I came on here two years ago when first diagnosed with b12 defiency and all it's horrible symptoms and looked at all the advice which was really helpful. I never got specific blood test results with levels on (but tbh never asked dr's for them) but everything always came back fine, normal, etc.
.My symptoms consistently returned 8 weeks after my b12 injection but was told couldn't have them more than every 12 weeks - nice guidelines, levels high, etc
I resorted to self-injecting to keep going until next 12 week injection, didn't really want to do this but felt I had no choice - I don't know whether these supplies aren't as good as the NHS ones but they never got rid of all my symptoms but helped massively to keep me going until next 'proper' injection
I thought I would give my GP's one last try and after another raft of blood tests which, once again, have all come back fine, they have finally agreed to trial me having 2 monthly injections to manage my symptoms as they can find no other cause for them returning and is seen as a better use of resources(!) than me keep going back for tests
So, I basically wanted to say thanks to all of those on here who have helped either knowingly with replies to my previous posts or ones I have read and also to say, keep persevering!!
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Lynne17
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So pleased for you Lynne17 ! Great news . But what I cannot understand is your thinking that the self-injected B12 ampoules are not as effective as the ones used by the NHS . If you use the German Rotexmedica b12 depot ampoules ,obtainable from German online pharmacies (Hydroxocobalamin) they are often used in NHS surgeries .
I'm glad to read your GPs have agreed to try jabs every 8 weeks.
The guidance in BNF (British National Formulary) was changed a few months ago to allow for jabs every 2 or 3 months in patients without neuro symptoms.
Do you have any neurological symptoms eg tingling, pins and needles, numbness, tinnitus, migraine, restless legs, insect crawling sensations, memory problems, balance problems, vertigo, clumsiness, muscle twitches etc?
If yes to neuro symptoms then my understanding is that you should have been on jabs every 8 weeks already. See links below for more info.
"never got specific blood test results with levels on (but tbh never asked dr's for them) but everything always came back fine, normal, etc."
Might be worth checking past blood results and any you get in the in future. I was told everything was normal/no action and I then found abnormal and borderline results on copies.
Many UK GP surgeries have online access to a summary of results. Details will be on your GP surgery website.
It has never seemed sensible to me, having to be sent to one consultant after another rather than work out what all these quite specific symptoms must add up to : there can't be many other options, surely !
Some results are worth a closer look: my folate and ferritin, while coming up as "normal" every time, had been floundering in the doldrums for a long time. Takes a long time to get them to increase and both are important to optimum B12 status.
Right now, I'm working on ferritin levels on GP and Oral medicine consultant's advice. It has remained low for about 3 years despite diet awareness so taking additional supplements.
The reason you did not feel as if your symptoms had gone after self-injecting may have been because some people get worse before they start getting better, or it might be you just needed a bit more than you were allocating for yourself !
Let us hope that your 1 injection every 2 months worked. My cousin does very well on her NHS 1 injection every 6 weeks; a regime that would see me deteriorate which is why I self-inject. The treatment frequency seems to be a very individual thing, and even more confusing, GPs do not offer the same frequency across the board.
Guidelines now suggest "2-3 months" which I suppose is something. Something closer to the original intention, just not close enough for me yet !
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