Memory and eyesight....going, going, gone!

Aloha my friends.......Well, I have questions for you about memory and eyesight. We are over fifty and I have been doing great weight wise (I guess). I'm 3 an a half years out and have gone back down to 156 which I too low for my 5'11" body. I'm wearing size 8 jeans, and small tops. I'm not sure why I lose the second I eat less than a bunch every day. It seems to drop off if I'm doing any kind of stressful activity.

Now, I want to ask a question about memory. Lately my memory is really BAD. I mean I forget things like my zip code, my telephone number, people's names, etc. It is beginning to worry me. Isn't there a nature supplement that improves memory? I need it!! I know some of it is just senior moments stuff......but it seems like it's happening all too often lately. I take a fistfull of vitamins every day, too!!


Also, I have been told I'm almost ready for cataract surgery on my eyes. Has anyone had that and what was your eyesight problem before you did? And how was it afterward? I am just recently corrected as much as they can and I can't get any better than 20/40, so street signs are blurry, and reading is getting extremely difficult ..... especially newspapers and tiny print on doctor's charts at the hospital. I did haring tests on six babies this morning, and was struggling to see all the fine print on charts and computers. My eye doc said she will do one of my eyes any time I want to, but I got the feeling that she would like me to wait for awhile. Any wisdom out there on cataract surgery? I would sure appreciate it.

Margo......I feel a surge of happiness about hearing that Michael only had to have one stent, and is eating like a horse!! Hope the news keeps being great!!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

B-12!!!! Don't know that it does anything for eyesight, but it sure can have something to do with memory!  I take 1-1,000mcg  sublingual twice a day. 

Wow, Susan..really? I was down to three times a week taking ONE sublingual B12. But I am game to try this if it has worked for others.

Thanks and hugs!!

Aloha nui loa,

Maui Karen

You can't OD on B-12, what isn't needed is eliminated. They're cheap, too, so have at it girlfriend!

B-12 sublingual on my shopping list!!

HUGS.....

Aloha,

Maui Karen

Susan, what does the word 'sublingual' mean? I am assuming it is different that just plan old vitamin B-12.

My new nut says I should be taking it, but I thought since I had the VSG instead of the RNY, I didn't need 'sublingual' what ever that is.

 Thanks John

Sublingual means "under the tongue". It absorbs more readily.

B-12 is a vital vitamin for anyone, "normal" as in, non surgical people, rny, lap band, vsg, whomever. Since you can't overdose on b-12, there really isn't any reason why anyone isn't taking it.

As a VSG patient, you don't malabsorb, so I'd still take one sublingual a day anyway. Sure wouldn't hurt!

One follow up please. I don't know metric numbers, but my B-12 tabs are 100 mcg each. If I'm right, I need 10 of these to make one of the ones you are taking?

Also, for the eyes, I have been told to take Lutein, which I am. Don't know if it helps, but I have an appointment with the eye doc next month. Get mine at 'Sams' in big bottles.

JOHN,
SUBLINGUAL MEANS THAT THE TABLET GOES UNDER YOUR TONGUE AND DISSOLVES.  SUPPOSED TO GET INTO YOUR BLOOD STREAM FASTER.  MY DR. SAID 500MG OF VIT B 12 PER DAY.  DIVASHAR

Memory Loss, Nerve Damage Caused by Vitamin B12 Deficiency: Pernicious Anemia

Pernicious anemia is due to lack of vitamin B12, which causes progressive nerve damage, forgetfulness, loss of ability to concentrate and abnormal sensations such as burning, itching and loss of feeling. However, many people with pernicious anemia do not have abnormally low blood levels of vitamin B12.

A study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society shows that older people have lower blood levels of a chemical called homotranscobalamin II that carries vitamin B12 into the cells, so they need higher blood levels to have normal tissue levels.

Since low-normal blood level of vitamin B12 do not rule out B12 deficiency, the diagnosis of pernicious anemia is often made late in the course of the disease after many people have suffered permanent nerve damage. According to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, two percent of Americans over 60 have low blood levels of vitamin B12, but the incidence of vitamin B12 deficiency causing nerve damage in older people is much higher than that, sometimes as high as 50 percent. Therefore, many older people who are diagnosed with senility actually suffer from lack of vitamin B12 which can be cured by taking vitamin B supplements.

Lack of vitamin B12 also can cause heart attacks, so all people over 60 should be screened with blood tests for vitamin B12 and those with normal levels of B12 and symptoms of nerve damage or arteriosclerosis should also get a blood test called homocysteine.

Many people cannot correct their B12 deficiency with diet because they cannot absorb enough B12 from their food.
Almost always, those with a deficiency can a cured by taking a 1000 microgram pill of vitamin B12 once a day. They usually do not need to take injections. Low levels of B12 are also associated with stomach diseases and infections such as Helicobacter pylori.

Dr. Gabe Mirkin has been a radio talk show host for 25 years and practicing physician for more than 40 years; he is board certified in four specialties, including sports medicine. Read or listen to hundreds of his fitness and health reports at http://www.DrMirkin.com For journal references on this article see report #6972.