Unable to produce red blood cells

Hello Friends,
I was recently hospitalized about two weeks ago. Turns out I was anemic and had to have a blood transfusion. I have a pacemaker, and this was my fifth transfusion. It turns out this time that my intestines have lost the ability to absorb vitamin B12, thus I lose the ability for my red blood cells to deliver enough oxygen to my body. My symptoms include lithargy and shortness of breath to the point where I almost pass out. Does this happen to anyone else?

2 Comments

right there with ya

by sam78 - 2011-03-12 04:03:25

sucks doesnt it! For the longest time I thought something was up with my pacemaker but they finally discovered the anemia. My blood tests were completely puzzling to my hematologist (blood doctor). I had completely normal iron, B12, and folate levels when they drew my blood. But they did a bone marrow aspiration and found out that I didnt have a single drop of iron in my bone marrow so my body is unable to make new red blood cells. Apparently I able to absorb enough iron to keep iron in my blood but not in the marrow. Wierd! I was transfused sept and october. And then with the new discovery of no iron they did an iron infusion and I have made it til now but am about to get transfused again. The most recent blood work shows that my B12 had dropped as well. I did an intense schedule of B-12 injections. I did 7 days of daily injections, then once a week for 4 weeks, and now once a month. The past couple of months I have felt like a new person until my counts started dropping again. Hang in there, it will get better!

Me too

by ElectricFrank - 2011-03-13 12:03:22

This is a real problem especially for us old timers. I discovered the problem a few years ago. My GP kept putting it off as voodoo medicine. I was having problems with numb tingly feet, sore knees, and a bunch of other things. I saw a neurosurgeon about the numb feet thinking my old lower back disk problem was coming back. He diagnosed it as neuropathy, but couldn't suggest anything for it. Some research on the web turned up the B12 issue so I ordered some B12 patches. The results were very promising. They were kind of expensive so I located some injectable B12 and started giving myself injections. Most of the symptoms are totally gone.

There are a lot of references on the web. You can try http://www.cdc.gov/Features/VitaminB12/ for a reliable source or do a google search on B12 deficiency.

You may have to look for a doctor willing to treat it agressively. A B12 blood test can show you are OK and yet still have symptoms. Some of the British medical reseach seems to be ahead of the US. The important thing to realize is that it is almost impossible to overdose on B12 so a trial course of it is the best way to evaluate your situation.

The important thing is to get on it quickly. Some of the nerve damage from B12 associated anemia can become irreversible.

frank

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