[crytears]

Hi...hope this reaches some in time!
Right now...here on Pacific time 4PM on Discovery Health Channel is Mystery Diagnosis....story called "Bizzarre Visions"
A woman had 10 year health saga...exactly like mine.
They diagnosed her with B12 deficiency while testing within normal range!
I'm recording it.
I'll put a link to programs web site.
Gotta go now....is on Dish Net Work Disc Health Chn...on again after midnite tonight...but not to worry...I'm recording it on my special DVR recorder, is from Dish Network so I can record their programs....hey...always a way to take your $....grrr!
later, cheryl
__________________

[dahlek]

Where are you? Right up your alley?

As they say any publicity is just that PUBLICITY!
The Discovery channel is getting us right and left? IF ONLY more folks could be aware and especially DOCs? - j

[crytears]

Hi...I was able to record it with my handy DVR recorder (oh thanks to Santa!)
Also got it downloaded it onto a DVD! yeah!
For sure others who missed the program wii need to see this,
so can send this out to anyone who wants it!
Must PM me so I know you're wanting it.

I'm sure Rose and Mrs D will be really interested in this program, no doubts!
I haven't seen anyone respond to my posting about this story about B12 def, am wondering if they're off having fun!!!
But...I'm soooo glad I got it on DVD!,...now to get this to others and their doctors to see...we're not crazy! We're just a little deficient!
Hogs and keesis! Cheryl
group hug for my fellow sufferers!
OK! Whose the wisebutt who pinched me on my hiney?!?!

[rose]

I wish they had taken some real time to avoid repeating some of the common errors and making some "new" ones. But I am very happy to see any good attention to this issue.

Thank goodness they made the point that people can be damaged without being anemic. And, miracle of miracles, they didn't confuse "pernicious anemia" with an actual anemia. They did say that it was lack of intrinsic factor.

And what a dream doctor. Most would think the result of 200 was just fine, not to mention alarming. Most wouldn't be alarmed unless the result was under 100, some dinasaurs even 50. I know, I've met one.

Unfortunately, they repeated the old line about some people not becoming anemic early in their B12 deficiency. 12 years for that woman, and years for me while months from death. Early????!!!!! Others too. Old ways of saying things continue like old political sound bytes.

Although iron deficiency anemia often occurs along with B12 deficiency, the anemia that occurs in many due to B12 deficiency is not iron deficiency anemia as was said in the program. Megaloblastic or macrocytic anemia is the anemia B12 deficiency can cause.

They even confused stomach surgery with intestinal surgery. Removing a large portion of the distal ileum will cause malabsorption, as will removal of part of the stomach or bypassing it. But malabsorption acquired due to nothing anyone has done or undergone is far more common.

Contrary to what they said, intrinsic factor is not necessary for absorption of B12 into the blood. Intrinsic factor is necessary for absorption unless a very large oral dose is taken at once. This results in some absorption by default. This was discovered about 40 years ago, but it still isn't known by most doctors, probably because so many editors have not updated their B12 information for that long and longer.

Also, it is important to remember that although she had digestive symptoms, many who are severely deficient do not. And again I stress that symptoms vary tremendously and there are far too many possibilities to list.

Anyway, the program will do a lot of good. And fortunately for the woman featured, she hadn't been severely malabsorbing all that time or she would have been dead years ago.

rose

[jccgf]

Rose, I thought you might enjoy hearing this.

My DIL is a first year medical student at Mayo and she emailed "Just had our first neuro exam class...The doc said that in cases of peripheral neuropathy they always check B12 first because it's "easy to test and fix."

Sounds promising. I asked her many other questions, as you might imagine. Did they mention methylmalonic acid or homocysteine? Oral vs. shots? Low normal values? etc, etc, etc.

She knows I've had a rough ride x3 family members, but she is being pretty understanding and going out of her way to try to personally right some of the wrongs. I told her I DON'T hold her responsible for other doctor's shortcomings. She's even found a doc who has celiac disease and plans to shadow, and of course, I had many other questions for her there, too , like I wonder how the doctor feels about gluten sensitivity w/o celiac disease. She is working hard to be really open to everything I say, and one day I'll have to let her know that I really appreciate that. I think she was slightly aghast that anyone would have a negative view of 'some' medical professionals. She grew up as a doctor's child. Course, so did my husband, and he got over it...lol. I'm being silly now!

BTW... have you seen that Nature Made is now marketing vitamins to specific medications that are known to deplete nutrients... such as Metformin and B vitamins?
http://www.walgreens.com/store/produ...id=prod3475068

Scan down and read the description. I'm not sure the formulation is anything to write home about, and it is probably over priced... but hey.... doctors watch TV.. so this might be a good thing! My dad was visiting when I saw a commerical on TV that said "Metformin" and "B12" in the same sentence. I thought I was dreaming. I told him "see... they are even saying so on TV". He has multiple risk factors. He is 80 years old, takes metformin, has autoimmune thyroid disease and insulin dependent diabetes, has a daughter with confirmed B12 deficiency, etc. He called me yesterday to say he picked some up and is going to take my advice. I would have never guessed. He just laughs at me when I try to tell him in earnest of my "bad brain" because of B12 deficiency. Perhaps I shouldn't worry too much about him, as he can still add numbers in his head and keep track of all cards played during a card game. He dose have some balance problems, and I've noticed some stuttering in his speech, and he sleeps way too much. Of course, I will get him some 'good stuff' for Christmas. I think my sister, the nurse, must have backed me up. He takes her word on medical things.

Cara

[mrsD]

They are called Rx Essentials.

They are not "aggressive" in dose however. They could be, slightly too low
for some people. The B12 is cyano probably... not happy that the website does not give more info!

http://www.naturemade.com/ProductDat...&productid=198
200mcg orally is not enough IMO.

They are good in that they increase awareness...but the levels in the tablets seem too low to me. JMO.