Anemia & Other Deficiencies

[deficient]

I've been seeing a neurologist for years for migraine, and am on several meds like topamax, wellbutrin, provigil (fatigue to the point where I can't keep my eyes open while driving), and rescue meds. Along with migraine is persistent, ridiculous, and inexplicable tinnitus which we gave up trying to resolve. I recently had periodic blood work done and came back with low vitamin D (<15), low B12 (low 200s), low hemoglobin (<11.5)-none which seemed earth-shattering to me. Neurologist referred me back to my family phys, who noticed weight loss (bmi around 16.5)--said not to lose anymore, and ordered additional lab (fotb test) after I assured him all my hemoglobin was present and accounted for and was not escaping to the best of my knowledge :) Am waiting on that before my visit with the doc, but wondering if fotb is neg, what in the world the problem would be. Tired of there being so many issues--literally and figuratively...

[deficient]

thanks for the info.
I have been to the ENT, have been throgh the all auditory and ear testing, and I have MRIs every year just to be on the safe side, as apparently I have some cyst in my brain that is causing me no harm at the present (and then had another one just for the auditory part). ENT says nothing known is causing the tinnitus--we gave up attempting to discover the source and cure. ENT said I would have to live with this.
So you think 'out with the weight, out with the hemoglobin'? Groovy. I can't multivitamin, but it's nice to know where the deviant little hemoglobes escaped to. I never knew they could be so naughty or I would have been more watchful.

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi
Thanks for writing to the forum!
I think you have two major problems. Headache and tinnitus. You can look into the possibility of
• otosclerosis, a condition in which the small bones of the middle ear become stiff and immobile
• Ménière's disease, which results from an increased pressure in the inner ear and also causes deafness and vertigo
• ear infections and inflammation
• hard wax blocking your ear
• middle-ear infection (the type that's often known as "glue ear" in children)
• acoustic neuroma, a benign (non-cancerous) tumour of the auditory nerve
• high doses of medicines including aspirin, quinine and some antibiotics, water tablets (diuretics) and chemotherapy drugs
• problems with the joint between your jaws (this is called the temporomandibular joint), which can also lead to pain in the head or face

You would need to see an ENT specialist. Your doctor will take into account all of your symptoms and may perform blood tests and various tests of your hearing, balance and co-ordination.
If the doctor feels that he or she needs to investigate the inner parts of the ear in more detail, you may need to have a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
The weight loss could have resulted in slightly lower levels of hemoglobin and vitamins. Maybe you can take multivitamin tablets and iron tablets and a balanced diet.

It is difficult to comment beyond this at this stage.  Please let me know if there is any thing else and do keep me posted. Take care!

[Renay09]

Hi there,
     What you are experiencing sounds so familiar to me.  I have seen almost every specialist there is and have not had a lot of luck either.  Have you seen a gastrologist?  If you are deficient in several things as your labs indicate then I think there must be some cause to the malabsorption.  I actually stopped taking all of my meds other than the nexium for several weeks.  I haven't noticed any changes in the headaches or fatigue but I have noticed that the tremors that used to plague me relentlessly seem to have abated for atleast the time being.  I did go back on my anti-depressant because I'm just simply EVIL from irritability with nothing in my system.  I am fatigued so quickly that daily grooming sends me for an expidited nap.  I do hope that you find your answer to the source and encourage you to continue to monitor with labs all of your levels. Unfortunately nutrients are not something that the body can live without so you must find a way to get them in so that your body can function appropriately. Have you evaluated your diet for possible allergies?  Perhaps the GI specialist could advise you on this also.  I wish you the best of health!!
Renay