Refused jab because I told nurse I’d self injected

[Curlywoo]

Went for my 3 monthly injection and told nurse I had fatigue, neuropathy in hands and feet, swollen sore tongue and disorientation when turning my head and then told her I’d self injected and she asked whose permission I had gained and refused to inject me. My question is, if I now source my own b12 and self inject and don’t go back to doctors, will my GP follow up or just leave it? It’s a life giving treatment and I’m still stunned a nurse who didn’t understand anything about b12/PA let me leave the surgery without my jab. Has anyone else just given up and self administered? Has this been followed up by GP?

[fbirder]

Go see GP and explain that current regimen isn’t good enough. Ask if (s)he would rather prescribe more frequent injections or have you go away and DIY.

[Curlywoo in reply to fbirder]

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I’m considering moving GPs as I’ve recently moved house so hope I get a better response at next surgery.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Sorry that you have had this experience -

the national guidelines have recently been changed to 2-3 months for maintenance shots where there is no neurological involvement - so that could be used to get the frequency increased to at least 2 months - though I suspect that still won't be frequently enough for you.

As fbirder says try speaking to the GP and see what they say - they may be prepared to prescribe more frequently.

I had quite a different experience when I told the nurse who most frequently does my B12 injections - she was very sympathetic and told me to bring in the old sharps bins for disposal. I also told her that the only reason I kept coming in to the surgery was to make sure it stayed on my records.

It is possible - and other people have experienced negative reactions from medical staff when saying that they are self- injecting and in a few cases the GP has refused to get involved further so there really is no way of knowing what will happen in your specific case.

[Curlywoo in reply to Gambit62]

Thanks for replying to me. I continue to be astonished at the lack of understanding and awareness in my local surgery on PA and B12 deficiency. I appreciate that GPs can’t be expected to know every single condition going but it concerns me the lack of knowledge of this condition by nurses who administer the jabs.