3 monthly injections

[dottydolittle]

Feel lousy after 9 weeks, GP will not change the frequency of injections - what do others like me do?

[Hidden]

We buy our own and give our own injections. There is no point being ill when you can help yourself.

Have you tried sublingual B12 or patches too keep you going. They seem to work for some people?

[dottydolittle in reply to Hidden]

going to Holland and Barrett to buy sublingual today.

[Maxfactor1]

Hi DottydoLittle (great name btw),

I have the same problem! In fact I had my three monthly top up shot on Friday and the nurse asked me why I was having my shot that day? I told her that it was due and she replied "not until next week it isn't"!

While you're dealing with that attitude you're never going to win!

Good luck and hope you feel better very soon

[dottydolittle in reply to Maxfactor1]

main problem is the doctor, he talked about evidence based medicine - meaning my B12 has to be low in blood test results for him to change the frequency of B12 injection. Yet when he prescribes people antidepressants - he has no evidence that the serotonin levels are low!

[Erainy in reply to dottydolittle]

"Yet when he prescribes people antidepressants - he has no evidence that the serotonin levels are low!"

Very good point there!!

The difference is antidepressants are profitable to pharmaceutical companies that's why it is higly recommended, nothing to do with patients!!

[dottydolittle in reply to Erainy]

The problem is with Pharmaceutical companies who will not do research on something like Vitamin B12 deficiency , because they have nothing to gain from it. However the doctors who preach evidence based medicine know that there is limited evidence to justify refusal

[Thomas1944]

I have had exactly the same experience.....I was admitted to hospital with chest pains,nothing to do with perniciousmanemia...or so they said.

A wonderful doctor actually listened properly to me.at last ..After mentioning PA he looked over his shoulder to see if it was safe to speak to me in confidence.On hearing I was only allowed B12 injections every 3 months he told me to source my own from abroad..that is all I needed to hear,I had been thinking of doing exactly that.

I sent for B12 from goldpharma UK,they are based in Germany.I obtained the needles and syringe from a UK company...very easy to do.

I got my friend to inject .I can now still have my B12 from the doctor every 3 months but supplement it twice in between shots.win- win situation .

I would advise you to join the Ppernicious Anaemia Society,it will give you advise and make you realise you are not on your own in this situation...my doctor and practice nurse made me feel as if I was making a fuss over nothing.

Good luck ,please order your own.

[dottydolittle in reply to Thomas1944]

thank you

[A1l1s]

Hi , I was on monthly for over 15years then dropped to 3monthly , I felt the change but every time I went to GP he took blood sample and said it was ok, then he was going down another avenue a bit like changing the subject, you know what I mean Are you worried about anything, Are you doing too much , the way he was going on I am sure I would have been on nerve tablets ,I gave it up eventually I was a bit better but always waiting for the 3rd month to arrive, I have only found out about sublinguals since joining here I have sent for some and will try them, but at the moment I am having a blood problem and don't want to mask tests. Knowing what I know now and reading this forum if I were you I would keep asking the GP pester if you have to from what I can gather they are not going to break his bank and that seems to be the main thing these days, or try the sublinguals

I hope feel better soon

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Lots of options - sublingual tablets, skin patches, nasal sprays ... haven't actually come across a suppository yet but then I haven't been looking :). It is also very easy to source B12 phials from abroad - goldpharma is a reputable company. You can also buy B12 in crystal form and mix with saline to make your own injections.

2 possibilities with the injections a) subcutaneous (just under the skin) or try and get someone to show you how to do it intramuscular like when the nurse does it - but you really need to be shown that. You can do subcutaneous using insulin needles.

I find nasal spray works for me - but even then I need quite a bit more than it 'says on the tin' - seem to need about 3mg a day rather than 1 mg every 3 weeks to keep me functioning properly.

My GP wasn't prepared to talk about B12 when I was in a right state back in May - really struggling to walk - spacial awareness shot, struggling for breath, energy ... so after a howl I started using the nasal spray I'd brought as an experiment to supplement in much higher doses - 3x2 per day - and within 2 weeks I was quite happy perched at the top of a ladder pruning my grapevine.

Unfortunately this isn't a one-size fits all condition - however much the medics want to think it is and push anti-depressants that we don't need (and can potentially make things worse) on us.

It isn't an expensive medication - an ampoule costs about 65p at current exchange rates - even at the doses I take with the nasal spray it only costs me £1 per day max ... cost concerns with injections tend to come from the time of the medical staff involved not the medication itself so seems ridiculous that its so shrouded in the prescription only medicines rules.

I'd suggest that you try out some other forms and see how they work for you before resorting to injections though. B12 isn't toxic - infact hydroxocobalamin is used at 5000x the amount in one top-up injection to treat cyanide poisoning. Good to keep B9 levels up as well - as you need B9 to absorb B12 ... and a lot of the things that the body uses B12 for also need B9.

[cefjarth]

My NHS doctor(2 of them) refused to help me. Went to my old family GP(not from uk) who injected me a few times and has now given me a bagful of syringes. I will be getting b12 ampoules form ARNIKA in Germany. A bit nervous to self inject for first time but I know it's crucial for my health. There is a serious lack of knowledge in this country as well as absokutee disinterest and lack of caring from NHS docs. Do yourself. Good luck! Ps there is also a relatively new one on market called neurobion(includes other b vitamins). Apparently very good.

[cefjarth]

My NHS doctor(2 of them) refused to help me. Went to my old family GP(not from uk) who injected me a few times and has now given me a bagful of syringes. I will be getting b12 ampoules form ARNIKA in Germany. A bit nervous to self inject for first time but I know it's crucial for my health. There is a serious lack of knowledge in this country as well as absokutee disinterest and lack of caring from NHS docs. Do yourself. Good luck! Ps there is also a relatively new one on market called neurobion(includes other b vitamins). Apparently very good.

[fumanchu]

We argued and printed off stuff from professional bodies and in the end the doc agreed to change my hubby to 8 weekly. Over the years he has needed it more often though and is now down to 4 weekly.

[Chocolate41]

My GP was the same.I bought a spray from Amazon and it really does work.My injections ran out after 8 was not due until 28th November.It took 3 days to work but I feel great now .Good luck

[dottydolittle in reply to Chocolate41]

just used the sublingual spray - hope it works . fingers and tongue crossed

[Waen]

I spoke to my GP. He looked up the guidelines and agreed with me and now have jabs every 8 weeks rather than 12.

[dottydolittle in reply to Waen]

your GP thinks