B12 injections

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I have my first injection on Monday, people have been telling me it is painful. Anyone else had them? What was the result?

I am very scared!

It’s nippy but not agonising or anything. Similar in pain to a dental injection?

They haven’t been the magic cure I hoped they’d be for me but they’ve helped a bit.

I had 4, they were the same as every injection I’ve ever had- but my brother gave them to me so maybe he’s just a excellent injection giver?

It hurt for all of 10 seconds, for me. I compare the pain to pressing on a bruise. As soon as you stop pressing, the pain stops.

The results are very good and I can feel the difference within 24 hours. Before my injection I'm tired, walk slowly, feel emotional for no reason. Just all the things you expect from anemia.

If it's your first injection, are you having a loading dose? Twenty years or so ago when I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia, I initially had four injections spread over eight days. Since then, I have one every 12 weeks.

And if it is pernicious anemia you've been diagnosed with, it's a good idea to mention it to your parents/children/siblings. My sister was diagnosed with it shortly after me.

Thank you for the replies.

I am having one every other day for two weeks then one every three months for life. I am not expecting miracles but hope for some relief from the fatigue I am feeling.

Thanks again for responding I feel better now.

Make sure your arm is relaxed when they give it it you. Hard I know but it seems to help a little bit. As the others said it is a bit stingy for about five seconds but is over quickly.

I’ve found over the years the more they hurt the better they work 😄

Make sure your arm is relaxed, look away and take a breath. It feels like a hot bee sting for 5-10 seconds then it's over. I never had any pain after. Good luck and any pain is so worth it

They literally do just "sting". I know everyone always says that about everything, but in this case it's true.

Warm your upper arm up a bit first, if you can.

They had a magical effect on me.

You will feel AMAZING after those shots ! It's nippy and a shot in the bottom is a bit painful (for a few seconds) as it's injected into muscle but the energy those shots give you is like a new lease of life

Oh I had mind injected into a bottom cheek not my arm !

No it doesn't hurt. Sometimes I feel absolutely nothing and other times it feels like a someone has pinched your arm but it literally lasts for a second. I think it depends on how well the nurse does the injection. I wouldn't say it is a miracle cure though - I still feel bloody knackered. Don't expect miracles - the initial loading dose may help but I'm back to feeling rubbish again and I don't feel any different after my 12 week injection. Good luck I hope it works for you.

It's not my favourite thing to have dome but it's over in seconds and is like a sharp pinch. Depends how much it pinches by who does it.

My doctor did one in the top of my backside and hardly felt that - must be all the fat.

Like everybody else says - hurts for 5 seconds, then it’s done.

Try to relax the muscle first, look away, and breathe out as they inject it.

There’s a good website called health unlocked with a pernicious anaemia forum where you can get lots of advice.

I’ve always found they make a difference to my energy within 24 hours.

People do react differently to them - some people get almost manic/reckless when they first get the shots, maybe because they suddenly have more energy?

Until you know how you’ll react it’s a good idea to be a bit careful afterwards - don’t make any major decisions until you feel like yourself.

For example my brother actually gives all his bank cards to his wife for a couple of days as he has a track record of silly impulsive purchases just after his injections (the £2k rowing machine they had no room for was a particular low).

And be aware that it’s an auto immune disease - you’re at risk of developing other auto-immune conditions as well, and auto-immune diseases run in families so helpful to read up a bit and warn your relatives.

Why do you have them? Can any tired old mum have them?!!

I had mine in my upper buttock. Not really sore at all.

I haven’t had these, but did have Vit D loading doses and I’m on the contraceptive injection. In my opinion the more you get injections, the easier they are - I don’t even flinch anymore but I used to feel really nervous too. You’ll definitely feel more comfortable soon, the pain is over quickly and isn’t very strong. Tell the practitioner that you’re worried about the pain and feel scared, they have techniques to make you feel more at ease.

It hurt for seconds and I feel a wimp for worrying. First one done just 5 to go to get my loading dose done. I hope they make me feel better I have felt exhausted for so long! Thank you for the replies.

Four different people told me that they are really painful but, honestly, I felt nothing really. Just that little prick as the needle goes in the same as any other injection.

They made no difference to me at all. I wish they had given me loads of energy!

@brownjumper - you can only get them on the NHS if you have a diagnosed B12 deficiency. You can buy them privately and self-inject if you really want to, but your body will just excrete any excess B12 so it may not be worthwhile.

(Diagnosed b12 deficiencies are usually caused by problems absorbing or processing b12 in Diet).

Had six loading injections but still feel as awful as before. Is this normal?

Yes. Normal. I get mine every 2 months now and can’t say there is much improvement. I’m just too scared to buy and inject myself more frequently.

I have pernicious anaemia and started injections 3 years ago now. Sadly, depending on how long you have been deficient you may well find that the NHS regime is hopelessly insufficient. Most PA sufferers don't do well on the little they get from the NHS - the PA society were running a trial a couple of years back for which they tried to recruit people who felt good on the 3-monthly injections. Out of their entire membership, they could only recruit 3 people.
Take a look at the PA society website and the B12 deficiency/pernicious anaemia support group on Facebook, they both have tons of information and support.
I now buy and inject B12 myself and have been since about 6 months after diagnosis. I am constantly but slowly improving, after a couple of years of injecting every other day, I now feel well enough to inject weekly.
You also need to take folic acid (B12 uses it in its metabolism) but I wouldn't start that until you increase injection frequency as folic acid without sufficient b12 supplementation can be very dangerous.

I was the same, still felt awful during my loading doses and saw no improvement, I did have a very low level of B12 though, only 90, and Dr though it had probably taken a couple of years to get that low. I have peripheral nerve damage too from being so deficient for so long, and the brilliant support group I belong to on FB says it can take months to a year or more to feel much better when you've been that effected (nerve damage, cognitive issues as well as physically feeling so ill). So I'm patiently waiting 5 months on!

Glad it didn't hurt too much, I find muscle in my bum much less stingy and sore than my arm, it felt so sore afterwards and travelled up my neck! Now it's a quick sting in the bum and I'm off home again

Yes, I felt bloody awful during my jabs. I just feel normal now, no big energy surge just the usual exhaustion from having a teen and an 8 year old, a job and all that goes with this. No miracle here. 😬