Questions and Answers
I have been diagnosed as having Pernicious Anemia. I would like to know
your opinion as to cause, treatment and diet. I read that taking folic
acid may not be helpful to the B12 deficiency.
Besides getting B12
injections every 30 days, is there anything else I can undertake or
avoid to improve this type of anemia condition?
Hi Dennis ... sorry to hear of your problem.
Pernicious Anemia is caused by your body's inability to absorb the vitamin B12 present in your diet (due to the lack of production of a so-called 'intrinsic factor' secreted in your gut). The resulting deficiency shows up as an anaemia and as a neurological deficit.
Treatment is simply what you are getting, a monthly injection of the vitamin, after initial stabilization. This reverses the anaemia and corrects (somewhat more slowly) the neural defect. No change is needed in your diet as long as you are eating and drinking a normal, healthy diet.
Folic acid is ABSOLUTELY CONTRAINDICATED. With vitamin B12 treatment it is not needed; without B!2, it will improve the anaemia but has no effect on the neurological condition with potentially disastrous consequences.
If your treatment has (most likely) brought your health back to
normal, no further measures need be taken.
Best wishes.