B12 Injections

[Proudie]

Went to Hospital as B12 not working for me. Gastroenterology doctor told me that reason could be the fact injection always given in arms. As i have been on it for 10years he thinks that like diabetes it stops absorbing  if not moved around body. Any one else heard this.

[wedgewood]

I have never heard of this. To me it doesn't sound right. Are you getting enough Folate(B9) This is needed for the B12 to do its work properly. Have you developed a new condition eg Thyroid problem?---often goes with P,A. I'm sure that you will get many more posts on this. I am curious to know if anyone else has heard this.  Very best wishes. 

[proudie10 in reply to wedgewood]

Hi yes I have PA and Thyroid problems. He said that some people stop absorbing it. As the muscle can't take it after a while. So it should be rotated to leg stomach thigh as well as arm. I get it every 8 weeks. So will see next week.!!!! 

[engels]

Sounds like nonsense to me.

[Lisahelen]

Just spoken to a friend who has had long term diabetes, injecting 4 times daily. He says its bad to use the same site, in respect of it causes a fatty layer of tissue to break through before you even reach the muscle, so that makes what your gastro said about using different sites make sense.

Not sure only one every two months would make that happen though, doesnt seem overly excessive, your injection site should surely have healed in that time.

[fbirder]

Total nonsense. Where on earth does he think all that stuff I've been sticking in my arms for the last 9 months is going? Is it really still sitting in the muscles? And what about clivealive? He's been getting in into his muscles once a month for 45 years!

[Proudie in reply to fbirder]

Hes a Hospital Doctor he said its because the muscle doesn't absorb it after a while if in same place? I'm no expert but i was complaining that in Spain when i get it I always feel better, same injections as i take them with me from here. But to be fair they do it in my hip. I know my Vit D is very low here. So maybe sun helps there too. But I feel really crap. Pain in legs, arms, head, mouth ulcers,confusion,sighs.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Not heard of this and does sound very unlikely if you are receiving injections every 8 weeks.

Some people have an auto-immune response to high levels of B12 in blood - creates a vitamin that binds with the B12 keeping it in the blood and stopping it getting through to cells where it is needed though I get the impression that is a problem that occurs from day 1 rather than occurring years later.  The research seems to indicate that keeping B12 levels so high that there is more B12 in the blood than the body can produce anti-bodies to seems to work as a treatment strategy ... which is rather different from not being able to absorb it.

B12 is usually injected intramuscular whilst insulin is injected subcutaneously which is probably where the fat issue comes in for insulin - though I think there are other factors that mean it would be better not to have the injections in the same location.  Never heard of B12 injections being given in the stomach - this is a sight for sub-q rather than intramuscular ... so another cause for doubt.

Getting B12 into blood is only part of the story so there could be something else going on - like a methylation problem - though again that sounds unlikely if the lack of effectiveness is a new thing.

Sounds more probable that it may not actually be the B12 itself but something else that is going on - particularly given the overlap with other conditions such as thyroid and vit D deficiency.

[Proudie]

I don't agree with what the doctor said i'm just letting people hear what he said. And asking what you all think. The problem is not new had problems from the beginning went to hospital as B12 is still low regardless of the injections. That's why doctor sent me to hospital. The rest was doctors reply. He confused me with his reply no tests or anything done to find out why no better even having injections.

[deniseinmilden]

Oh dear, I really feel for you.  I am baffled as to why and how medics can be so ill informed and determined not to help people.  Fine: if the arms don't work suggest other solutions to the problem! 

I just think your body needs more B12 and supporting supplements, wherever, however, to make you feel better! 

With nothing to lose I gave up on the Drs and do my own daily injections and take extras to help metabolise the B12. 

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Proudie

I've been having b12 in my arms every four weeks for 44 years and I'm still "clivealive" at coming up to 75 so something must still be working...

[Lilnicki]

Perhaps your folate has become too low now ?