Hi I am looking at starting to self inject and have found a German pharmacy called Versandapo and the B12 depot is in a box of 10 - 1mg each. They are 8.49 euros for a box of 10. Does this seem ok and is there anything else I need to check for? Also please could anyone give advice on what needles to get ?
Thank you so much.
Versandapo.de is a good online German pharmacy . I have dealt with them for about 2 1/2 years . Very reliable . They use a courier to deliver , and that costs €9.00 . Because I need to inject weekly , I buy 100 at a time. , costing € 48.00 . Courier costs the same no matter how many you buy. The use -by date is about 2 1/2 years on.
You will need to get needles and syringes from Medisave.co.uk.
For withdrawing the B12 from the ampoule — Terumo AGANI Needle —21Gx 1 1/2 “ ( 0.8 x 38mm)
To inject into your thigh —Terumo AGANI Needle 25G x 1” ( 0.5 x 25mm)
Box of Medisave alcohol swabs . And a yellow sharps box for the disposal of the needles ( my chemist disposes of them when full , free of charge. )
You can look for videos on utube , but most of them are not very good .
It can seem daunting at first , but it will become routine , and it won’t bother you a scrap . Best of luck and 👍👍👍
Thank you so much, this is all very helpful and easy to understand. I shall get ordering ! Did it take a while to find what frequency of injections suited you? I was only diagnosed in May and So still finding my way. I don’t know what I would have done without this site to be honest. It’s feels like you’re never on your own with this !
You could just go without an injection until you start to feel a bit unwell ( yes, that’s hortible ) then you know that you need an injection well before that time . Or you could just guess . As we know that you cannot overdose , it doesn’t really matter if you inject a bit too frequently . An injection is so cheap , Well mine costs just over £1.00 as I buy 100 ampoules at a time . An ampoule costs me 55 pence
It’s just great to know that there are people here to help . You need never feel you are alone . I do hope that Martiyn Hooper knows what a great service he has done for us in setting up PAS . . Don’t forget the folate /folic acid. I also take a modest multi vitamin and mineral ( not overloaded with huge amounts of nutrients ) Eat a good diet . If you have PA, you will have low stomach acid , and it’s then good to eat smaller meals more often , and chew your food well . Some people try drinking an acidic drink Like organic apple cider vinegar with mother diluted of course , or lime juice . In bad cases , some people take Betaine Hydrochloric acid with pepsin capsules . before meals especially with meat meals . But I wouldn’t take these without advice from a nutritionist or a dietician . Another natural remedy is Swedish Bitters ,a mixture of herbs , which you can soak in gin or vodka for a couple of weeks at least and then strain ( sounds fun! ) Very very bitter , but good for the digestion where there is a lack of acid .You just take a small glassful before meals .
Anyhow , wishing you all the very best . in what you are about to undertake ! Well done to you !
A quick way to order your ampoules (Hydroxocobalamin) from German on line pharmacies (1mg x 1ml Rotexmedica ) is just to search with the pharmaceutical reference number(PZN) .For a pack of 10 it’s 03862297. and for 100 it’s
03862305 . All pharmacies in Germany use these numbers for ordering .
Wedgewood you’re a wealth of information thank you so much! I like the sound of soaking things in Gin as G&T is my thing! Luckily haven’t suffered any gastric type problems but will bear in mind. Still can’t get the doctors words of “really and truly b12 deficient patients only need one shot a year, the rest is just placebo effect”!!!
Hello Mandymoos8 it is wonderful that you have got such experienced people as wedgewood to be able to assist you with how to get your B12, syringes,needles, Medical swabs etc. I live in Australia so could not give you any advice like you have had from the people living in your area.
The only suggestion that I could add and it’s personal choice is B12 can be administered into the thigh as already mentioned and it can also be administered into the abdomen (tummy below your umbilical area (belly button). You have to get smaller needles for that type of administration and I have been in touch with a couple of people on here who already do it and a couple who have switched over and find it much easier to give and less painful.
There are some people who have medical reasons that they can only give it in the thigh and some people who have medical reasons that they can only do it in the tummy.
I agree with wedgewood that it wont be long and it will become like second nature to you,
All the best
Melbourne-Girl
🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀🍀
Thank you Mrlbourne Girl that’s very helpful and nice to know that hopefully soon I will be ordering and administrating the shots as easily as you guys and hopefully be able to pass on the wisdom at some stage too ! I think I’ve got it all sorted what to order except the gauge of the needle - is 27g the width? I’ve watched loads of you tube videos now and they speak about 25 width being the best for the thigh? Thank you again x
Yes Mandymoos8! It must seem all a little overwhelming right now for you! wedgewood explained it very well above the 21g 1x 1/2 (0.8x38mm) for drawing up the B12
25Gx1 (0.5x25mm) for injecting into thigh.
If you ever decide to try injecting into the tummy you need smaller needles for giving the injections & it would be advisable to seek help from your Dr or Nurse re the areas you can give it in,
All the best xx
M.G. 🍀🍀🍀
Wedgwood is so kind and so knowledgeable. He helped me enormously. I feel so lucky to have found this forum. I am on no 5 now. You will get the hang of it in no time
Hiya MandyMoos8,
I use Versandapo and the B12 depot ampoules box of 10 X 1mg ampoules.
I inject every other day otherwise symptoms return. Before injecting I trawled t'internet for advice and videos and found this is the better demonstration of how to self inject:
youtu.be/Xp9V5Ygotc4; he also has Pernicious Anaemia.
Good luck.
Jane
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