I've been reading up on B12 deficiency and have found that can mimic some aspects of AD like disorientation and confusion.

My sister called me yesterday and said she got a phone call from dad's doctor saying that his B12 is very low. They are going to start him on B12 shots.

Do you think this could help him to recover some of his memory? Or am I reaching for the stars on this? Either way, getting his B12 levels to where they should be certainly won't hurt.

Keeping my fingers crossed.........

Love, Barb

Barb -

go ahead and reach! You can't catch a star if you don't reach. Maybe it will improve his condition, how wonderful that would be!! :bouncing:

Love and get well yourself, soon!

Martha

I was talking with someone yesterday about a mutual acquaintance who was thought to have AD. It was a B-12 deficiency and he is receiving the shots. According to this person, the shots definitely improved this man's mental clarity. It was noted, however, this man has been a heavy drinker for many years so there may be other brain damage as well.

I am assuming when people are thought to have AD that their B-12 levels are always checked before an AD diagnosis is made.

Jane

I am assuming when people are thought to have AD that their B-12 levels are always checked before an AD diagnosis is made.

Jane[/QUOTE]


Sadly a lot of things we assume simply do not happen!

I don't think dad's B12 levels were ever checked-at least not to my knowledge. My dad was also a very heavy drinker for many years so maybe that has something to do with it as well.

Love, Barb

I am assuming when people are thought to have AD that their B-12 levels are always checked before an AD diagnosis is made.

Jane


Sadly a lot of things we assume simply do not happen![/QUOTE]


Yep.

So this is another thing to put on my list of things to ask the doc to check.

My Mom is always very angry about the pills she has to take. I'm not sure why it's such an issue with her. Considering her condition she really doesn't have to take that many. I think the total is 8 for the day. 3-2-2 with her meals and then one right at bedtime so her tummy is empty (synthroid). If it weren't for it being another thing for her to be angrier about, I would stick a B12 tablet in with them. I don't think they are as good as shots but it couldn't hurt.

I do remember years ago she bought a bottle of them and they sat on the counter. Now I'm wondering....did they test her then and know she was low?
I can't imagine any other reason she would have bought them. And not taking them is typical.

Luckily, Mom goes to the doc on Monday. This one bothers me now that my memory is jarred about her having those pills. I even remember asking her about them. MYOB was the response. Now it is my business.

Seeking

Hummm....whatever, any port in a storm, and covering my bases ..... my current multi-vitamin from Kroger has 125% of my daily B12 quota.

Oh, please let that be enough!! ;)

Hugs - Barbara :)

Hmmm, wouldn't it be lovely if that was the cause? B12 deficiency? At least there are shots and pills to take for it.

Thinking back, my mom had to take those shots for a while when she was in her 40's. Mom didn't live to the age of her relatives who had/have AD. She died at the age of 67 of a heart attack. Her sister, who developed AD at about the age of 72, was also found to be B12 deficient. And I believe mom's mom had to have B12 shots while in the nursing home. She too, had AD which started at about age 75. I don't know why I didn't put that together sooner so I could ask dad's doctor about it when he was with me.

Love, Barb

ADDED: Think I'll start taking B12. With AD cases on both sides of my family, it couldn't hurt.

About 2.5 years ago I went to a neurologist because of short term memory loss. She had a blood test done to check the levels of something called Homocystine. It is some heart enzyme or something. It can make you more at risk for heart problems. Mine were not good and the doc had me take 5 shots of b12 in a week. Those numbers changed and I felt better for a while. They also had me take 1000 mgm of b12 daily. The memory didn't get better, but it didn't seem to get worse. About a year ago the doc told me my b12 levels were fine and I didn't need to keep taking them. So I stopped. The memory problems have been getting worse again. I'm now having problems with simple math. I've never been much of a genius with math, but calculating how much commission I was going to make, I could do. I have an appointment to see neuro again. The problem with the b12 deficiency is that checking the b12 won't help. They need to check this homocystine. If it's elevated that's the best way to detect it. At this point in my life I'd be happy with stopping the free fall of my memory and ability to think. I'm only 57.

I'll let you all know what happens. Hope this helps

My husband's homocysteine level was also "markedly elevated". Although B-12 deficiency is one thing that can cause the elevated homocysteine, his B-12 was ok - but they still treat the high homocysteine with high doses of B-12 and folate. We haven't had any follow-up tests yet to see if the levels are back to a normal range.

Since an overload of B12 washes out in your urine (all the B vitamins do that -- when you take too much, you just pee it away), it's not at all a dangerous drug to take. I myself have a B12/folic acid shot just about every week, and it does me a power of good ...

jb

Hi JB! I think I may be in need of B12 too. I'm sick again with sinusitis and bronchitis. I'm going to the doctor today. :(

I'm sick of being sick!

Love, Barb

Barb, are you sure you are getting completely rid of the infection each time? I know we are supposed to finish a whole course of antibiotics even if we feel better - otherwise the germs not only recover but get stronger, even to the point of becoming resistent super bugs. :eek: Please get help and try to really wipe the infection out of your whole body .

Love and prayers,

Martha

Hey Barb--my hubby too was low on B-12--I did a lot of research--turns out as we get older some people can not hmmm absorb it into their systems--thru pills and shots and things. Sad--not my hubby's problem but will say that what they tried on him was a "nasal" spray--yes a nasal spray--cuz that the body absorbs better--just a thought but it is out there.

But it can for sure be the reason for a dementia type reaction.

Hi Bosmom

Martha's right -- if you're taking your whole anti-B prescription, you may not have one that last long enough (like you may need a two-week one or something).

Do consider the shots (or nasal spray -- didn't know it came like that) -- they bypass your liver, which in my case is crucial, since I'm taking a drug that interferes with liver metabolizitation. And a vitamin C supplement -- like 2000 or 3000 mg -- a boatload. (Vit. C just runs out of the system too, that is if you're getting too much.)

I've read thru' this and other threads on the ALZ board -- what's the status of your dad now? I assume he's still with your sister -- can you still stay in his house though? (In one long-ago post, I think on the thyroid board, you told us that you'd moved to your dad's house to save on rent.)

Glad I found you :) .

jb

We're still at dad's house. But he's in Alabama. He's going to flip (if he remembers) because the village cut down the two trees in the parkway. They were dying anyway but dad loved those trees.

I got a script for Erythromycin. Don't worry. I'll take it all. And I'll send hubby out for some vitamin C.

Gotta go now. I think lunch is going to revisit.

Love, Barb