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AIBU?

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Original poster

B12 Injections

33 replies

Justpondering12 · 14/01/2023 13:51

A routine blood test found that i have a B12 deficiency. Symptoms include extreme fatigue, muscle weakness and abysmal memory.

GP has prescribed course of 6 B12 injections. Friday was number 4. If anything, i feel worse. i mentioned this to the nurse and she said ‘i think we’re all just very tired. i know i am, perhaps i could do with having some B12’.

Am i expecting too much? i was anticipating feeling the benefits by now. I just went to have the energy to get back to the gym!

OP posts:
CeriB82 · 14/01/2023 13:54

I wish I could have 6 in every 2 weeks. I went from 12 to 8, now every 6 weeks. Its a crippling condition.

it takes time for your body to absorb and adjust to them. Ive been having them for 2 years

theycallmejane · 14/01/2023 13:58

I think that's unusual. You're supposed to get an instant boost when you first start the injections - it takes a lot longer to recover properly, but it's like a little jump start. Finish the course, but flag it to the GP who put you on the course, as you should have felt some kind of small benefit.

Saladd0dger · 14/01/2023 14:05

Took me a long time to recover. I bought some ampules from a German pharmacy. I was never going to get better otherwise. Join the pernicious anemia group on Facebook. Lots of helpful advice

Original poster
Justpondering12 · 14/01/2023 14:10

Im definitely going to speak with the GP. I’ve only recently been given access to the app that shows your NHS results etc. It would appear that my levels have been this low (150) for at least 18 months. I was tested in 2021 but not treated. Also, the surgery administer 1ml yet when i’ve watched it being administered in salons, the volume looks far greater. Can you have more than 1ml at a time?

OP posts:
Witchbitch20 · 14/01/2023 14:13

It sounds as if you have been/are being given “loafing doses”, this is to boost your initial levels. You should then get on every 3 months (at least).

You need to ask about folate and iron tablets. If you’re B12 deficient your stores of iron and folate will be depleted.

I always feel exhausted the day I have my b12 shot. I found the loading doses hard going but felt better after the course had finished.

The Pernicious Anaemia Society has got a lot of useful information online that might help.

mrsbyers · 14/01/2023 14:14

I never feel a big difference it’s very subtle and for 24 to 48 hrs after I actually feel worse , my Gastro said people who experience a real boost are just having a placebo impact

GoldenGorilla · 14/01/2023 14:16

It’s common to feel really ill just after the injections - I know that after mine I pretty much go home and sleep the rest of the day. It’s a lot of b12 for your body to try and absorb in one go!

You also need to supplement with B6 and iron to get the full benefit.

It does take a while to feel the benefit sadly.

Original poster
Justpondering12 · 14/01/2023 14:16

Witchbitch20 · 14/01/2023 14:13

It sounds as if you have been/are being given “loafing doses”, this is to boost your initial levels. You should then get on every 3 months (at least).

You need to ask about folate and iron tablets. If you’re B12 deficient your stores of iron and folate will be depleted.

I always feel exhausted the day I have my b12 shot. I found the loading doses hard going but felt better after the course had finished.

The Pernicious Anaemia Society has got a lot of useful information online that might help.

thank you 🙏🏼 hopefully i’ll start to feel better soon. I’m currently having 3 a week which might explain why i feel so tired! xx

OP posts:
glasshole · 14/01/2023 14:17

I purchased my own b12 and inject it myself every month. Costs buttons and I don't have to argue with my gp who cut me down from month to 16 weekly!

Witchbitch20 · 14/01/2023 14:20

@Justpondering12 I hope you feel better soon. I never would have appreciated what a “vitamin deficiency” could feel like until I joined the club.

BungleandGeorge · 14/01/2023 14:29

Do they know the reason for your deficiency? Are you veggie/ vegan? Did you try tablet supplements? Possibly you have an underlying condition? They inject into a muscle so no they can’t give more than a ml. If they gave it into a vein it would be more dilute so the volume bigger but no more vitamin in it.
theres People injecting vitamin b12 despite having ok levels and then claiming all sorts of effects, I’d agree it’s largely placebo! Red blood cells live around 90 days it will take time for you to feel better, and of course the nurse is right there’s loads of bugs etc that are wiping people out. You might want to discuss why they think you’re low and whether this might be impacting in other areas

Lonecatwithkitten · 14/01/2023 14:34

It can take the whole induction course to feel even slightly better as most B12 is stored in your liver, so by the time your blood levels drop you are severely depleted. Often I feel worse in the first 48 hours after an injection I always think this is the liver packing it away.
Regarding the volume some of it depends on the size of syringe used 1ml in a 3 ml syringe looks a small amount in a 1ml syringe it looks loads. Giving more than 1ml at a time is more than the body can metabolise and as a water soluble vitamin you just pee the excess out.

