Please Help: weird neurological symptoms while vegan

Naomi86

I dont know what to do anymore, Ive been a vegetarian for 3 yrs and vegan for 1.5. Started getting severe migraines with aura, after that heart palpatations, could not sleep because my heart was beating like crazy. After that I would wake to a numb leg. Had tingeling and burning sensations in my limbs. Went to the doc, the ER, back to the doc, bloodwork came up fine except a little low in vit D. They checked my heart, everything is fine. Basically they can't find anything wrong and they are treating me like im crazy. Meanwhile I feel like my body is shutting down to the point where I am constantly feeling sick, dizzy, lightheaded, having heart palpatations, chest pain, pain in my throat, lethargic, not being able to function, a couple of days ago a new symptom appeared: not being able to yawn. I feel a yawn coming up, I open my mouth and poof the yawn is gone. This happens like 50 times a day. Sometimes I feel ok during the day but in the evening the nightmare begins. I take B12, I take vit D, eat lots of fruit and veg, Nuts and seeds, soya, chia, flaxseed nutmilk, dont use any oil though. My elektrolytes were good, bloodwork good. B12 good. I have a MRI coming up... But doubt they will find anything. I dont know what to do anymore, please Help!!!!!!!

maxb

(Not a physician)

Check out iron deficiency (possibly similar symptoms, and vegans are likely to develop it).

Best

Naomi86

Thanx, I will!

maxb

Reposting from another thread:

Quote:

Vegetarians have a high prevalence of depleted iron stores. A higher proportion of vegetarians, compared to nonvegetarians, had iron deficiency anemia. This is especially true for premenopausal vegetarian women.

Susan_RD_101

@Naomi86

I'm sorry to hear you've been having such a difficult time. From what you described, it does sound as though something neurological is occurring which may, or may not, be influenced by diet. If you haven't already, I would push for a referral to a neurologist for further investigation.

In the meantime, I would also add a high-quality multivitamin (I like DEVA - https://www.amazon.com/Deva-Vegan-Multivitamin-Mineral-Supplement/dp/B00146BLM0) as well as a DHA supplement at 500-1000 mg per day. While you don't need to include oil in your diet, I would be sure to include sufficient sources of fat.

Finally, you may want to ensure you aren't taking any chlorella/spirulina as this can have B12 analogs and make it appear that your B12 is higher than it is. If you haven't had homocysteine or methylmalonic acid tested, you could ask for this (these should be low if you have good intakes of vitamin B12). Alternatively, you could switch to a B12 injection to see if that improves your symptoms.

Best of luck!

Claudi

A low fat plantbased Wholefood diet help you. Look at the plantbased Doctors, like Dr. Michsel Greger. He show you how you csn lost you pan. He have one app 12dozend. Sorry my english is not the best, are from Europa...on youtube...u can find him

jefmcg

If someone is experiencing possibly serious symptoms after changing to a more restrictive diet, I do not think it is responsible to suggest restricting her diet even further.

I'd personally suggest she tries reintroducing some of the animal products she has given up. If her symptoms do not disappear, then the vegan diet is probably a red herring, and it's not diet related at all.

Yes, I realise eating animal products may not be an option for you.

I am not a doctor either.