Need b12 injections every 10 days

[lsharp]

I was diagnosed with pernicious anemia over 5 years ago, now age 65. Was put on monthly B12 injections but my level still measured a little low. For the last year I've had to have injections every 10 days and lab test show me at 600. Why do I need injections every 10 days when the norm is monthly. Should I worry about something else?

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi lsharp am I right in assuming you are not in the U.K and are having cyanocobamalin B12 injections?

Do you know what your Folate level is?

It is also important that your Folate level is monitored as this is essential to process the B12.

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.

Symptoms of a folate deficiency can include:

symptoms related to anaemia

reduced sense of taste

diarrhoea

numbness and tingling in the feet and hands

muscle weakness

depression

Folic acid works closely with vitamin B12 in making red blood cells and helps iron function properly in the body.

I was put on the "every four weeks" regimen in 1972 for P.A. but I was finding a return of neurological symptoms in the run up to the next scheduled injections and eventually managed to persuade my "one size fits all" doctor to now let me have them every three weeks and I use a methylcobamalin spray daily to "top me up".

Personally I would have thought that even with cyano a level of 600 (what range was used - pmol/L or pg/ml?) is not very high and you cannot "overdose" on B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine.

Are you having any neurological symptoms or are you just concerned about the level?

I am not a medically trained person but I've had P.A. (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 45 years.

I wish you well

.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

one month is based on an average of how quickly people remove the B12 from their blood - and people aren't averages - some will take a lot longer and some, like you, will do it much quicker. Likely that it is a genetic factor - and as far as I am aware there is nothing to worry about - its just who you are.