Why are B 12 injections given at my GP surgery So painful

[Active57]

Hi Why is it that the B12 injections I receive in my shoulders at my GP surgery are much more painful that the injections I give myself in my thigh

I have asked this question at my surgery but never receive a sensible answer

[MariaMe]

Perhaps there is more fat at the thigh site? I would imagine that the injection at the shoulder might come closer to the bone and therefore hurt more?

[jillc39]

all I know is the injection at the surgery is SO painful I almost fainted with the pain. my poor shoulder - nurse wont give it anywhere else.

[Active57 in reply to jillc39]

Hi and thank you for your reply

My local surgery insists it the shoulder or no where

[kmsbc]

Is the liquid too cold when they inject it? Or maybe they inject it too quickly and you feel the pressure of the liquid squirting? You could ask then to warm it in their hand first and try injecting more slowly 😊

[HeartyGilly]

Do they use an orange needle? They are finer and therefore less painful. One nurse at my surgery was using thicker needles and it really hurt. When I asked her to use orange it was much better,

.

[Brainfoglady]

The first time I had a b12 injection the practice nurse gave it too high on my arm. There isn’t enough muscle that high up. After that I made sure it was given a couple of inches down from the shoulder and it is painless.

Plus as others say - injection too cold or pushed in too fast or the wrong size needle. Hope this helps

[Monkey2503]

Hiya, the pain is due the rapid expansion of the tissue as the liquid pushes the tissues apart as it is injected. Its absolutely a question of speed. The more slowly it is injected the less painful. Ask them to give it really slowly to minimise the discomfort. 😊

[Active57 in reply to Monkey2503]

Brilliant Thank you Monkey

[Damseltree]

My wife gives me injections now in my upper arm. She warms the ample beforehand and I don't feel a thing.

[Nackapan]

I've had some really painful ones and some I only feel a little with the withdrawal of the needle. I've had nasty bruises. My left arm still sore from 7 weeks ago. In the beginning I didnt seem to have any problems. Perhaps too ill to notice at the start or the arm being used time and time again getting sore. I wish my arms had more fat on them. My daughter who doesn't usually have any trouble at all has said recently they have really hurt??

1. Warmth of b12 2. Technique of nurse

3. If you are not relaxed 4. Size of needle

Of course it hurts more if you unwell on the day.

I think the arms are used in a surgery setting. 1. Quicker 2. No chaperone needed 3. A risk of hitting the scatica nerve removed.

I've also asked if they could use a thigh instead.

Several nurses have said some batches the fluid is thicker and that hurts more? ?

[TFH1]

I always ask to have my injection in upper buttock where there is plenty of softer flesh - much less painful than in the hard gristle of my skinny tricep. I can't understand why they would give it there. Surgery happy to comply and it was originally their suggestion.

[Active57 in reply to TFH1]

Wow so asking to have it in the thigh should be No Bug Deal you would think ?

[TFH1 in reply to Active57]

Can't see why it would be a problem - I'm sure they don't want it to hurt you either and surely your choice? The vibe I get from my surgery is that it's my call, as long as it's safe and effective. I think I must have told a nurse early on that it was super uncomfortable in the arm and she suggested upper buttock instead. It was then put on my notes, so that whoever I see now already knows that it is my chosen injection site.

[Marcieb]

tell surgery you wish to self inject,, I had to as they are so busy. No reason your injections should be that painfull, scratch and bit uncomfortable. Is it always same nurse? Ask for another, if Dr they don't do often enough so are bad,, ask for a nurse. We suffer enough without the very injection that is our lifeline being a problem. What colour needle, should be pink and green fill syringe and yellow injection otherwise needle too big

if same used for filling and injection either don't like you or have no idea what they are doing! Complain about the pain loudly.

[waveylines]

My surgery love the fact that I offered to self inject.....I need daily jabs. They supply the necessary & I save them a fortune in nurses time! Far more convenient for me too. Good luck.

[Nackapan in reply to waveylines]

Do you do subcutaneous wavylines? I'm thinking of asking for them to do at home

. So they prescribe your needle too?

My huslant Injects 4 times a day as type one diabetic. He has a pen . Pity they can't do that for b12 . As you say once tohospital know you tolerate it saves them the nurses time and us the trips and waiting time.

[waveylines in reply to Nackapan]

Yes Nackapan I do subcut. They order the b12 vials on prescription BUT they cant order the syringes & needles. This is because the nurse said I need a pull up needle (green) which you then have to change to an orange needle to inject. Such a thing isnt listed on their script options!! They have the sealed needles & syringes units but you cant switch the needles so they cant prescribe them. Diabetic pens wont take the b12 vials -a pharmacist tried.... So my surgery gets the needles & syringes from the hospital for me.

My surgery are very happy with this arrangement as it saves them a fortune in nurses time.

[Nackapan in reply to waveylines]

Thanks for the information.

I may well ask as the surgery are so busy.

Also it would take the stress out of trying to book the injections

. I seem to be needing them closer together rather than further apart.

Also you can rotate where you inject. My arms are so stiff and sore at present.

[waveylines in reply to Nackapan]

Yes you have four options. I do mine the night before as it seems to takes a bit longer to get into the system. Good luck!

[addie18]

Another thing that can make injections hurt more is if you disinfect the needle and then don't wait for the hydrogen peroxide or other disinfectant to evaporate from the needle. It can be a cause of burning at the injection site, or so I was told by a medical assistant. I was told by the same person that you shouldn't just wipe the disinfectant (it needs time to work) but wait for it to evaporate, about 2 minutes. Just another idea for the pile.

[Nackapan in reply to addie18]

So you mean the injection site? I thought the needles were sterile

[Mewsmom]

Hi All,

I've just done my first year of B12 injections & everyone has hurt, I look forward to having them as I never ever want to experience the chronic fatigue I had prior to injections, but then a few days before I'm due I start to dread it, because yes they are painful, I have mine done by a nurse at my dr's I was told they should be given slowly to lesson pain, but seems that most nurses have there own opinion or they just want you in & out of the surgery as fast as they inject 😏