blueangel1103 Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Has anyone tried B12 for chronic fatigue related to chemo? My Mom's dr. gave her a B12 injection yesterday for chonic fatigue as she is receiving Taxotere once every three weeks. I just wondered if anyone else has received B12 for chronic fatigue and how it helped. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 Fatigue was a huge side effect with Alimta and I was given a B12 shot every three weeks. I was still very tired bu who knows what it would have been like without the shot. I really have no idea if thats why they were even giving it to me or not!! Wishing your mom the best!!! Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueangel1103 Posted September 9, 2008 Author Share Posted September 9, 2008 Not much else has worked and we are hoping this will help even a little bit. Thank you for your response. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyW Posted September 9, 2008 Share Posted September 9, 2008 See if this helps any!! Click on link to be redirected!! http://www.thorne.com/media/chronicfatiguesyndrome.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaroleHammett Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 blueangel1103: Has anyone tried B12 for chronic fatigue related to chemo? Like Patti, I was given B12 shots prior to going on Alimta, and addition was also told to take oral Vit B12 daily, along with prescription for Folic Acid during period I was on Alimta. I wasn not, however, told why I needed the B12 or Folic Acid for the Alimta, nor could I tell a difference as to fatigue/energy. After my Alimta was stopped (highly toxic reaction plus it wasn't working), the B12 shots were also stopped, but I still had lots of oral B-12 and Folic Acid left over so I'm still taking them (figured it can't hurt). I would like to know, however, if the B12 was for fatigue and also the reason for taking Folic Acid with it in case i want to conintue the two or even try getting B12 shots (privately if not too expensive; i.e., now that I'm not on hospice, only comfort care is covered and I'm not sure Vitamin B12 shots and/or folic acid would fall into those categories. With love and affection, Carole Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsC1210 Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I'm not sure if this is helpful or not but it does pertain to fatigue and B12. When I was pregnant with my last baby, I was so tired all the time and in a lot of pain. My OB started me on B12 shots in hopes of relieving at least the fatigue aspect and it definitely improved things for me. Granted this was not cancer related nor was it chemo related but I thought it might be worth sharing. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 well, I got curious as to why I was on B12 and folic acid (even though I am no longer on Alimta). I looked up Alimta under chemocare.com and it says you are given those to help counter side-effects of Alimta. Since fatigue is such a HUGE issue with Alimta, I am thinking thats it!!!! Hugs - Patti B. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 I do remember people some years ago talking about B12 shots and I think it was related to fatigue but maybe also mood elevation? Little of that couldn't hurt us either lol!. Judy in New Jersey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patti B Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Judy - If its a mood elevator than I need a couple of gallons of it.......every day - LOL!!!! Patti Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 The reason B12/folic acid supplements are given when on alimta is that one of alimta's operative effects is to shut down the body's natural production of folic acid/b-12, so the supplements are meant to --- you guessed it, supplement --- the loss of those naturally occurring nutrients. When my poor father was suffering through this, his biggest issue was an absolute debilitating fatigue (he also had had WBR). We tried everything. We put him on a regular dose of the steroid prednisone (that actually worked well for a short while). We also had some ADD type stimulant -- one of the real cutting edge ones, forgot the name --- prescribed. We also had them check for hypothyroidism which can also cause debilitating fatigue. In all honesty, we never found anything that did the trick for my dad, but nothing was lost in tying. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted September 15, 2008 Share Posted September 15, 2008 just looking over my dad's history, it occurred to me to also advise that each medication she is on be assessed for fatigue potential. My father was getting wrecked by ativan and he was also very sensitive to some of the longer lasting opiates. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb73 Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Fatigue was a temporary side effect that my husband had as a result of taking Alimta. It would appear like clockwork on or about the third day (decadron left the system) following the Alimta infusion, and it would remain anywhere from four to five days. He would be fine then until the next infusion in 3 to 4 weeks. We were told that the B12 was to replace what was depleted by the Alimta. However, Bill still takes the supplement form of B12 as he had previously had neuropathy from an early-on chemo in 2004. It worked for that, so since is is a water-soluble vitamin, he decided to keep taking it. Fatigue does hit Bill and every now and again, but it doesn't remain that long. My sense is that all that he has been through, has left his body a bit weaker than it was almost four years ago. His arms and legs were always slim, but the muscle tone has depleted somewhat. I do the heavy lifting. He felt quite a bit of fatigue when he experienced the WBR over a year ago. That took the longest to leave. He does fine, though, and is generally up for activities. It's just that fatigue is an unwelcomed visitor on and off in his life. Bill loved to work and keep busy. Sorry to ramble, it's a habit of mine lately as is fatigue (even though I take the B12's, as well). Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaminkw Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Barbara, You are allowed to ramble after 3 1/2 years by the side of a cancer survivor. Like Bill, I was always very energetic and worked a lot. The fatigue is my biggest complaint. I must say though, five weeks from my last Avastin and having cut two of my three bp meds in half, I feel the first seblemce of normalcy since my diagnosis almost a year ago. I've been meaning to ask someone and this seems as good a time as any, what is WBR? I see it cropping up all the time and don't know what it stands for. And BTW, I noticed Bill is due for a scan tomorrow, is that right? I'll keep him in my thoughts and send positive energy your way. Judy in PA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry's Wife Posted September 16, 2008 Share Posted September 16, 2008 Judy, WBR is Whole Brain Radiation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb73 Posted September 17, 2008 Share Posted September 17, 2008 Hi Judy, Yes, WBR is whole brain radiation. He completed 20 treatments June of 2007. (He had a slight twitch in the upper part of his back. It was determined by the radiologist that a brain scan was needed.) They found one small metastasis in mid-brain. The location was not operable via surgery. He took much longer to come out of the fatigue following that regimen than any before or since. Tomorrow morning, we will be over at the Radiology Center. This will be the set that followed the stable and improvement scans taken three months ago. We thank you, Judy, for the thoughts and the prayers. I have believed that prayers have seen us through for quite some time now - the more, the better. Barbara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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