Just completed first self-injection session for B12, some questions....

[ARRozental]

Hello

I have just completed my first B12 intramuscular self-injection into the outer thigh. It seemed to go relatively smoothly, but I do have some observations and questions. Firstly, my B12 comes in an ampoule and I found extracting it from the B12 with a thicker green needle then switching to a thinner orange needle rather cumbersome. As such, would it be a better idea to stick with the orange needle for extraction and injection?

Secondly, regarding aspiration- Just after inserting the needle, I pulled back on the syringe plunger slightly to check for blood entering the syringe and did not find any (although the colour of the B12 liquid makes it difficult to see and contrast it with any blood). However, after removing the needle, there was some bleeding (not a great amount, just some small bubbles) for which I applied a plaster. Does this mean that I aspirated incorrectly and injected into a blood vessel? Should I change my technique in future?

Thirdly, regarding the attachment of the needle to the syringe- I use the terumo syringes with the separate attachable needles. The needles come out of the packet with a plastic cover that shields the needle. I found myself unable to attach the needle without first removing the plastic cover as my attempt to remove the cover with the needle attached to the syringe caused me to pull the needle off the syringe end. I was careful not to touch the needle itself whilst attaching it (I only handled the green/orange needle 'mount' on one end) . Was I ok in attaching the needle in this way, or should I practise attaching the needle with the plastic cover in place then removing it when the needle is attached?

Hopefully, I have done everything safely, but I must admit to feeling a bit nervous as this was my first time injecting myself with anything. I washed my hands before doing anything and wiped the ampoule and injection site on my thigh with alcohol swabs before injecting, so hopefully I was at least sanitary.

Thanks

[Foggyme Administrator]

Hi ARRozental. To answer your questions...

1) changing needles is recommended because the drawing up needle can get 'blunted' when it touches the sides of the glass ampoule. Injecting can be slightly more uncomfortable if the needle is not super sharp. So, up to you (I sometimes use the same needle if I'm in a hurry).

2) it's not necessary to 'draw-back' when doing a B12 IM injection in the thigh (though other medications may require this). If you did 'hit' a vessel in the muscle when injecting, this would not cause you to inject the B12 into a vessel (the vessels in that area are quite small and would collapse before the B12 could be injected. (Also worth noting that high dose injections of B12 (5g) are given IV to treat cyanide poisoning, so even were it possible, it would not hurt you). Sometimes an injection site bleeds a little when a vessel is nicked in the process of injecting - doesn't mean you've done anything wrong - a little pressure and a plaster's the right way to go.

3) always better to try and attach the needle to the syringe whilst the plastic cover is in place. Prevents potential contamination of the needle prior to injection and also reduces the possibility of needle stick injuries.

Also - no need to wipe the ampoule with an alcohol swab - just be sure not to touch the outer ampoule with the needle when drawing up the B12. And swabbing prior to injection's not required (can also cause stinging if the area is not left to dry before injecting).

Washing hands first - hurrah 😉😀.

Sounds like you've be done a good job - and yes, the first one is very scary...it gets much easier once you done it a few times and gain a little confidence.

Well done 👍

[JMN2017]

Hi ARRozental

Congratulations on completing your first injection. That's the worst over with

A tip regarding fitting the needle to the syringe and removing the cover -

1 - twist the syringe as you push the syringe tip firmly into the needle

2 - then, just 'pull' the cover off the needle

Handling the syringe and needle/cover etc improves with practice. Perhaps practice all this using a needle and syringe just for that purpose. Also, practice injecting into an orange/similar while holding it with the other hand. You'll soon get very comfortable with it all. Well done

I totally agree with all that Foggyme has advised

[deniseinmilden]

The answers you have already got have said it all better than I would have done!!

Very well done on your first jab and congratulations on starting to get your life back!

Your body will need a wide range of vitamins and minerals to make the B12 work properly and so you may well benefit from taking a broad spectrum multivitamin and mineral supplement plus extra folate, while making sure that your diet is rich in potassium, magnesium and iron.

Good on you!

[fbirder]

In addition to Foggyme ’s excellent answer...

Slight bleeding will happen if the needle passes through a small vein in the skin - just like a small pinprick would bleed a little. Do an internet search for z-track injection method for how to minimise this.

I, too, find those covers too tight. When I’m preparing for and injection I use a pair of forceps to loosen the cover. I hold the cover and put the jaws of the forceps on the plastic part of the needle and lever the needle out a fraction. Then I push the cover back on loosely.