My injections are 3 monthly but the improvment runs out after 5-6 weeks. I haven't the courage to self inject but a friend, who trained as a radiographer many years ago but hasn't been one for many years, has offered to inject me in the upper outer quadrant of my buttocks.
I am thinking about his offer. Is this a suitable site please and is there any else I should take into consideration.
Personally I have had over 600 B12 injections during the past 45 years and the nurse has always jabbed me in one or other arm into the muscle just to side and about three inches down from the top of the shoulder.
Have you had your Folate checked as this and B12 help your iron to make red blood cells?
Hi clivealive
My GP said the same to me this am on the phone. I feel exhausted.He said my ferritin is low but HB okay!!!! Said I am low in iron but not anaemic. I do not understand am I thick or what?
I cannot tolerate oral iron and he said he would refer me to gastro for an iron infusion. I am so exhausted each day I get more tired. Have u got any tips? Thanks
Sorry, I'm not medically trained but I have had to take 1 – Folic Acid 400μg and 1 – Iron Ferrous Fumarate 210mg tablets for more years than I can remember and I too had to be started with iron injections way back in the 1970s.
However my P.A. is as a result of having had two thirds of my stomach removed at the age of 17 due to a perforated peptic ulcer but I'm still "clivealive" and over 75
Did you remember to mention your Folate level to your doctor?
There is a complex interaction between folic acid, vitamin B12 and iron. A deficiency of one may be "masked" by excess of another so the three must always be in balance.
Folic acid is crucial for proper brain functioning and plays an important role in mental and emotional health and works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body. Vitamin B9 works with vitamins B6 and B12 and other nutrients in controlling the blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine.
I wish you well.
clivealive Unfortunately the only place he feels confident enough to be able to give me the injection is my buttocks. He is not willing to use any other place, hence my question.
I've been getting injections in the buttocks for the past 25 years as I don't have enough muscle in my arms. I have now started to self inject in my thighs and find it painless and am delighted. Good luck and no need to worry. I'm 68 and started si two weeks ago and now wonder why I didn't do it sooner. It actually doesn't hurt.
Hi carer999
There are several alternative sites for IM injections. As a nurse, I was taught to give in the side of the thigh (put heel of hand on knee, other on hip, spread fingers, give injection into area between 2nd and 3rd fingers of each hand).
I checked out YouTube, put in 'Giving muscular injection thigh' and got these links, (but I didn't watch any videos) youtube.com/results?search_...
You could change search ref to buttocks, arms etc to suit your preference. The link above does cover lots of helpful-looking videos.
Good luck
Hi carer999 In the UK I have injections in my arms when I am away in Europe the injections have been given in the buttocks as you describe and when I self inject I do so in my thigh all intra muscular. Hope this helps
butterflyEi is this a B12 injection you have in the buttocks. I think my friend knows how to inject and I just want to check that the B12 will reach my system and have the same effect as when I have the injection in the arm at my doctor's surgery.
Hi carer999
Have a look at this link which I hope may help you
youtube.com/watch?v=dYWmLP8...
I am not a medical person but I do not see why the efficacy of the B12 will be any different going into the buttock muscle rather than the arm muscle.
Alternating injection site…
B12 self injection
Day after B12 injection 
b12 injection self
