B12 deficiency mimicking MDS

4-months ago I went for a full blood workup, 1st one in 7-years. To my surprise my WBC was 1.6, Platelets 75, Hemoglobin level of 14.2 and neutrophils .8. Also, my B12 level was 153. I felt and still feel perfectly fine, no symptoms whatsoever.

My doctor sent me to a Hematologist who sent me for a BMB. Normal amount blast cells. As he put it funky looking white blood cells. He felt my B12 deficiency and chronic drinking could produce these levels and mimic MDS.

He put me on 8-weeks of weekly B12 injections which raised my B12 level to 560 and my WBC level up to 2.0. He then switched me to 6-weeks of B12 injections every other week. After 6-weeks my B12 level was back down to 289 and my WBC back down to 1.6.

Upon another BMB after 3-months little has changed. He decided to put me back on a weekly B12 injection schedule and will check my levels again in mid January 2026.

I've had two MMA tests both showing a normal reading of .24.

He says that depending on how long I've had my B12 deficiency along with alcohol abuse, could take up to a year to repair my bone marrow. But to also realize it might be MDS.

I stopped drinking alcohol on 07/07/25.

I'm 61 year old male. From what I've read MDS affects about 5 in 100,000 people, average age of 73. Out of this group roughly 90-95 percent are anemic with a low Hemoglobin level.

Can anyone relate to what I'm going through of give any insight as to what might be happening. Obviously, I am very concerned and upset.