It is possible for a diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency to be delayed or missed because symptoms often develop very slowly over months or even years. In addition, some symptoms, such as fatigue, pale skin, headache, and cold hands and feet, can be vague, easily overlooked, or attributed to other conditions, such as a lack of sun or aging.
Symptoms of B12 deficiency can also be mistaken for symptoms of other conditions. Symptoms such as memory loss, confusion, dementia, and numbness and tingling in the hands and feet, can easily be mistaken for such conditions as Alzheimer's disease, aging, mental illness, other vitamin deficiencies, or the side effects of medications....more about Vitamin B12 Deficiency »
For a diagnosis of Vitamin B12 Deficiency, the following list of conditions have been mentioned in sources as possible alternative diagnoses to consider during the diagnostic process for Vitamin B12 Deficiency:
The other diseases for which Vitamin B12 Deficiency is listed as a possible alternative diagnosis in their lists include:
Causes of Vitamin B12 Deficiency may include these medical conditions:
Vitamin B12 deficiency under-diagnosed: The condition of Vitamin B12 deficiency is a possible misdiagnosis of various conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (see symptoms of multiple sclerosis). See symptoms of Vitamin B12 deficiency or misdiagnosis of multiple sclerosis.
The following medical news items are relevant to misdiagnosis of Vitamin B12 Deficiency:
Vitamin B12 Deficiency is a condition that can possibly be deadly if misdiagnosed...more »
Read these general articles with an overview of misdiagnosis issues.
When checking for a misdiagnosis of Vitamin B12 Deficiency or confirming a diagnosis of Vitamin B12 Deficiency, it is useful to consider what other medical conditions might be possible misdiagnoses or other alternative conditions relevant to diagnosis. These alternate diagnoses of Vitamin B12 Deficiency may already have been considered by your doctor or may need to be considered as possible alternative diagnoses or candidates for misdiagnosis of Vitamin B12 Deficiency. For a general overview of misdiagnosis issues for all diseases, see Overview of Misdiagnosis.
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