I have always fought for patients to have good quality of life. In order to live a good quality life we must take care of our bodies and mind. We are responsible to learn as much as we can about our own bodies from learning about our family and ancestor's health issues. We can also pay attention to our own health issues and journal our symptoms. Our symptoms such as aches and pains and unusual feelings of fatigue, depression, anxiety and anything that is making it hard for you to feel good are warning sign that something is wrong. Our bodies are amazing and they are created to signal us that something is wrong. Sometimes we need the help of a doctor to ensure that we do have a good quality life. If anyone is suffering and feels that they are being belittled or brushed of by a doctor they owe it to their self to find a doctor that will work with them to insure that they have good quality health care.
I am going to keep writing about my family's health issues concerning B12 and folate issues until doctors start understanding that these deficiencies are debilitating and if left untreated are fatal. There is a part of me that wants to blame the insurance companies that have paralyzed our doctors from thinking outside the box. I see however that a doctor dismissing a patient because a test will not be covered is irresponsible on the part of the doctor. Both the doctor and the patient need to speak to the insurance company and our government leaders to insure quality care. We can fight to insure all Americans have health insurance, but if we don't fight some of the regulations set in place by insurance companies then we have failed to insure the patient's quality of life.
I have had health issues since birth from B12 and folate deficiencies passed to me from my mother. With the help of my dad I was able to track back my health issues. Some time back in the early 2003 after several bouts of severe back pain, a back X-ray was done on me and it was determined that I had cogential anomalies of the spine. I have since learned that this was the result of a folate deficiency of my mother during pregnancy. My mother had taken prenatal vitamins and she also had a very healthy diet. She was probably unable to breakdown folic acid due to absorption and genetic issues passedfrom my grandmother who had PA. My mother then breast fed me and I did not get a lot of B12 and folate from her as it is now evident in playing a roll in my inability to walk. I was diagnosed with weak and floopy muscles as a baby and had braces that I wore to turn my feet outward as I was severely pigeon toed. My dad still has the braces. My parents were told that I may never walk. I proved them wrong and it was probably the result of a B12 deficiency from my depleted mother. When I started eat table food (meat and milk) I improved and started walking. My B12 and folate was probably rising and in the mean time my mother was suffering from extreme anxiety and a host of other health problems. She was not tested for B12 and nor was I. A simple test that could have made a huge difference in our quality of life. I wrote about my walking issues in this blog a couple of years ago as the half marathon I walked meant more to me and my dad that anyone can imagine.
Please doctors study the symptoms of B12 deficiencies and refresh yourself with the physiology behind the disease. Don't let insurance companies tell you vitamin deficiencies don't exist because our food sources are fortified. There are many people that have absorption problems for crucial vitamins. Also just because a patient is not anemic does not mean that they are not deficient. Macrocytic Anemia does usually present it self in patients until stage four of the disease and by then the deficiency has progressed and has caused neurological damage to the body.
B12 is essential for the production of red blood cells and the myelin sheaths of the nerves. A low level can be obscured by a high folic acid level. A good website to understand more about pernicious anemia is The Pernicious Anemia Society. Please help make screening for B12 routinely a part of complete blood cell counts especially if a patient is complaining of the symptoms of a B12 deficiency.
Life is beautiful !
Elizabeth:)
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