B12 Injections & GP - Surgery

[Ritchie1268]

Hello all.

As per my previous posts, was diagnosed with B12 deficiency, Folate deficiency and Pernicious Anemia in April or May 2018.

After talking to my GP 2wks ago about self injecting & him neither agreeing nor disagreeing with me, he asked me to have another B12 blood test to show where my levels were at, even after I explained to him that B12 levels make NO difference whatsoever after being diagnosed, he still wanted me testing 🤔🙄

Anyway, I went for my 3rd 3 monthly B12 injection this morning, then the blood test after, just to keep him happy, knowing full well my levels will be high due to SI every other day anyway!

While having my B12 injection, I asked the nurse what she thought about SI & she was an absolute Star, saying she knows loads of patients that do it due to the daft laws here in the UK & said "Oh don't get me started"!!

To cut a very long story short, she asked me if I wanted her to show me how & where best places were to SI, type of needles etc etc.

I asked her about the sharps box & she said just bring it here & we'll sort that for you!

I couldn't believe just how helpful & understanding she was which was the opposite to my GP.

The nurse asked me what my symptoms were, at the fear of sounding like a hypocondriac, I explained, which I also did to my GP on my last visit. She couldn't believe my GP hasn't referred me to a heamotologist & said she would go see my GP today & explain things to him saying I should have had a referral!

I have now finally managed to actually "Man up" & have been SI every other day for the last 2 weeks & feel loads better for it, where as before i was SI as & when due to my fear of sticking a needle in me.

For those who do need B12 shots regular, but like I did, just stare at the loaded needle for hours, sweating & shaking, it does get much easier the more you do it, I'm a prime example, almost passing out the first time, then not being brave enough, even after doing it 4/5 times after! 🤔

I had a word with myself & told myself, "you either do it, or you'll feel totally crap again" so after 2 weeks it's now becoming second nature to me, so I promise, it does get easier!

I guess I just wanted to let those who are facing struggles with their GP not understanding this horrible

"Forgotten Desease" to never give up & to keep trying until you get through to someone who actually understands the struggles we face daily.

All the very best to everyone facing these struggles.

Ritchie

[fbirder]

Wow! Can we clone your nurse, she sounds wonderful.

She deserves a bunch of flowers.

[Ritchie1268 in reply to fbirder]

fbirder, I thought after leaving the surgery like a weight had been lifted.

I'll make sure she gets a bunch of flowers for being the one who finally understood where I was coming from!

Just a shame the many GP's who people struggle with aren't where they need to be yet & it takes a brilliant nurse, who actually does understand the struggles we face 👍

[Gambit62 Administrator]

was the blood test really done immediately after the B12 injection? rather than just before. If so it was a colossal waste of money as it will have been affected by the injection.

Glad the nurse was good

[Ritchie1268 in reply to Gambit62]

Gambit62 yes it was. That's exactly what I thought, but I also thought it wouldn't show up until around 24hrs after?

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Ritchie1268]

B12 starts getting into the blood stream quite quickly - I know in the past that I've crawled in for an injection and then visibly bounced out ...

The GP may have been wanting to check that you aren't losing the B12 quickly (ie results came back very low) but doing the test after the jab will almost certainly have made it totally meaningless.

[Ritchie1268 in reply to Gambit62]

It does make sense what you're saying.

I must admit, I thought why aren't they doing it the other way around, it didn't make any sense to me at all.

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It's nice to know there are at least some people in the NHS who have sensible opinions about B12 deficiency. I was with a Specialist Nurse Practitioner just a month ago for the work up after a routine annual blood sample give me up as being Diabetic. (The NHS does go off like a firework display when they see that one.)

During the course of her examinations she checked and proved I could not feel her whatever it was she was sticking in my feet so I most have peripheral neuropathy - I have been complaining of that for 2 years now, so I am seeing a Specialist Podiatrist on Thursday - I might get a toenail manicure out of it. I suggested I should be injecting B12 more often and was told there was no need for that and anyway it doesn't need to be a full injection, half a one is enough - that is what she gave her mother (poor Mom). I did suggest she looked at our beloved forum and that was condemned as being a waste of time and full of false information as were the boss's books. So if that sort of attitude is prevalent trying to get the quacks to do anything is a waste of time. It makes me wonder how much of what she was saying about diabetes is worth bothering with. She did though spot a heart problem which has never come up before (atrial fibrillation) so now I am taking 6 tablets in the morning and 5 in the afternoon, when I don't forget.

The NHS certainly gets it knickers in a twist about Diabetes what with specialist concentration camp style nurses, special eye tests, special podiatry and one day courses to tell you how to live with it. And that is just for starters. They are so much laid back about B12 deficiency, but of course that was all sorted out years ago and the government aren't getting all upset about it. We need a group of high profile politicians and entertainers to die of it to concentrate the official mind.