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Diabetes - Adult Type II (Expert Forum)
Pernicious Anemia
Answered by
Anita Ramsetty, MD - GeneralEndocrinology, Diabetes Type 1, Diabetes Type 2, Thyroid Disorders, AdrenalInsufficiency, CF-Related Diabetes
Endocrine Care Group
Questions in the Adult Type II Diabetes forum are answered by Dr. Anita Ramsetty. Topics covered include Type 2 Diabetes, blood glucose monitoring, diabetes and heart disease, diabetes and pneumonia, diabetes and pregnancy,
diabetes and vision problems, diabetes and wound healing, diabetic complications, hyperglycemia, hypoglycemia, and insulin.
Pernicious Anemia
by whoa08, Dec 09, 2008 07:12AM
Hi,
Not a diabetes question, but this seems the best forum to ask this. I'm a 22 yr old female. About a year ago, I was found to have low B12 levels after a reoccurring case of Mono. B12 stayed low after treatment and would not stay at normal levels without injections. I have had two tests for celiac disease with negative results, and also various other autoimmune disorders ruled out.
Everything I have seen or read about pernicious anemia states that it usually occurs in those over 30 (with average onset around 60), and that it seems very rare to occur in someone my age. Does that mean I am at a risk for developing other autoimmune syndromes?
I have a phobia of the shots after a bad experience when I first began to give them to myself (fainting). Now I am getting increasingly reluctant to even have someone else administer them and am waiting more and more between the shots. I feel like **** and can tell when it has been too long (over a month), but I still do not want to have the injections. Is it dangerous to do this?
Not a diabetes question, but this seems the best forum to ask this. I'm a 22 yr old female. About a year ago, I was found to have low B12 levels after a reoccurring case of Mono. B12 stayed low after treatment and would not stay at normal levels without injections. I have had two tests for celiac disease with negative results, and also various other autoimmune disorders ruled out.
Everything I have seen or read about pernicious anemia states that it usually occurs in those over 30 (with average onset around 60), and that it seems very rare to occur in someone my age. Does that mean I am at a risk for developing other autoimmune syndromes?
I have a phobia of the shots after a bad experience when I first began to give them to myself (fainting). Now I am getting increasingly reluctant to even have someone else administer them and am waiting more and more between the shots. I feel like **** and can tell when it has been too long (over a month), but I still do not want to have the injections. Is it dangerous to do this?
Doctor's Answer
by Anita Ramsetty, MD, Dec 12, 2008 01:55PM
, Dec 12, 2008 01:55PM
Hi,
Having an untreated anemia can indeed become dangerous Your body needs a certain amount of blood cell mass to function normally, and without it you become symptomatic(lightheadedness, fatigue, pale, short of breath) and your heart has to work harder to get the same amount of work done. Unfortunately with this type of anemia, there is no oral medication that works, only shots are effective at this time. Perhaps speak with your doctor about finding some ways to cope with the stress of having to take the injections, and this will start you in the right direction.
Take care
Having an untreated anemia can indeed become dangerous Your body needs a certain amount of blood cell mass to function normally, and without it you become symptomatic(lightheadedness, fatigue, pale, short of breath) and your heart has to work harder to get the same amount of work done. Unfortunately with this type of anemia, there is no oral medication that works, only shots are effective at this time. Perhaps speak with your doctor about finding some ways to cope with the stress of having to take the injections, and this will start you in the right direction.
Take care
