has helped me too much yet, but other people have reported that avoiding foods high in B6 has worked for them. (Presumably, eating B6 triggers toxicity symptoms). You can find lists of foods that are high and low in B6 online. Some of it is conflicting, so I won't post any recommendations here until I get it all figured out for myself.
That's it for now. I will post new tips as I come across them.
In my search, however, I have found a few good sites and recommendations. (First and foremost is to stop taking B6!) Here is a list of things that have worked for me:
(1) Drinking water. B6 is water-soluble, which means you can flush it out of your system. According to this article from LiveStrong: "Typically, it takes the body between 15 and 25 days to eliminate unused pyridoxine [i.e. B6]. Drink eight, 8-oz. glasses of water per day as part of a healthy diet." I plan to keep this up until I'm fully recovered.
(2) Exercising. Unlike some sufferers of B6 toxicity, I can manage moderate exercise. My symptoms are not so bad (yet?) that I'm completely bedridden. I've found that staying active helps with my neuropathy (and mood, and sleep, etc.). In general, exercise is very important for overall health, not just B6 toxicity, and because of this, I try to stay active throughout the day.
I've also found that one burst of exercise doesn't do the trick, even if it's the "recommended" 30 minutes a day. While I do try to do a 30-minute workout every day (right now I'm trying to do two), I also try to keep the blood moving throughout the day. Personally, I prefer walking, but I've also done trampoline and light weightlifting.
Oh, and another reason exercise is good is because (I've heard) that B6 is stored in the muscles, and working up a good sweat is one way of excreting it. If I find a reliable source for this, I'll link it.
(3) Getting good sleep. This was very difficult (i.e. impossible) on the first night due to severe anxiety (probably a combination of natural anxiety and B6 toxicity). I felt much better after the second night, when I was able to get a good night's sleep. There's no real trick to this, I've found; either you're anxious, or you're not.
(4) Avoiding foods high in B6. This is one of the recommendations from the same LiveStrong article mentioned above. I'm not sure this has helped me too much yet, but other people have reported that avoiding foods high in B6 has worked for them. (Presumably, eating B6 triggers toxicity symptoms). You can find lists of foods that are high and low in B6 online. Some of it is conflicting, so I won't post any recommendations here until I get it all figured out for myself.
That's it for now. I will post new tips as I come across them.
Day 1-4: The First Few Days in Recovering from B6 Toxicity
I first had symptoms of B6 toxicity on Sunday, October 25, 2015. Luckily, I was only taking one supplement (B12-B6) at the time, so I was able to immediately identify B6 as the problem and discontinue use.
Unfortunately, in the stories that I'm reading, many people continue taking their B6 supplement days or even weeks after developing symptoms, because they don't know that they have B6 toxicity. This seems to worsen the symptoms. Because I stopped using B6 the same day that I developed symptoms (burning in the arms and legs), I have high hope that I can make a full recovery.
The first day of my recovery was the worst. I began to develop symptoms, and I didn't know how bad they would get. As I read about B6 toxicity, I wondered how bad the symptoms would get, how long they would last, and if the nerve damage would be irreversible (as it sometimes is).
I was not able to sleep that night due to anxiety, which only made the symptoms worse.
Four days later, I am doing better mentally. The heightened anxiety has diminished, and I've accepted that recovery will take weeks at the least. Unlike many people with severe B6 toxicity, I am able to walk and exercise, which helps flush the B6 from one's body.
That said, I am 4 days in and the other symptoms have not (as far as I can tell) abated. My arms and legs continue to burn. Sometimes it feels like a skinned knee or elbow. Other times it feels like carpal tunnel. I wonder if the latter sensation is my body recovering after the burning phases, because the pain isn't constant. It tends to leap from limb to limb; it will go from the legs, to the arms, to one arm, to one leg, etc.
The fact that the pain DOES pass gives me some solace. I figure that means the nerves have time to recover in between bouts of pain.
Unfortunately, in the stories that I'm reading, many people continue taking their B6 supplement days or even weeks after developing symptoms, because they don't know that they have B6 toxicity. This seems to worsen the symptoms. Because I stopped using B6 the same day that I developed symptoms (burning in the arms and legs), I have high hope that I can make a full recovery.
The first day of my recovery was the worst. I began to develop symptoms, and I didn't know how bad they would get. As I read about B6 toxicity, I wondered how bad the symptoms would get, how long they would last, and if the nerve damage would be irreversible (as it sometimes is).
I was not able to sleep that night due to anxiety, which only made the symptoms worse.
Four days later, I am doing better mentally. The heightened anxiety has diminished, and I've accepted that recovery will take weeks at the least. Unlike many people with severe B6 toxicity, I am able to walk and exercise, which helps flush the B6 from one's body.
That said, I am 4 days in and the other symptoms have not (as far as I can tell) abated. My arms and legs continue to burn. Sometimes it feels like a skinned knee or elbow. Other times it feels like carpal tunnel. I wonder if the latter sensation is my body recovering after the burning phases, because the pain isn't constant. It tends to leap from limb to limb; it will go from the legs, to the arms, to one arm, to one leg, etc.
The fact that the pain DOES pass gives me some solace. I figure that means the nerves have time to recover in between bouts of pain.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Warning - Don't Take B6!
If you are thinking about taking a Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) supplement, READ THIS!
I began taking B6 to treat a medical condition in October of 2015. The pills were purchased over the counter at a local health-food store, and there was no warning on the bottle about the adverse effects of B6. The directions simply advised one to take one pill every day, with each pill containing 50mg of B6.
Unfortunately, 50mg is a dangerously high amount of B6. While some people can tolerate it, many people cannot. I am one of the latter group. After about 11 days, I began to experience burning and tingling in my limbs (i.e. neuropathy) and heightened anxiety. After searching the internet, I discovered many other people like myself. Some had taken less B6 (as little as 2mg a day), while others had taken more. In every case, the consequences were months or years of pain and illness.
So if you are considering taking a B6 supplement, keep this in mind: YOU ARE PUTTING YOUR HEALTH AT RISK. Unless you know what you're doing, DON'T DO IT.
I began taking B6 to treat a medical condition in October of 2015. The pills were purchased over the counter at a local health-food store, and there was no warning on the bottle about the adverse effects of B6. The directions simply advised one to take one pill every day, with each pill containing 50mg of B6.
Unfortunately, 50mg is a dangerously high amount of B6. While some people can tolerate it, many people cannot. I am one of the latter group. After about 11 days, I began to experience burning and tingling in my limbs (i.e. neuropathy) and heightened anxiety. After searching the internet, I discovered many other people like myself. Some had taken less B6 (as little as 2mg a day), while others had taken more. In every case, the consequences were months or years of pain and illness.
So if you are considering taking a B6 supplement, keep this in mind: YOU ARE PUTTING YOUR HEALTH AT RISK. Unless you know what you're doing, DON'T DO IT.
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