Needle size

[Andypandy30]

This is what iv used for Im if anyone can tell me if they’d be ok for trying sc in tummy . Orange 25 g 1 inch

[jarlethblue]

I personally find that 5/8 or half inch needles are more comfortable for subcutaneous injections in tummy.....but your would need the 1 inch needle to get the B12 out of the ampoule as the 1/2 are not long enough. J

[Andypandy30 in reply to jarlethblue]

Thank u . I know I need to order these and didn’t want to wait about

[pvanderaa]

You can try only going in half the length of the needle or going in at an angle. Also depends on how much fat is under your skin. Try to avoid hitting a blood vessel as you will get bruising under the skin and may get a super rush from the B12 in the blood stream, but then it doesn’t last as long and runs out sooner.

[Andypandy30 in reply to pvanderaa]

Have a bit of weight in around the tummy area was going to do 90 . I’m not sure what you mean about the rush

[pvanderaa in reply to Andypandy30]

The B12 injection into either muscle (IM) or fat (SC) seeps into the blood stream and provide a fairly steady trickle supply to the cells. The IM and SC injections simulate the hepatic loop storage mechanism and depending on exercise and level of activity and level of stress, the cells use up more or less to consume the B12.

If the injection goes into a blood vessel then more B12 is immediately available to the cells and they go into overdrive, first converting it into usable forms of methy-B12 or adenosyl-B12 then using it for methylation of DNA and energy production.

You can feel great or can have other symptoms and side effects from all the byproducts from the cells. This depends of how low your B12 was before the injection.

However, the great feeling doesn’t last long and you feel like you need another injection before your next one is due.

The cells in the body want a small steady supply of B12 and for a normal person the hepatic loop stores B12 and the liver provides the steady trickle into the blood.

[fbirder in reply to pvanderaa]

Sorry, but that's not right.

If your blood contains more than the level of B12 needed then the excess very quickly gets dumped into the urine. You might find that a little bit more goes into the cells (but not much, because the transport mechanism into the cells has a limited capacity). Even if a lot more goes into the cells the cell will still only use what it needs to keep the cell functioning at a normal level.

To suggest that pumping large amounts of B12 into the cell increases the rate of methylation and energy production is just wrong. It's like suggesting that my car will go faster if I put more petrol into it.

Injection do not 'stimulate the hepatic loop storage mechanism'. It will run at the same rate regardless of how much B12 is in the blood. And if you have PA that rate is zero - there is no enterohepatic recirculation because it relies on absorption of B12 from the ileum.

[pvanderaa in reply to fbirder]

Since neither of us is medically trained, I can only state what I’ve experienced. I get a boost for a short time that is more than the boost I get from a normal IM injection. And the B12 runs out sooner if I hit a blood vessel.

It’s like pressing the throttle on a gas engine to use your metaphor.

Also I wrote ‘simulate’ not ‘stimulate’

[Miss-guineapig]

Hi Andyoandy, Orange is maybe a little small, I use the blue (sorry can't confirm size at this very moment). I do IM rather than subcutaneous injection, so blue is perfect for me. I believe the slightly larger bore in the blue makes it less painful. It's more what suits you, either way you can't go wrong, it will be absorbed so no problem. I am a nurse but not an expert on PA...but in time, each and everyone of us will be experts hahaha x

[fbirder in reply to Miss-guineapig]

Yup, the length of needle for IM depends on how much subcutaneous fat there is over the muscle. For many people 1 inch will not be enough to get a proper depot into the muscle tissue. But that doesn't really matter too much. As you say, it will all get absorbed sooner or later.

[Miss-guineapig in reply to fbirder]

You're right, and it's easier to keep things simple I think...the joys! X

[Andypandy30 in reply to fbirder]

Thank u so this needle will be ok for tummy ? With a bit of fat and at 90 degrees