Pain In Upper Legs And Hips

[bincongo]

I have a doctors appointment soon and since she is not a specialist I need to know what to tell her. Before my diagnosis of Celiac 2 1/2 months ago I had a feeling of numbness in my upper legs in the early mornings before I got up. Now I am having even more problems in my legs. I have episodes of pain in my groin, hips and upper thighs. It seems to go along with my issues of constipation. I have always been constipated but it has gotten worse going gluten free. I am wondering if Celiac's can have autoimmune nerve problems. My blood work came out normal except for the Celiac panel and vitamin B6 was high. I had taken some vitamin B6 but had stopped 2 weeks before my blood work. I had a BM today but the pain continues. I don't feel I have any weakness with it but it is a odd sensation. The pain kept me from going to sleep last night until I took a Advil.

Ok I am adding my own reply. I know it is hard to diagnose things just by what is said on a computer. I also know that I am more worried about things now that I am a Celiac. I do know that Celiac's can have neuro problems. Maybe what I have is neuro form-itis. Its caused by sitting at my computer for hours a day trying to find answers on this forum.

[jkr]

I have numbness in the thighs also. It comes and goes. I have celiac disease. I have had nerve issues in my thighs for years. I think mine could be from the celiac. I went to a neurologist years ago and he gave me anti-depressants which can help with nerve pain but it didn't help. I take Advil also and it sometimes helps. If I'm walking for long periods of time I get the pain.

Hope you can get some relief from the pain.

[RiceGuy]

What you describe sounds all too familiar to me. It eventually got to the point where I could no longer walk at all. The pain became intolerable. Thanks to some posts on this board, I narrowed it down to vitamin B12 and/or magnesium. After about a month of B12, there was some improvement, but I had the sense that there was more too it. Once I added magnesium, I was back on my feet in two weeks. I continue taking both daily, and have no pain, numbness, weakness, nor any other problems with my legs, hips, etc.

Interestingly, magnesium is one of the best things to relieve constipation too. There are different forms though, with different levels of effectiveness for different symptoms. Ever hear of Milk of Magnesia? From what you describe, I'd recommend magnesium oxide, taken with something acidic such as orange juice, lemon juice, a high-dose of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), or citric acid. Start with a low dose, and increase slowly until you find your comfort level. About 200-400mg at most to start off. Increase every few days by maybe 200mg. You'll have to judge based on how you feel. Too much too soon can cause some cramping until your intestines "catch up". The acid greatly magnifies the effectiveness, hence you will also find magnesium citrate is a widely available supplement. These and other forms are available as powders or pills. If you take more than you need, you'll be heading to the bathroom more often than you should. Magnesium can be a hydrating laxative. That is, it draws water into the intestines.

I've read that an estimated 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. And, magnesium deficiency is said to be very common among those with Celiac. Vitamin B12 is also commonly deficient for us. For that I recommend a sublingual methylcobalamin tablet. Many have citric acid, which I found to irritate the soft tissues under my tongue. The methylcobalamin from Source Naturals seems quite effective IMO, and does not contain citric acid.

I hope you feel better soon.

[jkr]

What you describe sounds all too familiar to me. It eventually got to the point where I could no longer walk at all. The pain became intolerable. Thanks to some posts on this board, I narrowed it down to vitamin B12 and/or magnesium. After about a month of B12, there was some improvement, but I had the sense that there was more too it. Once I added magnesium, I was back on my feet in two weeks. I continue taking both daily, and have no pain, numbness, weakness, nor any other problems with my legs, hips, etc.

Interestingly, magnesium is one of the best things to relieve constipation too. There are different forms though, with different levels of effectiveness for different symptoms. Ever hear of Milk of Magnesia? From what you describe, I'd recommend magnesium oxide, taken with something acidic such as orange juice, lemon juice, a high-dose of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), or citric acid. Start with a low dose, and increase slowly until you find your comfort level. About 200-400mg at most to start off. Increase every few days by maybe 200mg. You'll have to judge based on how you feel. Too much too soon can cause some cramping until your intestines "catch up". The acid greatly magnifies the effectiveness, hence you will also find magnesium citrate is a widely available supplement. These and other forms are available as powders or pills. If you take more than you need, you'll be heading to the bathroom more often than you should. Magnesium can be a hydrating laxative. That is, it draws water into the intestines.

I've read that an estimated 80% of Americans are deficient in magnesium. And, magnesium deficiency is said to be very common among those with Celiac. Vitamin B12 is also commonly deficient for us. For that I recommend a sublingual methylcobalamin tablet. Many have citric acid, which I found to irritate the soft tissues under my tongue. The methylcobalamin from Source Naturals seems quite effective IMO, and does not contain citric acid.

I hope you feel better soon.

[jkr]

I haven't been taking my B12 & magnesium regularly so I'm going to make sure I do.

Thanks for the info.

