Refusing injection and social services

[Bakedpotatos]

I've been told I have a very slight b12 deficiency and I'm 36 weeks pregnant. I had a blood test in mid November and no one told me this until a few days ago when my doctor called. They were also confused as to why I hadn't been told anything as my consultant was meant to have informed me of my test results.

I have a major trauma when it comes to injections (due to traumatic forceful injections during an abortion years ago) and the thought of it makes me sick. But blood tests I can absolutely deal with fine, so it must be a sensory thing, I just don't know.. It just makes me physically ill thinking about it. I know it's pathetic how I can easily push a baby out multiple times with no fear at all but injections are on another level. I have never had any injection in my life apart from the ones that were forced against my will unnecessary which ended up being investigated. I told my doctor about this and they said if I refuse the b12 injection they'd have to report me to the "appropriate authorities" which I assume is social services. They're planning on doing 3 this week, and I'm not prepared for it at all. I just feel my doctor has been really insensitive towards my feelings and fears of it. I understand how dangerous it is if I don't have them but where exactly do I stand in terms of bodily rights? Am I actually allowed to say no and would they report me to social services for this? And I've read it's done intermuscular, would I be able to request for it to be done so it's just inside the skin or does it have to be in the muscle? Sorry for the awful long rant, recently had my anxiety meds stopped and I have ASD so I don't like being kept in the unknown 😔

If you’re ok with blood tests what about IV (I’m not sure if this is an option for this drug).
If you feel you aren’t being listened too see if the hospital have an LD or ASD specialist nurse who can help advocate with you at appointments and hospital visits.
what should be happening is a conversation with your consultant/midwife where the deficiency and risk is explained. All possible treatments listed, and the pros and cons of each and what happens if you do nothing.
you can then make an informed choice.
for giving injections I’m not sure why you fear it going into a muscle over subcut however the difference to us administering that would mainly be how we pull or pinch your skin.
your fears should be listened to and then ways to overcome them. It may be too late to start a course of desensitisation now, however there are options such as numbing creams, having distractions, someone with you and ensure everyone agrees the plan in advance to give you control back. An LD/ASD nurse can help with this (I’m not sure if all hospitals cover ASD alone however, some do some don’t)
if you can’t take a friend, family member or even talk to pals and inform them in advance how you feel so they can speak up when you become overwhelmed xx

Wind your neck in; not relevant or appropriate.

Six days before Xmas? And you're due at best over the period between Xmas and NYE? SS won't get to the referral, let alone do anything while you're still pregnant.

FOR FUTURE REFERENCE:

Holland and Barrett sell a liquid Vitamin B supplement; you place a dropper full under your tongue and hold for a few seconds then swallow. Gets your vitamin b up rapidly. I went from deficient to above recommended levels in a few months.

Regardless of if you decide to get the injections or not, I would make a complaint against this doctor. You are not a vessel and you have rights. They have tried to blackmail you into giving up your right to consent and that’s a pretty big issue. I’d be livid.

I think it’s far too late in pregnancy to worry about it’s effects on birth defects and so you think they are pushing it on you because they should have done something earlier and didn’t?

I am one of those women who refused the flu and whooping cough vaccinations during pregnancy and nothing happened.

SS won’t do anything. Explain the situation to your medical team and ask for vitamin B12 oral supplements and enjoy the rest of your pregnancy.

My daughter had B12 deficiency and also autistic, she was terrified like you, but the nurses injected it in her bottom (less painful) and were so quick. I agree, I can't see what difference it will make this far along in your pregnancy, but maybe afterwards you could try and seek out a patient, understanding nurse who understands how difficult phobias can be. Instead of threatening and guilt tripping you they should be trying to help you with your fear and treatment. Unfortunately a lot of doctors just don't understand phobias. It's not a choice. Hope all goes well for you OP.

Just a thought you can buy vitamin a B12 spray. That's how my daughter keeps topped up now.

Well, I suppose I am proud that we wouldn't force an adult woman to be injected against their will, yeah.

Just as a general suggestion, self hypnosis can be enormously helpful, IME.

I use this one
"BetterYou Boost Vitamin B12 Daily Oral Spray | Vitamin Spray Supplement for Energy Boost | 1,200 IU Vitamin B12 | 25ml (192 Sprays) | Natural Apricot Flavour" that I get on Amazon, I have no idea if any of the others are better or worse tbh, they all seem to be 1200IU dose.
Although it says daily, to get the 1200IU dose, you need three sprays a day, so a 192 spray bottle lasts about a month

OP, you need to ask to discuss this in more detail. It is very very uncommon for GPs to be desperate to treat a patient with only a very slight deficiency, especially if you are not suffering with any symptoms. What was your result?

Injecting now won't make any difference to your baby in such a short time, so that doesn't make sense either.

If there is a genuine concern over your B12 results, they should do further testing to see if it is indeed a problem with absorption and I'd it the result of an auto immune condition. It is not unusual to be low during pregnancy (similar to having lower iron levels) and for it to go back to normal afterwards.

You can indeed take the drops under the tongue which is better than the pills. It wouldn't be enough if you have an autoimmune illness.

All this just sound very dramatic and an over reaction though so I'd ask more questions.

Thank you so much!
Have ordered some. Reasonable price too.

I have ASD, I was threatened with the same thing because I declined the whooping cough vaccine. They said I was putting baby at risk- I argued it is my body and the injection was going into me (I think I was 28 weeks or thereabouts) and that it was my decision about my body (I’d had one in previous pregnancy and got nerve damage in my arm-the dr then tried to say that was psychological due to my asd)

Basically the dr in my case (and possibly yours) is querying the ability of a mother with ASD to make appropriate decisions . When SS were involved they were fine about it but I had no end of issues with midwives and doctors at antenatal appointments who seemed to confuse ASD with a severe learning difficulty and treated me quite appallingly

Threatening someone with social services is wrong but I don't think there is anything inherently wrong with double checking and speaking in simple terms to someone with a communication disorder to make sure they are fully grasping the situation. I know from the ND people in my life that what we hear in the same conversation can be very different, especially in medical tyoe situations that may be overwhelming. Often they(the ND people in my life) much prefer simple phrasing and questions being posed in a yes or no way to prevent any crossed wires. It doesn't mean that they are learning disabled, just that they have a communication disorder.

It’s just happened too many times that I’ve been having a conversation with a health professional and it’s been absolutely fine and as soon as I mention I have ASD they completely change! They start talking to me slowly and I’m simplified terms or want to have a nurse / HCA in the room too etc. I would prefer them to ask me if I need any adjustments made instead of treating me like I don’t understand anything !

Or if I’m with dh they stop talking to me and direct it all at him !

This is such a distressing thread to read. It’s like we’re in a 3rd world country.

Sorry wrong thread

What's wrong with vitamin b12 tablets? Are you vegetarian?

your story does not add up OP. If you have a slight deficiency, and an history that makes you afraid of needles I do not see how your doctor addressed that correctly. Also the SS, this is out of this world. On the other end true b12 deficiency can lethal. For you, then there are other possible consequences for the baby. Are you really 36 w ? You will nto get the appropriate advice here. Talk to another midwife in real life and with her come up with a plan that will protect your life and the life of your baby,. All the best op.

Social care will look at this referral, raise an eyebrow, pop it in the bin and shout ‘next!’

Maybe read the OP.

Sorry misread your post, time to get off here and go to bed.