Loading doses

[BarefootHelen]

Ok, so I recieved my B12 injections yesterday and started last night.

Many of my symptoms are neurological, tingling in finger tips, numbness in toes, difficulty walking after being seated or sleeping for a while. Memory problems etc.

I am also have a bad bout of IBS at the moment so know my digestion is shot as well.

So, the accounts I have read have said that with neurological symptoms you can do the loading doses closer together - i.e everyday.

I am thinking that I will do 6 injections daily and then maybe one every other day to make it up to 10.

Am interested in other's experience here.

Thanks in advance.

Helen.

[fbirder]

The recommended regimen is every other day.

My guess is that this keeps blood levels as high as possible. More frequent injections may not get levels any higher. Once B12 in the blood gets high enough any excess jest gets eliminated in the urine.

[deniseinmilden]

If you are doing them yourself you have the luxury of tailoring your program to suit your body.

Most of the UK guidelines suggest every other day but other countries do other things and I think in Holland and a few others they do weekly loading doses. The guidelines are always "one size fits all" and only work for some people. Do what works for you!

For some the sudden high rate, when the body has become used to being very frugal with its resources, is too much and it causes acne and a lot of acute nerve responses. You can often feel worse before you get better and I think doing the loading doses less aggressively might help that.

If I was given the chance to go back to the start of my treatment again I think I would do my second jab on the 3rd day and then maybe wait 3 or 4 days before the next one. I'd then repeat that and see what response I got before deciding if I should increase or decrease the frequency of the injections.

This is only my non-scientific opinion but once you start, I think the most critical thing is to do another one as soon as you feel your body might want it and ideally just before! Keep going like this until your neurological symptoms have gone and then only space them out enough that they don't return.

For example if you feel your symptoms might be returning at 8 weeks then do another jab at 7 weeks to keep yourself topped up. You might start to feel them at 10 days so do your next jab at 9 days and repeat that.

I got better if I got my jabs before I needed them but I suffer damage which takes ages to repare every time my body gets short.

Good luck!

P.S. Sometimes a jab will hurt. Don't worry: try a different site and know that it will be better next time!

[BarefootHelen in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thank you Denise.

The night after my first jab I didn't sleep at all, last night was better but still some broken sleep, so thinking that I should probably do them in the morning instead.

I am a strong proponent of listening to your body and doing what is right for you rather than a blanket approach, so am just listening carefully and will adjust where necessary.

Thanks for your advice though. Always helpful to see how other people have experienced this.

Helen x

[chatycafy]

That sounds correct. I can't remember how I started, I was very, very anemic. I believe I have 4 shots once a week for a week, then biweekly and finally once a month. I inject myself once a month.... for over 20 years now. You may also need to supplement with other vitamins and minerals for the rest of your life if you have IF antibodies.

[NovicePA]

Can't comment on the frequency of jabs myself, but can tell you that when my IBS is under control I feel a lot more energised. Has your doctor told you about the FODMAP diet? It is clinically proven to help around 80% (or similar) of sufferers and it has sure helped me. As soon as I eat one of the foods I have now identified as being a problem for me I feel as though I have lead weights in my boots and it then often results in IBS symptoms. Not always the IBS bit now as I think I don't eat enough of the bad stuff to really set me off, but still enough to drag me down.

Can't recommend it highly enough for PA sufferers with digestive issues.

[Stroodsue]

Hiya

After my loading doses, 6 over 3weeks I "crashed" I was feeling awful again. I was told come back in 12 weeks.... Noooo. I went back 4 weeks later begging for jab. Nope.

This went on until 12 weeks. Had jab, brilliant! Better, felt human! However. Didn't last. Returned to be told go away see you 12 weeks.

It was then I decided to diy. Wonderful. I basically started my loaders asgai. I'm now, a year later having my stab weekly, sooner if my pins occur.

It's a simple case of as others have said... Listen to your body! Do what it needs, when.