Nat6999 · 14/01/2023 14:36

I have one a month, I do mine myself. I lost the feeling in my legs, feet & fingers 3 years ago & even buying my own B12 & doing an injection daily for 6 months before going on to monthly ones has done nothing. Are you taking cofactors, Folic Acid, Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin D & Magnesium as well? You need at least 5mg of Folic Acid, these all help your body process the B12 & store it.

Original poster
Justpondering12 · 14/01/2023 14:49

Nat6999 · 14/01/2023 14:36

I have one a month, I do mine myself. I lost the feeling in my legs, feet & fingers 3 years ago & even buying my own B12 & doing an injection daily for 6 months before going on to monthly ones has done nothing. Are you taking cofactors, Folic Acid, Vitamin B Complex, Vitamin D & Magnesium as well? You need at least 5mg of Folic Acid, these all help your body process the B12 & store it.

I’ve started taking Vit D. Will get on to the others. Thank you x

OP posts:
mrsDracoMalfoy · 14/01/2023 16:00

I have mine every 12 weeks. I wish I could have them more often. I start to feel everything when it's 4-6 weeks due. I was a week late last time (Xmas period) I actually had to force myself to go to the appointment because I felt so unwell but knew I would be worse if I hadn't gone.

Tinkerbyebye · 14/01/2023 16:06

I had a course October last year, it took quite a few weeks to feel any better but I was still fatigued. Tests at the time also showed a thyroid issue which they left until I had blood tests again 3 months after the B12. I am now taking thyroid medication

ask for further blood tests in 3 months

Sidge · 14/01/2023 16:12

Hydroxocobalamin is 1mg in 1ml.

Most people don’t feel much better until they’ve completed their loading doses, and possibly not for a week or two after.

Those who self inject very often are just creating expensive urine. B12 levels once boosted generally don’t deplete very quickly.

gezzab33 · 14/01/2023 21:14

If there's been neurological damage, then more frequent injections are needed until no improvement is seen. I nearly died but now you wouldn't think there was anything wrong with me. I inject twice a day. I hope to go down to one a day by the end of this year.

JaceLancs · 14/01/2023 21:19

I noticed improvement after using the b12 sub lingual spray - I buy the highest dose I can online

murderbythebook · 14/01/2023 21:19

@glasshole Could you let me know where you buy the b12 and needles? I'd really like to do this but I'm worried I'll buy the wrong thing!

XenoBitch · 14/01/2023 21:21

I have been told I need jabs, but I have no symptoms at all. It wont be happening as I have severe needle phobia. For now, I use sprays. No idea if they help as I had no symptoms anyway.
I imagine it an be disheartening to have treatment that makes you feel worse.

pineapplecactus · 14/01/2023 21:22

I finished loading doses just before Christmas and despite an initial improvement I feel just as bad as I did before the b12 but now with added acne!!! I'm hoping it will all settle down at some point soon but I feel your pain.

Christmascracker0 · 14/01/2023 21:39

I felt the exact same after the loading phase, took a few months for me to feel better!

Also they do an antibody test to see if it’s pernicious anaemia but if it comes back negative it’s pointless to ask why you’re deficient. I tried to ask the GP and nurses and the consensus was “some people just are”.

Toostressedout · 14/01/2023 21:41

pineapplecactus · 14/01/2023 21:22

I finished loading doses just before Christmas and despite an initial improvement I feel just as bad as I did before the b12 but now with added acne!!! I'm hoping it will all settle down at some point soon but I feel your pain.

I had really bad acne on my back/arms and didn’t realise it was because of the injections for ages! Really horrible big spots that didn’t clear for a while even after the injections stopped!!

theycallmejane · 14/01/2023 22:52

Toostressedout · 14/01/2023 21:41

I had really bad acne on my back/arms and didn’t realise it was because of the injections for ages! Really horrible big spots that didn’t clear for a while even after the injections stopped!!

Show quote history

The acne was awful.

With the low B12, you have this general fog and shit memory, so you start to doubt yourself. I've never had acne (I was quite lucky as a teen), so it was very depressing to not look like me, along with already not feeling like me.

Thankfully, it's started to clear up (finally).