Intramuscular injections: HI there, is... - Pernicious Anaemi...

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Intramuscular injections

treacletart33 profile image
4 Replies

HI there, is there any problem if you do by accident inject into your bloodstream when self injecting? All the recommendations say to draw back first to check you are not in a blood vessel before injecting the B12. But surely it ends up in the bloodstream, so why worry? Any thought would be welcome as this is puzzling me a bit... thanks.

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treacletart33
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4 Replies

Hi treacletart33 ,

No there is no big problem, you will just get a big bruise and it will hurt. When I was shown how to inject I was told it was not necessary to draw back first to check you are not in a blood vessel. Modern needles are so sharp and thin that any damage will heal quickly. But you will feel it! I usually feel immediately if I am near a blood vessel and will stop and start again to avoid big bruise. I inject after a hot bath so I can see all the veins and try to avoid getting near them! I also inject very slowly, put the needle in very slowly so I will feel if its in the wrong place. Have produced some 5 bruises over the last 9 years I self inject, far less than the nurses produced over the 5 years they injected me.

Quite a few hydroxo and cyanocobalamin (and methyl) products are also used intravenously so its not a matter of life and death.

Kind regards,

Marre.

treacletart33 profile image
treacletart33 in reply to

Hi Marre,

Thanks very much indeed.

Treacletart33

Galixie profile image
Galixie

It's just that less of the B12 would stick around in your system if it is injected into a vein rather than a muscle. You'd end up with a bruise but the benefit of the B12 would also wear off faster so it's better to try to avoid that.

treacletart33 profile image
treacletart33

Hi Galixie

Thanks a lot

Treacletart33

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