Pain and tingling after self injection of B12

[LeanneMarie87]

My partner injected my b12 for me last night into my upper thigh and it was more painful than usual as he injected the fluid. He had to go fairly slowly and he said there was a lot of resistance on the plunger.

Almost immediately my whole body started to tingle and I began twitching in various muscles, this lasted a couple of hours before I was able to fall asleep.

I’ve awoken this morning to a aching/numb thigh and knee however on the injection side and the site of the injection is sore to the touch.

Anyone experienced this?

(This is my third self injection in this thigh in as many weeks allbeit all spaced a few inches apart, I plan on swapping thighs next time. I know rookie mistake!)

[LeanneMarie87]

Also not sure if it’s relevant but I also started with a cough straight after which is sill present this morning

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Sorry that you are feeling so achey this morning. It may be that your cells now have enough B12 to start functioning more efficiently and so pain signals that didn't get through before are starting to get through but your brain hasn't yet adjusted to the signals being stronger.

LeanneMarie87 - the reference to resistance may mean that the needle was slightly blunt.

Are the injections intra-muscular or sub-cutaneous? Was the needle changed between drawing the B12 out of the vial and injecting - touching the glass of the vial can blunt the needle. Is there any discolouration in the skin/bruising where you did the injection which would indicate that you hit a blood vessel? It isn't dangerous and is something that we all do from time to time.

I inject subcutaneously using an insulin needle - I don't change needles and don't always manage to avoid touching the vial with the needle - which means that sometimes it does take more pressure to push the needle in. Sometimes I do feel more resistance when pushing the plunger in - basically you are injecting into tissue and some tissue may be denser than others meaning that it's harder work. Its a bit like trying to pump up a tyre - it's quite easy when there isn't air in the tyre but gets more difficult as the tyre pumps up with air.

[LeanneMarie87 in reply to Gambit62]

Thank you so much for your reply Gambit62

I’ve found the injections, which are IM, a little tricky. I hit a blood vessel on my first attempt and on my third attempt managed to hit a nerve so it say I’m nervous about anything out of the ordinary would be an understatement! It seems much better this afternoon and the tingling has gone which is always a good sign so perhaps in was just denser after all!

My partner seems confident in doing them from now on though and he does change from a green to a blue needle after drawing up the b12 solution so hopefully it’s onwards and upwards from here and just another learning curve.

Thank you again for your advice

[JanD236]

If I’m going to have a problem.....it’s hurts, there’s more resistance so that I don’t want to push, it bruises or bleeds it’s always when I si my thigh. I rotate injection sites: left thigh, right thigh, left arm, right arm, left upper outer buttock, right upper outer buttock so that I don’t have to use my thighs too often!

[deniseinmilden]

Just wondered about "a few inches apart"... For me the optimal place is just that and I don't have enough thigh to go a few inches from it! For those who inject twice a day they don't have the advantage of swapping thighs and are still OK. I don't always swap each day (coz I forget or the one due decides to be more sensitive) and still use the same sort of area.

There are pictures online and videos on YouTube which show you the best spot and if you are only using a leg a fortnight, I should try to get it in the same "best spot" - you will never get it in exactly the same place and as your cells are replacing all the time, by then you will be injectiing through different cells anyway!

I hope you get it sorted next time. 😊

[jointpain]

Did your partner by chance blunt the needle drawing up the b12? This may account for some pain and resistance to the plunger. I have just watched a nurse fill a syringe by removing the plunger pouring in the fluid and deftly refitting the plunger while turning it upside down allowing the air to escape. A method I may try tonight as sometimes I am sure I damage the needle drawing up the last of the b12 from the glass ampoule.

[Loza73 in reply to jointpain]

A very valid point, I think I will try that as well as I may damaging the needle by trying to get out every last drop.