thejuanupsman

Deficient

So as I've alluded to on occasion I have not been feeling like myself for quite a while now. Tired all of the time, short of breath, headaches, tingling in my hands and feet and just generally hurting a lot. And for a long time nobody seemed to be able to tell me what was going on.

Well I finally got some answers.

The bad news is I may have pernicious anemia. Seems likely given my symptoms and the fact that both my mother and paternal grandfather had it. I'm a little surprised that no one looked at it more seriously before now. It just seems like the logical answer. But every time I mentioned it to a doctor they dismissed it as being very unlikely. Finally I found someone who listened. They won't know for sure until we try a few things. I'm just glad it is no longer considered a fatal condition. And that they no longer treat it by having you eat large quantities of raw beef liver. At the very least I have a serious b12 deficiency and an even more serious vitamin d deficiency. So low that they couldn't accurately measure it. Apparently I don't absorb the b12 from food and I don't make vitamin d in adequate amounts.

The good news is that it can be treated. And the treatment is relatively simple and usually successful. So I started on B12 shots and a huge dose of vitamin d today. Theoretically those should take care of the problems.

I'm actually pretty hopeful because now I have an explanation for my symptoms. Even nicer to know that I can expect them to improve and, in some cases, maybe even disappear.

Here I thought I was just getting old.

Mood: Tired but hopeful

Music: The Ramones - In the Park