Beriberi Info

Symptoms:

Early Neurological Symptoms:

•          Complaints of symmetric tingling or burning pain in the extremities

•          Numbness in the extremities

•          Vomiting

•          Strange eye movements (nystagmus)

Later Neurologic Symptoms (Wernicke's encephalopathy):

•          Mental confusion/speech difficulties

•          Difficulty walking (ataxia)

•          Coma

•          Death

If a patient with Wernicke's encephalopathy receives thiamine replacement, language problems, unusual eye movements, and walking difficulties may subside, but may be replaced by Korsakoff's syndrome, which includes retrograde amnesia (memory loss), impaired ability to learn, and confabulation (making up stories to explain behavior that have little relation to reality).

Heart Failure Symptoms:

•          Shortness of breath with exertion (dyspnea)

•          Symmetric swelling of the lower legs

•          Awakening at night short of breath (paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea).