Pernicious Anemia and Vitamin B12 Posted: 04-20-08 11:00am
I was initialy diagnosed with pernicious
anemia 16 years ago when my Hemoglobin
dropped down to 3.5. I am currently
receiving B12 shots for my anemia and have
been for one year however I was started on
the shots when the Trinsicon pills I was
getting stopped working dropping my B12
level from it's normal 900 to 156. My
hempglobin is fine. I am tired I ache all
over, I get short of breath climbing
stairs, I get chest pains and my digestion
is not great. Dispite the monthly shots my
B12 is only 260 after one year of monthly
shots. My current doctor told me to add
1000 mcg of B12 daily which I have but my
levels are still low. What could be
causing this? Should I see a specialist
and if so what kind of doctor would that
be? I had my galbladder removed two years
ago. could that have caused any change in
the absorbtion of the Trinsicon? shouldn't
the injections be working since they
bypass the digestion system?
Pernicious anemia is a type of
megaloblastic anemia. Pernicious anemia is
caused by disturbed absorption of Vitamin
B12. Absorption of the Vitamin B12 is
disturbed because the so called
“intrinsic factor”, which is produced
in the stomach, is missing. The Intrinsic
factor becomes missing in cases of chronic
atrophic gastritis. Was chronic gastritis
proven in your case? Other reasons for
deficit of Vitamin B12 could be: diet with
less Vitamin B12, presence of intestinal
parasites, intestinal disorders and
genetic defects of Vitamin B12 transport
and cell intake.
Every laboratory has its own referent
values for Vitamin B12 level in the serum
so I can’t judge about your values
because you didn’t tell me the referent
values for Vitamin B12 in the serum. For
evaluating the anemia condition 2
parameters are very important: hemoglobin
level and MCV (erythrocyte volume). You
told me that the hemoglobin was fine but
nothing about MCV. As long as the
hemoglobin level and MCV are OK there is
nothing to be worry about.
Gallbladder removal should not disturb the
Vitamin B12 absorption.
Injections with Vitamin B12 should work.
You may want to consult a hematologist and
gastroenterologist about your condition.
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