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My Husband Cannot Stand Up On His Own. This Happened

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Posted on Sun, 11 Aug 2019
Question: My husband cannot stand up on his own. This happened last week as well. He lost feeling in his legs. He drank heavily both times the night before. He is sweating and and is also dizzy. His last drink was yesterday at 6pm or so
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Answered by Dr. Michelle Gibson James (30 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
may need to assess vitamin b12 level

Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic

If there is a prolonged history of drinking heavily then he may be deficient in Vitamin B 12.

Vitamin b12 is very commonly deficient in persons with a history of excess alcohol intake.

This vitamin b12 plays a role in our blood count and nerve function. It is one of the common reasons for altered nerve sensation such as numbness and also loss of balance.
It can also cause anemia (low blood count)

It would need to be assessed, if it is low then the type of replacement would depend on how low it is. If it is only slightly low then it can be replaced orally, if it is very low then injections every few weeks may be needed

Other tests such as liver function tests, may also be done as well

It would be best for him to be seen

I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Michelle Gibson James

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2001

Answered : 16808 Questions

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My Husband Cannot Stand Up On His Own. This Happened

Brief Answer: may need to assess vitamin b12 level Detailed Answer: HI, thanks for using healthcare magic If there is a prolonged history of drinking heavily then he may be deficient in Vitamin B 12. Vitamin b12 is very commonly deficient in persons with a history of excess alcohol intake. This vitamin b12 plays a role in our blood count and nerve function. It is one of the common reasons for altered nerve sensation such as numbness and also loss of balance. It can also cause anemia (low blood count) It would need to be assessed, if it is low then the type of replacement would depend on how low it is. If it is only slightly low then it can be replaced orally, if it is very low then injections every few weeks may be needed Other tests such as liver function tests, may also be done as well It would be best for him to be seen I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions