Is B-12 Deficiency a permanent situation?

by Jo Ellan
(Texas)

About six years ago, blood work showed I had pernicious anemia based on the large platelets, etc. My physician told me this indicated B-12 Deficiency and subsequently sent me to a Neurologist who prescribed regular B-12 injections and Folate. I have not had regular check up on blood work for B-12 deficiency.


Is this deficiency life-time and should I get annual blood work for this?

Thank you very much for a reply. I am a 76 year old female, in good physical condition, but I do have moderate depression and also regular memory problems - but have decided that is just aging.

Jo Ellan
jomentor@oz.net

Comments for Is B-12 Deficiency a permanent situation?

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Normal Aging? I disagree.
by: Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen!

Hi Jo Ellan,

So you have decided that your memory loss is 'normal aging'? Huh? I have met TONS of people way older than you with no memory loss who are sharp as a tack. 'Normal' aging means being able to remember things. Memory loss is NOT normal and you should take it as a clue that something is not right.

So, first of all, you should ask yourself, "WHY do I have B12 deficiency". Unless you are a vegetarian, then there is a problem with your absorption. So WHY are you not absorbing B12 and could this malabsoption have anything to do with your memory loss? Until you answer the question WHY you have B12 deficiency, there is no way to know if it's permanent.

So, I would suggest that you read my page on Vitamin B12 Malabsorption to try to find out if your B12 deficiency is isolated. Or if, as I suspect, it's a problem of malabsorption, which is not going to cause you to not absorb 'only' Vitamin B12. But since doctors only test for vitamin b12 and not any other nutrients in general, then they will find a deficiency of ONLY B12. But do you really think that your body is so selective as to only not absorb one single nutrient? Unlikely. And like I said, as long as you are not a vegetarian, you are getting vitamin b12 in your diet every day, so there is SOMETHING not right here.

Read the pages that I sent you to in order to try to get a better sense of why you might be having these problems and what to do to fix it.



Kerri Knox, RN

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