[bincongo]

Ok I got my labs back and I just wanted to run some things by some of the smart people on this forum. My doctor wasn't concerned about any of it. She will retest me in 4 months. I know I am a new Celiac so my IgG was 102 and my IgA 11.1, Reticulin Abs - positive 1:20, Endomysial Abs - negative.

I also had a few other things tested. I had taken supplements up until about a week before my labs and then decided I wanted to know what my body was doing without supplements so I quit. My vitamin D was normal and so was my B12 but my B6 was elevated 70, in a range of 5-50. I forgot to ask for a magnesium test. I am close to being anemic but not out of range. My WBC is low 3.74, with MCHC of 31.7 and Neutrophils of 1.99.

I have stopped taking any vitamin B's but I am still taking Magnesium Citrate. I have a problem with constipation and I feel it helps but wondering if there is any danger in doing so. I continue to have problems with sleep but don't know if it is related. I take Levothyroxine but will be switching to Synthroid non generic. My T4 was 7.06 and TSH 1.27 on meds.

All in all I came out better than I expected so maybe my Celiac was caught early but I still would like some advice.

[RiceGuy]

Ok I got my labs back and I just wanted to run some things by some of the smart people on this forum. My doctor wasn't concerned about any of it. She will retest me in 4 months. I know I am a new Celiac so my IgG was 102 and my IgA 11.1, Reticulin Abs - positive 1:20, Endomysial Abs - negative.

I also had a few other things tested. I had taken supplements up until about a week before my labs and then decided I wanted to know what my body was doing without supplements so I quit. My vitamin D was normal and so was my B12 but my B6 was elevated 70, in a range of 5-50. I forgot to ask for a magnesium test. I am close to being anemic but not out of range. My WBC is low 3.74, with MCHC of 31.7 and Neutrophils of 1.99.

I have stopped taking any vitamin B's but I am still taking Magnesium Citrate. I have a problem with constipation and I feel it helps but wondering if there is any danger in doing so. I continue to have problems with sleep but don't know if it is related. I take Levothyroxine but will be switching to Synthroid non generic. My T4 was 7.06 and TSH 1.27 on meds.

All in all I came out better than I expected so maybe my Celiac was caught early but I still would like some advice.

First, the tests for B12 are known to be inaccurate, and the serum level does not represent intracellular levels. Also, the level which is considered "normal" depends on who you ask. And in Japan, the recognized minimum level is quite a bit higher than in the US. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the production of both serotonin and melatonin, as well as a number of other things, and therefore is a factor in the regulation of sleep/wake cycles. I can tell you that I always had trouble sleeping, but since taking B12, I've had no trouble sleeping, and awaken much more refreshed and can get out of bed far more quickly than I ever could before. I find that I sleep much more deeply as well. Additionally, since there is no known level of overdose for B12, you can safely try a supplement to see how you feel. I'd recommend the 5mg methylcobalamin sublingual tablet from Source Naturals, taken about an hour before bedtime.

As for the magnesium citrate, you may need to take more of it. There are few safety concerns with it, unless you were to take truly massive amounts. But by then, you'd know it was too much, because you'd probably be running to the bathroom all day. Again, increase the dosage gradually over time. Wait at least three days or more before each increase. That will also help insure that you don't overdose. You may also need to take a different form, such as magnesium oxide, and with that type I'd recommend either citric acid or citrus juice to maximize effectiveness. Magnesium is also known as the calming mineral, so it may assist in other things you are dealing with.

I'm not sure what the meaning of elevated B6 might be, but I suspect it may mean something more than just having taken supplements. I suppose you could do some searches on it.

How's your iodine level? I'm not very familiar with thyroid numbers and such, but one good source of information is Open Original Shared Link. There are a number of members of this board who know a considerable amount about thyroid tests and so forth, and can shed some light on the numbers you've posted.

[bincongo]

First, the tests for B12 are known to be inaccurate, and the serum level does not represent intracellular levels. Also, the level which is considered "normal" depends on who you ask. And in Japan, the recognized minimum level is quite a bit higher than in the US. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the production of both serotonin and melatonin, as well as a number of other things, and therefore is a factor in the regulation of sleep/wake cycles. I can tell you that I always had trouble sleeping, but since taking B12, I've had no trouble sleeping, and awaken much more refreshed and can get out of bed far more quickly than I ever could before. I find that I sleep much more deeply as well. Additionally, since there is no known level of overdose for B12, you can safely try a supplement to see how you feel. I'd recommend the 5mg methylcobalamin sublingual tablet from Source Naturals, taken about an hour before bedtime.

I'm not sure what the meaning of elevated B6 might be, but I suspect it may mean something more than just having taken supplements. I suppose you could do some searches on it.

bincongo reply ---- I was taking a suppliment that had both B6 and B12 together. I will try to find the one you suggested but take only B12. I do take Melatonin at night.