Does it matter if you don't alternate sites.

[Marymary7]

Hi lovely people. Does it matter if I do not alternate arms when I inject my disabled brother who has M.S and b12 problems. After jabbing his good arm and causing it to still ache and hurt weeks later, I have to jab the weak, unusable arm as he was worried about damage to his only good arm. Will this matter, he's only having Methylcobalamin twice a week at the moment and sadly so far no improvement...except appetite . We started in October last year.

I have watched films about getting it in the right spot and mostly the injections are very rarely causing actual pain going in. I am just worried what have I done to his 'good' arm?

Thanks,

M😀

[Lisahelen]

You could use the thigh as an alternative. Take a look at utube if you want to see where to put it.

[Marymary7 in reply to Lisahelen]

Thanks, sorry but he's my brother so doesnt feel right and he is so disabled it takes him an hour to dress as one arm and one leg are dead weights with no muscle, he is over 6ft tall and heavy now, I don't think I could undress him or dress him on my own and he's exhausted doing it. He has to flop into bed after his shower before he can try to dress as so fatigued...so sad for my younger brother.

[pvanderaa]

Using the arm with the injection site releases more B12 into the blood stream. The B12 doesn't damage the arm.

It will still release on the unused arm but at a slower rate and may last longer.

Also for me when I inject, it is the old site that hurts. By injecting the same site you are adding insult to injury. The B12 binds to muscle and the nerves are probably being sensitized.

I find a get a boost when I use the muscle were I last injected. I suspect more B12 is being released into the bloodstream by using the muscle.

[Marymary7]

Doesn't seem to be helping at all, the whole thing is so sad. Neglected by his doctor. Dr Chandy said he has subacute combined degeneration...so could be that the nerve damage is unrepairable.

[pvanderaa in reply to Marymary7]

If it is repairable, the progress is very slow and any set back can undo weeks of progress.

I used a logbook to monitor my progress over years and although I do have some permanent damage, I know I have improved in many symptoms and I'm getting to some semblance of "normal".

Stress and pessimism seem to make matters worse. Knowing that you are progressing, no matter how slow the pace gives optimism and seems to also help in the healing.

For my logbook I used short term memory tests from the Internet, games of mahjong, physical range of motion - gentle exercises, swimming, etc.

Finding a marker symptom that can be assesssed on a daily basis and scored is one way to see results - both good and bad - from changes in diet, medication and lifestyle.

Good luck

[Marymary7 in reply to pvanderaa]

Thanks. It's the fact that one arm and leg are useless so he is trapped. Can only stagger around his tiny flat by holding onto walls dragging his useless leg. Only watches tv he can't concentrate to read etc. I say to play patience on his laptop but he won't/can't. It's making me despair now too. He thinks the nerves can't be repaired, I'm surprised he's letting me jab him for these months.

[pvanderaa in reply to Marymary7]

Being a care giver can be so stressful as well. How are your B12 levels?

Don't mean to pry but did he lose the use of the arm and leg from an accident or from the deficiency?

Any issues with gluten or dairy? He me these intestinal issues showed up about the same time I was diagnosed with the B12D

[Marymary7 in reply to pvanderaa]

Hi. thanks. Yes i think im low too but not gone to docs for four years as he said to stop my thyroid meds and i cant so keep getting them on auto. John has been misdiagnosed according to dr chandy and has nerve damage in leg and arm from sub acute combined spinal damage. Muscles have withered and hand is clawlike. So sad for my brother. He tried to go gluten free but his idea didnt count pork pies so hopeless.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

injecting into the same spot all the time can cause problems - think it makes the skin thicken slightly - its not recommended in any treatment. Wouldn't be so much of an issue if there is a significant gap between injections but if you are doing every day/every other day you definitely need to be rotating the site in some way.

[Marymary7]

Thank you, I will tell my brother. I think he was fearful of making his good arm useless as it was still hurting from one or two injections in it probably months ago and refused to let me alternate. I don't know what else I can do for him, it's not helping anyway....I can't think what else I can do for him generally if this doesn't work he will lose his will to live. He is very down at the moment.

I'm thinking maybe trying Hydroxy jabs instead as other people say they react differently to both. Dr. Chandy said Methyl as already the most converted form for serous damage as in this case. He has methylfolate drops, vit D3, K2, magnesium spray which he doesn't like as it's sticky and refuses to take any more pills! He has other stuff from the Doctor who I blame for this neglect. Gabapentin for nerve pain and Lorasapam. Run out if options now....his independence fading fast.

[deniseinmilden]

There are several people who do 2 IM injections of hydroxocobalamin per day and if they are using their thighs then they can't alternate. The same would apply to arms. Many diabetics do SC injections 5x a day, every day.

It is important that he gets a balance of all the supporting supplements needed to make the extra B12 work. Have you considered grinding up tablets in a mini food processor or coffee grinder?

I use Marmite sandwiches to "hide" some of the things I take and I think my body processes them better if eaten with food too!

He is so lucky to have you! Do you look after yourself as well? I do hope so!

Hydroxocobalamin seems to work pretty well for most people so could be worth trying. It is also available in 1.5 mg in 1 ml ampoules (one and a half strength) and these may last longer between jabs. They are only a few pence dearer than the standard ones so work out cheaper in quality of ingredient terms. I get Pascoe brand ones from versandapo.de

Keep going! Keep trying! Good on you! x

[Marymary7 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thanks deniseinmilden yes it is a struggle for us both but I am lucky compared to my decent, kind, once hardworking brother, he's going nuts with this illness disability and loneliness

I am on the thyroid site on this trying to sort me out! Another story.

[deniseinmilden in reply to Marymary7]

Some of the "cofactors", particularly folate and potassium seem to make quite a difference to your mental perception of life, anxiety levels and such like. If I'm thinking bleak thoughts it usually means I need more potassium = sandwich time!

I hope you get your health improvement too! x

[Marymary7 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thanks, yes I look into it all I can. I try to get him to eat the things he needs like potassium. He is good at eating because he is bored. Doesn't have a cooker, he wouldn't be safe. How long I wonder before I know that the b12 will not help? It's been months now since last Oct.

[deniseinmilden in reply to Marymary7]

Hi Mary, I'm not sure. It's hard to say... if he was tested as low B12 and then is getting enough of the right sort of B12 and the right balance of the supporting supplements then he should get some improvements pretty much straight away but they are several big "ifs" to achieve, hence why the extra suggestions.

If you do get everything right and there is no improvement then you have to look into other things too.

[Marymary7 in reply to deniseinmilden]

Thanks for the advice. Today talking after jabbing him, he said he is a bit better because he no longer has to lie down after the least exertion and he used to say to me he felt like he was dying so that's the first positive improvements he has admitted too after being very negative.

I went to try to buy some Hydroxy but could not understand the German site. I can get it from Intravita but the sizes look funny. Such a lot to learn. 1000iu 2ml ?

[Hillwoman]

Could you persuade your brother to continue the magnesium spray by applying it to the affected muscle between injections? It does feel sticky, but it can help localised muscle pain.

I have to inject magnesium (on prescription, for very low intracellular Mg) into my thigh, and injection does seem to cause some tissue injury with persistent discomfort. I do it once or twice a week and vary the sites within the appropriate area. Ironically, it's probably my low Mg levels which are contributing to the muscle pain.

[Arnold_Layne]

Hello again Mary. I came across this thread about injecting B12: forums.phoenixrising.me/ind...