Pernicious Anemia

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?

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

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