Summary
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My mother has pernicious anemia. For about six months before she was diagnosed, she wasn't herself. She had no energy, and her doctor diagnosed depression. She took antidepressants but then began to have trouble walking, and I insisted she see a neurologist, who made the diagnosis of PA. She has been getting shots for six weeks and she's a lot more active, but her walking hasn't markedly improved. Will it? How is that related to the anemia? Is she going to be on shots for the rest of her life? - C.K.
ANSWER: Whoever named pernicious anemia chose the right name. It is pernicious - deadly. Its symptoms come on slowly. All anemias have one thing in common: a deficit of red blood cells, the cells that transport oxygen throughout the body. With too few red blood cells, fatigue and breathlessness on slight activity are expected. Quite often, people with pernicious anemia have a beefy, red, sore tongue.See the full content of this document
Extract
Pernicious Anemia Truly Pernicious
Not only does PA affect the blood, it affects the nervous system too. It packs a one-two punch. People develop funny feelings or numbness of the feet and legs,...
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