Sublingual B12 supplement causing pulmonary edema

Here’s a link to an article about B12 and a screenshot of serious side effects.

Actually b12 deficiency can cause insomnia and sleep disturbances Barmeyoldbat so it’s entirely possible that the OP Mother does have b12 deficiency. She may have low stomach acid which is very common in older people and that may prevent her from absorbing her vitamins and b12 from her foods. B12deficiency.info has all the information and signs and symptoms.

I have to say violet that for someone coming on here asking for advice, you are being rather rude to some of those who have taken the time to respond to you.

I too hope that your mother gets her health issues sorted but I fear that you’re doing her more harm than good by trying to diagnose her yourself and then giving her OTC remedies which may well be interfering with her prescribed medication.

Exactly, also lack of B12 wold cause tiredness and your mother would be sleeping.

Anyone who's already on medication should not take vitamins unless prescribed by the GP or pharmacist.

The insomnia is quite likely related to the hyperthyroid condition. Carbimazole can be effective- I took it for years with no side effects. However, it can have bad effects in some people. My friend’s elderly mother was prescribed it and became very ill. They then treated the thyroid with radioactive iodine- one pill. www.btf-thyroid.org/information/leaflets/39-radioactive-iodine-guide
After treatment the person may have to take thyroxine but this is safe at the right dose and better than carbimazole.

If it’s possible to get your mother to see a geriatrician they might take a holistic look at all her health issues and medications. Some hospitals have depts where they take an elderly person in for a day for full assessment.

Find. not found.

Perhaps encourage her to listen to the radio during the night. I found the World Service bores me to sleep gets me off.

I appreciate you re trying to do your best for your mum Violet, but I really don't see how giving her Vit 12 tablets will help her sleeplessness. Maybe the doctors feel she is getting enough sleep overall.

Perhaps you could try some simple measures. Perhaps try to discourage the napping during the day. Take her out for car/bus rides into the countryside. Even a little walking if she is up to it.

I do wish you both all the best.

You sound like you are very stressed and have little faith in your mother's physicians. I wonder if you are passing this stress on to her. She is clearly a lady with multiple health issues and needs peace and quiet.

I'd never advocate adding any kind of OTC supplements to anyone with such complicated health issues unless instructed to do so by their doctor.

Why won't you listen, GET A BLOOD TEST DONE to see her levels of B12. Its what I have done and its the only way.

Too Many Pills: How Too Much Medicine is Endangering Our Health and What We Can Do About It. By Dr James Le Fanu
Oddly enough this was in my mind when I read your posts.
My father was “diagnosed” as it were, with polypharmacy 20+ years ago and taken off all medication including his angina pills but under medical supervision
The “too many pills” LeFanu refers to can just as easily include OTC “supplements”.
Self medication is notoriously inexact, and did you see the post from * ElaineI* even health professionals can have reservations about dosage, so how can you, as presumably a layperson, think you know better?

violet29 called Too Many Pills: How Too Much Medicine is Endangering Our Health and What We Can Do About It. By Dr James Le Fanu.
Can you not see the irony of this when you are dishing out vitamin pills?
My mum often said she couldn't sleep at night. She took a book to bed and read if she was awake for too long. She said something things weren't worth worrying about.
If your mum has been in hospital regularly her sleep patterns may well be disrupted, perhaps what she needs is to establish a routine and stop sitting in an armchair all night.

Gonegirl The doctors have ignored my mum's extreme insomnia for five months now. That's her GP, and several consultants during four emergency admissions to hospital for her COPD, heart failure and hyperthyroidism. My mum hasn't slept more than a couple of hours at night at best in five months, and for long stretches she hasn't slept at all. The last five days she hasn't slept at all at night and just for a few minutes here and there sitting in an armchair. These 'amazing' doctors have all refused to address this. BTW, if you trust your doctors to always do the right thing, maybe you should read a book by a retired GP, called Too Many Pills: How Too Much Medicine is Endangering Our Health and What We Can Do About It. By Dr James Le Fanu.

B12 is normally given by 3 monthly intramuscular injection after being diagnosed by a simple blood test. You should never diagnose it yourself. In all my years of nursing there has never been a tablet that gives the correct effect/dose. Many of my patients would have jumped for joy if a tablet was available instead of a jag in the arm or bum!

No need for the “FFS” violet I did not say you did. You just seemed to dismiss the GP’s input and showed no inclination to see a specialist in your mother’s condition.
So far I am conscious that you seem to be operating on hearsay or *second or third hand knowledge
Comments like “I have read other people's bad experiences” , “there have been studies” etc - a little knowledge is indeed a dangerous thing.

Your mum may be 89 but how does she feel about this? At 90+ my mum was still taking responsibility for her own health although she had major health issues. I accompanied her to the doctors sometimes because she sometimes forgot exactly what was said, but I never took responsibility for her health. She made her own decisions right up to the end when she wa 94. Unless your mum has dementia why can't she organise her own health regime?

Sorry, rubbish link. this one's better

foods containing B12

Give her foods containing B12. Ditch the tablets.

Firstly Violet I think you seem very conscientious taking some responsibility for your mother's health needs, and researching treatment, especially if you think her GP isn't interested. My reservations are as others have said. How do you know there is fluid on your mum's lungs or what is causing it? Has it been shown that she is low on intrinsic factor? It is always tricky using medication, prescribed or otherwise in the elderly, they do not always react in the same way as younger people. It really should be someone with medical knowledge who addresses your mother's health concerns. I would try to see a different doctor or ask for a referral.

There is some good advice on here but you sound as if you reject it out of hand.

I just wonder why you asked?

MawB, I've read other people's bad experiences of endos so know that they are VARIABLE, just like GPs. I never said they didn't have more specialist knowledge than GPs FFS.

Dear God. The profit margin on B12 is minuscule, no drug company would spend a fortune on studies promoting it when they could promote one of the patented drugs.

A routine blood test will show if you are lacking B12 and if you are then it usually given by injection about every 6 weeks or so. I would stop giving your mum B12 tablets, talk to the Dr again and if possible get a blood test done