B12 injections.

[Rowgtfc72]

Found out I had low b12. (150). Said this wasn't low but borderline.
Doctor gave me one jab of b12 and I felt brilliant for two weeks. Now I'm back to the awful dragging tiredness. He told me the jab should see me good for 6-9 months but I've read when you start having injections you should have a loading dose?
Back there in a couple of weeks. What should I ask him?

Google "vitamin B12 deficiency treatment guidelines +where you live" That should give you all the information you need.

Yes, you should have had an injection every couple of days over a two week period to get your levels up and then injections every 8-12 weeks to maintain it.

Try this:

cks.nice.org.uk/anaemia-b12-and-folate-deficiency#!scenario

You should have been given a starting course of six injections over two week period, then most people need further doses approx twelve weekly, some need them at 8-10 weeks.

I had the 6 loading doses and now 1 every 12 weeks.

1 very 12 weeks isn't enough for me personally, but it's a huge improvement on what I was like prior to them.

Thanks for the information. Back to the doctors I think!

You can now get the ongoing injection every 6 weeks if you need them. A blood test won’t tell you if you need it though (when you’re already having the injections) as you’re not able to absorb it. You need to go on symptoms.

The pernicious anaemia society is good for this.

My partner has them 8 weekly and needs it much more frequently. It’s horrible- he gets so confused and work is really difficult.

When you start regular jabs they give you a loading dose to get you up to norm levels, then regular jabs to keep you there if you can't absorb it yourself. I started at 12 WK intervals and am now on 8wks.

Tbh normally they give you an oral course first, to see whether you are just low or whether you actually can't absorb it. So I had the oral course, then another blood test, and when that showed no improvement they diagnosed pernicious anaemia and I now have jabs.

It depends whether your B12 is low due to inadequate diet or because you have trouble absorbing it.

Unless you are vegan (and no taking supplements) or eat a diet very low in meat, fish, eggs and dairy then it is very easy to get enough B12 through normal diet.

If your B12 was low despite a good diet it suggests that you have trouble absorbing it and should be put on regular injections.

However most GPs in the UK do not seem to follow NICE guidelines on B12 deficiency.

My B12 was 122 despite a diet high in B12 but my GP has refused me regular injections. I had 5 loading doses and now nothing.

It seems to be a bit of a minefield and I really don't understand why!

Good luck if you decide to try again with your GP though!

BI

Struggle to eat wheat, dairy, meat, some fruit and veg.
Doc done tests to see if I've got wheat or lactose intolerance or chrohns or colitis. Food isn't in my system long enough to absorb the b12.
Due test results next week or week after so will ask doc then.

Yes you should have had loading doses over 2 weeks then every 3 months.
A lot of people struggle with the long interval between injections. You can self inject B12 a lot of people do that.