If you have Pernicious Anaemia , it could be a good idea , because you will have low or no stomach acid which vitamins and minerals need so that they can be absorbed well . Otherwise you you are doing the right thing . I have never heard that injecting B12 leads to depletion of other vitamins, except that you need larger amounts of B9 ( folic acid) , which you are supplementing anyhow .
I would take 400mcg of folic acid (vitamin B9) a day . This is the recommended daily allowance . You will also be getting folate( vitamin B9) if you have a good diet. No need to take larger amounts on injection days .
I’m on 400ug not 400mcg. Am I under supplementing as I do get the feelings of ‘hard to breathe’, the ‘sighs’. Do you think it’s because I’m taking too low dosage as I’ve had really bad breathing difficulty (sighs) in the past and I was low on Folate so my GP gave me 5mg Folic Acid and I remember that feeling totally went away !.....hence I also asked this question about depletion of vitamins as I know I’m missing something.
You think I should take 5mg again or just up it to 400mcg. Any side effects of taking 5mg ?.....I think that could be the cause.
there! i knew something - haha! thanks Ryaan. I self inject for my first time yesterday afternoon. it was pretty intense I’ve been a member of this forum for a while, but I also am in thyroid UK and have much much more to learn.
It helps to warm up the B12 ampule in your hand by closing your fist if refrigerated, and injecting slowly. I usually count to 20 in my head whilst injecting. Is almost painless like that.
The processes that use B12 in the body require a wide range of vitamins and minerals to happen.
If your body has a problem absorbing or metabolising (using) one thing you may have a problem with others. This may mean your extra B12 isn't working as well as it could because it doesn't have all the right "ingredients" or it uses up all your body's supplies of something until that also becomes deficient.
Everyone is different but you may need, or at least do better with, a broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement plus extra folate, potassium, magnesium and iron.
See clivealive 's excellent posts on folate deficiency which can be helped by taking folic acid.
If you have been short of folate in the past you could well be deficient again and if your symptoms go when you supplement it would suggest this is the case.
Folic acid is relatively safe to take, even in high doses. The 5mg tablets that your Dr gave you are the same as taking 12 and a half of the 400mcg/ug ones.
If you take a multivitamin and mineral supplement it will give you some of the extra potassium, magnesium and iron that you may need and you can try to get extra from your diet. You could Google these to see which foods you like are rich in these. E.g. Eating bananas gives you more potassium.
A mcg or ug (microgram) is a VERY tiny amount and there are 1000mcg/ug in 1 mg (milligram).
A mg (milligram), although 1000 times bigger than a microgram, is still a tiny amount and there are 1000mg in a gram.
There are 1000g (grams) in a kg (kilogram) - which is what a standard bag of sugar weighs.
PS I'm very lucky to have an Aunt who taught Latin, Ancient Greek and Classical Civilisation! 😁
Ryan, I met with a hematologist this past week who looked at my lab test results from the past 3-4 years. I have been injecting 1 ml cynacobalim once a month for 12 years but haven't had a problem with other vitamins/minerals being deficient until the past couple of years. My Vitamin D has been low for at least 3 years. My primary care doctor had me take 50,000 units of Vitamin D until I was no longer deficient, then told me to take 3,000 units of D3 daily. But, that has not worked for me. My Vitamin D is still too low. The hematologist advised me that it was better for me to take 50,000 units of Vitamin D3 once a week to keep my Vitamin D from getting too low. The only thing that I know can get low from being used by Vitamin B12 is folate (folic acid?) But, my folate has been too high for the last 3 years, while my RBC, hemoglobin, and hemotacrit is coming up too low. I have an autoimmune problem, as well, and that can prevent the absorption of vitamins. I think I have an absorption problem that is affecting the absorption of the several vitamins and minerals . But, the tests the hemotologist ordered last week will help diagnose the reason for my being low on several of the vitamins and minerals. Although I cannot buy Vitamin D3 in 50,000 units at the pharmacy, it may be available at your pharmacy. I had a prescription for the 50,000 units of Vitamin D3 that I purchased. Good luck.
You can’t buy 50,000 but you can buy 20,000. I took a course of 20,000 and now take 2000iu daily for maintenance. I will see what next blood test shows as figures go but I do feel better in myself.
Thanks again.
I'm glad you are feeling better. If your vitamin D3 is either borderline or low again, you might consider taking 20,000 once a week as that is the advice I was given by the hemotologist last week. I was taking 3,000 units daily but still testing low on Vitamin D. I don't know if you have a digestive problem such as IBS or excess stomach acid, etc. But if you do, you may have a problem absorbing the vitamins.
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