Methylation problems

I have been working with a functional chiropractic doctor for my heterozygous A1298c and c677t mutations. I have not studied it and was following on blind faith. For the past 2 months he is working on the cbs/bhmt pathway but My anxiety level went through the roof so I have discontinued the supplement I was also taking B6 daily, Methyl Assist (B12) twice a week and hydroxycobalamin twice a week. I read on Dr Yasko's site that cbs is one of the first priority mutatation and should be worked on first before adding in B12 and folate. She wrote that if the cbs mutation is expressed you would have trouble tolerating even tiny amounts of methyl B12 and methylfolate and experience stress and anxiety symptoms.

My questions are: do you start off slow?; what bloodwork is checked during this process?; do you experience herx-like symptoms and how long did it take to see the benefits? My llmd won't really treat me until
i get my pathways open. I feel stagnated in my treatment and know these infections are really taking hold of me again. I am terrified!

I know there are only a couple of people on this site that has a grasp
on methylation and I hope they see this post.

Patty

Thank you, Traveler. I didn't have a problem with the B's. I just might nix this doctor. I have calls into him for over a week with no replies. I feel totally alone in this process and my symptoms are escalating. I want to start Buhner's protocol but frozen with fear. What's up with that??? I was always a person who took the bull by the horns.

Thank you so much for always being there for us. You are a blessing.

Patty

My Methyl assist contains vit B6 (10 mg), vit B12 (methylcobalamin/hydroxycobalamin 3000 mcg). I also take one lozenger vit B12 ( hydroxocobalamin 1200 mcg). Both are taken on separate day 2 times a week. Also B6 60 mg daily.

Covering my bases.....lol.

I agree, Krimpet. He treated me knowing i had this problem even though it has been a rocky road. Antibiotics caused a lot of gut issues hence wanting to start Buhner's. I am taking doxy 100 mg twice daily but that does diddlysquat!

Here's my 2 cents on dealing with Methylation issues.

1. Just because you have a gene polymorphism, doesn't mean it's expressing itself. For example, I have severe methylation issues including an Vit B-12 deficiency, but my brother and parents don't have any problems whatsoever. Of course, they don't have Lyme Disease and Co. either...(I am homozygous MTHFR AND MTRR which means I got one from each parent). Therefore, treatment is "theoretical". You may have other mutations that may or may not be expressing themselves also.

I had one functional medicine doctor give me Methyl-B 12 shots that put me into full blown chronic Fatigue. I had another give me some methyl-12, B-6 cream and a prescription for folinic acid and that created the anxiety that you are talking about, plus parkenson-like symptoms. These are symptoms describing OVER methylation.

Neither of these doctors knew I had Lyme disease and as I learned from Georgia Hunter, when you have pathogens, you body stops methylation so you won't be overloaded with toxins. When you are loaded with toxins from Lyme disease, when you start taking methylation supplements, it's like running a marathon without training. Your body can't handle it.

I started messing around on my own and discovered Co-factors such as TMG and MSM make a world of difference (again, not saying they would work for anyone else). These are supporting players in the methylation cycle. I tried upping my glutathione but I get muscle cramps. Low and behold, research says that taking glutathione can use up all your potassium and B-12. Well, that's not good for me. Others are fine with it.

My current functional medicine doctor said that I have a very sensitive system and tiny doses of methylated vitamins will help without creating any problems. So far so good. For the last 3 months, I am currently on .3 mm shot per week of Methyl B-12, B-6 and Folinic acid that seems to keep me detoxing without major symptoms. Also, you need to be on some sort of binder to get the toxins out!

So, I would say that its really a complicated thing and the doctors are only guessing, I mean, they are trying to help but it will take awhile to figure out what are the doses that you will need specifically for your body.

I found MTHFR.net and Phoenixrising.me to be most helpful. It took me over a year of experimenting, so don't give up. Just keep a diary of supplements and side-effects. You'll start to see what works and what doesn't.

Good luck!

The "world renowned" methylation doctor (happens to live in town) did my work up but we didn't know I had Lyme, and he ended up giving me a long term steroid that started my spiral downward. So I hate him and I don't do anything he said to do. hahaha.

I have both MTHFR, and but even worse, I have (5) MTRR and MTR. I don't recycle B-12 and I also deplete too quickly the enzymes that convert homocysteine into methionine. I have the CBS mutation, and (2) BHMT and a bunch of others.

I did my own research as well as talked to my father (who later in his practice became a functional medicine doctor) and he told me about Co-factors. Co-factors in methylation boost your system. Once I added them, I could see that they were helping. I only take small doses of everything. Too much methylation can be bad for you!

I take:

Methyl-b 12, B-6 and Folinic acid shots - compounded formula.

Extra mega Multi-B (jarrow).

Homocysteine Factors by Pure Encapsulations - it has TMG in it. Betaine (also known as TMG) is an ‘osmolyte’, a molecule that regulates water balance in cells. Betaine can directly methylate homocysteine, which is cardioprotective. It also indirectly affects folate and SAMe metabolism to support whole body methylation.

MSM by Pure Encapsulations - MSM can be thought of as a body "lubricant". Sulfur enhances the structural integrity of connective tissue and joint cartilage for those suffering from joint pain and relieves muscular pain. Flexible, permeable cells are also important in that they allow toxins, allergens and foreign substances to be flushed out of the body more easily. When skin cells are soft and permeable, many toxins can be eliminated through the sweat glands, which takes some of the load off the liver and kidneys.

Choline from Standard Process. Huge for neurotransmitter production!!! You might try it for your anxiety. Its all natural..

Zinc! - It's in a product called Neuroplex from Standard Process that I take.

Last thing: The most important part of healing is getting your stress response under control. Your body can't heal if you are thinking anxious thoughts. Please get the book "The inner Matrix" and start meditation. It is a short book! Read it!!! It has changed my life. I'm lucky that the author comes to my city and lectures. If you can get to Austin or Denver to take one of his weekend seminars, you will be a different person when you leave. He really has it figured out. Google The Inner Matrix.com. Good luck sweetie.

Trav - hahahaha.