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This article is not only wrong, but misleading

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Guest

Some patients seem to develop a psychological dependence upon the injection and demand that they need it more often. There is no haematological basis for this. In the past there has been a tendency to give hydroxocobalamin injections to people with little or no objective evidence of vitamin B12 deficiency but possibly with psychological problems. They seem to be especially susceptible to a \"need\" to continue the injections.3,4 A little pink injection appears to have great placebo power.

Who ever wrote this article, especially this 'little gem' of a paragraph needs to do some more reasearch!

Many people who have Megaloblastic Anaemia/Pernicious Anaemia, need more than the 3 monthly injections. The B12 blood serum level bares little importance as to what is going on at tissue level and this has been proved. Further more, if you have neurological damage, which most of us do, the guide lines are for injections every other day until no further improvement, then 2 monthly thereafter.

The insinuation, by the author of this piece, that Pernicious Anaemia/ Megaloblastic Anaemic sufferers are imagining the need for more frequent injections is very wrong.

For more accurate information on treating these Anaemias, please go to the Pernicious Anaemia Society web site. The PAS work very closely with Doctors and scientists in order to gain the correct treatment for this nasty, but overlooked condition.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • hilary
    hilary

    Posted

    This article is currently being reauthored and all recent feedback has been noted.

    Please point us to any references to randomised controlled research which clarifies/demonstrates that more frequent injections are required by some individuals.

    Patient Admin Team

  • Gerb
    Gerb

    Posted

    I have had PA for 3 years now. The practice nurse who does my injections and with whom I get on well, has agreed I need my injections more often than every 12 weeks. She says that B12 can be given between 8 and 12 weeks, depending on the patient's needs. However, my doctor says I must go back to 12weeks because

    too much B12 is bad and can a lot of side effects. She puts my hot feet and tingly toes down to too much

    B12. Has anyone else had this problem?

  • MadgeC
    MadgeC

    Posted

    One of the problems often encountered in this area is that most doctors have only been taught about clinical vitamin B12 deficiency, which is most often diagnose by both low levels of serum vitamin B12 (of unknown identity - CN, OH, ME of AdCbl) and through examination of Red cells. The problem with this is that the anemica is overcome relatively quickly, but sub-clinical vitamin B12 deficiency can still persist. In the best case scenario this may present itself as depression and lack of energy. In the worst case scenario sub-clinical deficiency can cause all the other signs of deficiency and lead to dementia, Alzheimer's disease, neurological symptoms, and cardiovascular disease through elevated homocysteine in the blood. There is also some evidence that is may cause MS. People who are being treated for PA fluctuate between "acceptable" (as judged by a pathology lab) and clinically deficient levels of vitamin B12. During these periods of fluctuation the PA patient may be developing much worse sub-clinical deficiency. Whilst the majority of doctors know of the association of low VB12 levels with anemia, the majority are totally ignorant of the consequences of sub-clinical deficiency.
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