What is Low B12 and What can I Do About it? Posted: 01-25-06 16:45pm
Had a TIA with numbness on left side
lasting about 3 hours. Now on blood
pressure medicine and was told today that
B12 level is very low and to get my blood
drawn tomorrow. What is low B12 and what
do I do about it?
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DoctorAnswer
Doctor Answer
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Stroke Answer A279 Posted: 02-06-06 15:50pm
Low B12 means that either you don’t
intake the vitamin in enough dosage with
food or it is not absorbed well by the
intestines. Lack of the vitamin B12 can
cause megaloblastic anemia; that’s why
your doctors asked you for a blood test.
If megaloblastic anemia is caused by
chronic stomach inflammation (lack of
intrinsic factors withstanding), it is
called "pernicious anemia". If the blood
analyses find anemia, you will be asked to
intake B12 parenterally (by injection).
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