B12 Side Effects

[Hayley31]

I have been self injecting every one or two weeks which seems to be working well for me....however, due to being badly organised I left my jab for 3 weeks, and my symptoms began to return, now I've had one injection and I have side effects like feels as though my heart is missing a beat, slight head pressure, and feeling like I have to take a deep breath every so often (like my breathing has slowed down or something) and dizziness. These are the types of symptoms I used to get when I used to wait for months on end between injections, then give myself loading doses which used to make me really ill....pottasium drop I think. I have been on a much more even keel since I started having them every one or two weeks. Being as I have side effects again, when will it be safe to inject again, I still have all the B12 deficiency symptoms, they came back by the end of the 3 weeks I didn't inject. I don't want my heart to stop or anything...really scared....want to get better and get back on that even keel but want to be safe....I have spoken to GP who is aware I self inject, they can't advise one way or the other about it as it's not their guidelines. The self injecting is something I do myself out of desperation.

[clivealive Forum Support]

Hi Hayley31 It would seem to me that you need B12 more frequently than most and there are others in this community who self inject every day.

Fortunately you cannot overdose on B12 as any excess is excreted via your urine.

Have a read of the article below - click on the link

stichtingb12tekort.nl/weten...

Do you know what your current Folate level is?

I am not a medically trained person but I've had Pernicious Anaemia (a form of B12 deficiency) for more than 46 years.

I wish you well.

[Sleepybunny]

Has your GP checked your potassium levels?

[deniseinmilden]

I know what you mean! I get that if my B12 isn't working due to a lack of at least one of my supporting supplements.

I gasp (and get so I struggle to breath) if I get short of iron and particularly heme iron.

Like everyone I'm wary to recommend anything beyond going with what you think is best and seems to suit you.

If it was me, I'd try to get back to what was working ASAP and continue with that.

Make sure you have all the supporting nutrients you need - possibly by taking a broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement plus extra folate, potassium, magnesium and iron, particularly heme iron from eating red meat and fish.

[Ajane]

I would beg to differ with your GP. The guidelines state that if you have neurological symptoms, the GP should be injecting you every other day until there is no further improvement. However, if you’ve found a GP that is happy for you to self-inject, that’s brilliant...and rare!

All the very best 😊

[Ryaan]

I also recommend to carry on with what was working for you. If symptoms return in 3rd week then inject every 2 weeks and see how it goes.

You might have a deficiency of something else. You mentioned Iron, but you also get shortness of breath and some other symptoms you mentioned if you’re low on Folic Acid (Folate£.

I inject every 2 weeks as my symptoms return In 3rd week. I been self injecting for 2 years.

I had been having shortness of breath for last couple of months so I had to ask my gp for 5mg Folic Acid as I had shortness of breath 2 years ago and was low on Folate so gp gave me 5mg Folic Acid and the problem went away.

Low iron can also do the same so you need to maintain good levels.

So B12, Iron andFolate ho hand in hand so all three need to be in good range for B12 to work properly.

I wouldn’t have loading dosesi if it makes you feel like that, it does happen as it happened to me with loading doses. Once every week or preferably once every 2 weeks will still build up your levels pretty quick, just not quick as loading doses.

Loading doses don’t suit everyone as I mentioned I had similar problem so I had 1 injection a week for about 12 weeks and then reduced to 1 in 2 weeks due to return of symptoms in 3rd week.

Now I’m permanently on 1 every 2 weeks.

The potassium thing I don’t know much about but is worth getting tested incase it’s low if your Gp is willing.

Figs and dates have everything you’re body needs and they are the most nutritional of all foods, consider including them in your diet.

There was a study done and it said you could live on figs and water or dates and water your whole life and need nothing else. This is an established fact.

There’s an oil called Black Seed oil which you take 1 5ml spoon a day (you can add to tea because it has a strong taste) it does wonders.

You can try 1 bottle usually 100ml and feel the difference. It’s well worth a try.

The above are nutrional foods and not replacement for medical needs. but are superb and make a huge difference in overall well-being.

Hope this helps.

[Hayley31]

Thanks for all your responses...I think I probably just need to stay at one every 1 - 2 weeks, no more, no less....I think it shocked me that symptoms/side effects could come back after only leaving it for 3 weeks. I will go back to that plan, I have had pottasium levels checked when I have been a lot worse than this before, and they have always been within range, but I also take a multi-vit with folic acid and iron and D3 and when I have side effects I drink a lot of coconut water, which seems to help. Thanks.