I've gotten a lot of questions about this because I have shared my experience of vitamin B12 deficiency, as well as my doctor-assisted recovery, with many already. I am hoping that anybody joining this group, who is experiencing the symptoms of B12 deficiency, will find this post helpful.

NOTE: The information is a retelling of what my doctor explained to me. If you don't think it sounds accurate, you are welcome to your own research.

****Key takeaways**** from the below explanation: if you have used nitrous oxide (N2O) and then had lasting physical or mental symptoms, you may have vitamin B12 deficiency. If you go to your doctor, blood tests may not actually be testing for vitamin B12. A more thorough blood test may be required to confirm, and a B12 shot regiment may be needed in order to recover.

To the best of my knowledge, vitamin B12 deficiency is the only side effect nitrous users need to be concerned about, if not the only long lasting side effect. As someone who's done so much nitrous oxide that it could outweigh The Titanic, but who has also full recovered, I wanted to share my experience with the hopes that it will help the rest of you to stay safe.

Vitamin B12 is important as fuck. It regulates the central nervous system, which has far reaching and potentially permanent effects, if left untreated.

****SYMPTOMS of B12 deficiency****

You may experience some or all of these : The sensation of pins and needles, especially in your hands and feet; numbness in hands and/or feet; severe depression; fatigue; dysgeusia (experiencing taste incorrectly, especially a metallic taste); inability to fully control hands and/or feet.

Keep in mind that the above symptoms were only what I personally experienced. Based on what I have read, there are even more potential symptoms.

AMOUNT: For those who are wondering how much I did, this information is not actually relevant, but several hundred chargers a day for several months. No matter how many I did, that will not prepare you to avoid a B12 deficiency, as the your body will be different than mine. Some people become deficient after not doing many chargers at all, whereas some people do an unbelievable amount of nitrous without becoming deficient. You also are unlikely to keep track of how many you've done over time, and if you knew that I did, say 10,000 chargers, you're not going to decide on only doing 9,000. Other factors, such as diet, liver function, metabolism, and other health related issues can all be variables that make this information completely irrelevant, but the answer, for your amusement, is thousands of 8g chargers.

****BLOOD TEST****

I had researched the effects of nitrous oxide prior to visiting my doctor, and I was certain that vitamin B12 deficiency was the cause of my problems, because I had been doing a lot of nitrous oxide. The first test made it seem as though my B12 levels were fine. This is because the body also produces methionine synthase, an enzyme which helps metabolize your B12. This enzyme is still produced, even when the body is B12 deficient, and many blood tests actually test for the enzyme, rather than B12, which can make it appear that B12 levels are normal. I urged my doctor to try something else, and she explained that a more thorough blood panel could be done in order to actually test for B12. When she ordered this deep dive, she discovered that I had almost no B12 left in my system, despite the initial test suggesting that I had plenty.

****THE EXPLANATION****

Again, I am not a medical professional, but what my doctor told me was that, once B12 levels are depleted, the body can sometimes "forget" how to properly metabolize new B12, so even if you are taking supplements, they may still not be effective at restoring your nervous system functions.

****TREATMENT****

As long as your B12 deficiency wasn't too severe, nor too lengthy, chances are that you can make a full recovery. But keep in mind that it's no guarantee. My doctor had me start a B12 regiment. 2 days out of the week, which were Tuesday and Thursday for me, she injected B12 shots into my upper arm in order to bypass the digestive system and go directly into my blood. I do not know if there are different types of B12 that doctors can inject, or what the dosage was.

About 6 hours later that same day, suddenly I felt super charged, as if suddenly I was surrounded by a glowing aura, and that my hair had also basically become golden and my eyes turned green. It was that powerful of a feeling, that I felt like I could destroy any intergalactic monster who came to earth to cause harm.

On every day of the week, including weekends, but excluding Tuesdays and Wednesdays when I got those shots, my doctor wanted me taking methylcobalamin (sometimes called methyl B12) OR cyanocobalamin (if you are vegan, go for this option). These have the most bioavailability of any type of B12 supplement, and therefore your body will absorb more B12 from it than from other B12 supplements, such as vitamin B complex. In theory, the body can absorb 5000 mcg of B12 in a day, so anything more than 5000mcg is potentially a waste.

B12 is also found in foods, such as red meats and fish, or in many energy drinks, as an example.

This regiment took 3 or 4 weeks. I believe it was 4. Remember that the supplements you take may not do much until your B12 system is jump started with the B12 shot. Also remember that you probably will need more than 1 shot. If your doctor only does 1 blood test, ask if there is a more thorough test. If you have other doctors in the area, get a second opinion if your symptoms are affecting your life.

That's all I can think of for now. Comment on this post if you have unanswered questions.