Role of high dose B-12 in curing hypoglycaemic drug-induced neuropathy

Abstract

Dear Editor,
This is in response to the article titled “Study of vitamin B12 deficiency and peripheral neuropathy in metformin-treated early type 2 diabetes mellitus” by Roy et al.1
I must congratulate the authors for this research as this information helped me save the agony and trauma of my mother (82 years old) suffering from severe diabetes mellitus. Earlier, she started having an uncontrolled rise in blood sugar levels (HbA1C = 9.6), with sugar in urine on routine examination. Thereafter, doctors advised her to be put on a high dose of hypoglycaemic drugs i.e., tablets of sitagliptin phosphate 50 mg with metformin hydrochloride 1000 mg twice a day. After a few days, she started having numbness in her limbs and was given routine B-complex capsules with vitamin D. After about two years of use of these hypoglycaemic drugs twice a day, she had controlled blood sugar (average 6.0) and BP, however, she kept on complaining of severe numbness and a cold sensation all over the body. Slowly, she developed severe paresthesia and swelling all over the body and one-day paresis of the facial muscles, left side more than the right side (Figures 1-4). I, being a senior doctor having more than 30 years of experience, examined her for progressive neurological symptoms that included numbness of both arms, legs and face that subsequently turned into paresis of the face. All other tests for the liver and kidneys were normal. Blood investigations were being done every 3 months for the liver, kidneys, and electrolytes, including for the thyroid, and were normal. The echocardiogram (ECG) showed old infarcts and had no correlation with progressive paresthesia.

How to cite this article:
Bharti OK, Sharma K. Role of High Dose B12 in Curing Hypoglycaemic Drug-induced Neuropathy. J Adv Res Med. 2023;10(1):9-11.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2349.7181.202303