Pernicious Anemia

[naomi24]

Someone I know has just been diagnosed with Pernicious Anaemia. She has been told she must have three vitamin B12 injections, but does anyone know from personal experience how the condition might affect her? Is it debilitating, can it be cured, and what measures can she take towards improvement? Any information will be gratefully received. Thank you.

[Sqad]

In a nutshell:

Before treatment....apathy, tiredness, short of breath and weakness.
After treatment...with lifetime injections of B12 she will be symptom free.
No it cannot be "cured" but it can be controlled.

[Cloverjo]

My granny had it, and I don't remember her suffering an awful lot through it. She just had to take her tablets.

[Sqad]

between the firs and second world wars, the treatment of pernicious anaemia was the eating of 1 lb of raw liver daily.........that is for those who could afford it and more to the point, those that could tolerate it.
Things have changed.....now one injection a week or tablets. nasal spray of B12 for less severe cases.

[slaney]

With Pernicious Anaemia you lose the ability to absorb B12 from your diet hence the need for long term B12 injections. It is common for people with PA to feel better very quickly after the first injection, which always made it one of the more satisfying diseases to treat.

Extra information from the NHS website
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Anaemia-vitamin-B12-and-folate-deficiency/Pages/Introduction.aspx

[anneasquith]

I believe injections are given every three months. Unaware of oral medication.

[Kathyan]

I have a B12 injection every three months. I have been having them for 16 years. I usually feel tired about a couple of weeks before I'm due for an injection but more so during the winter. Other than that I'm fine and it doesn't interfere with my life.

[ethandron]

The three injections are probably the loading dose and are done fairly close together, that's how mine were done. I then went on to one injection every three months which is what I continue to have. There are slightly different regimes though, depending on various factors.
I have B12 deficiency caused by an underlying medical condition rather than pernicious anaemia as such but the symptoms are the same, and the B12 jabs do the trick. Your friend will be fine and feel a lot better.

[naomi24]

Thanks very much everyone. Much appreciated.