B12 injections

[AngeltheArtist]

Hi. Having just had another run in with my GP surgery who now want to drop B12 injection to every 3 months and in some cases every 6 months (after I had a long fight to get them to give me it every 2 months - I know this will kill me) I'm looking at buying privately and self administering. I want to make sure I buy from reputable sources etc. I've read some helpful posts on here but I'm autistic and need some simple straightforward info or signposting to good sources of supply and info..any suggestions, help please?

[Nackapan]

If you look through fbirder and wedgwood posts all the information and links are there for buying what you need.

[AngeltheArtist in reply to Nackapan]

Thankyou. I'm trying to do that but finding it a bit difficult. Being Autistic/Dyslexic I find trawling through info difficult. I dont want to make a mistake and get the wrong B12 or needles.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

AngeltheArtist

assuming you are in the UK

if you want a good source of injectable B12 then try to find an on-line pharmacy outside the UK - most of us use pharmacies based in Germany but at the moment it can be a bit hit and miss finding one that is delivering to the UK. This is the equivalent to ordering for example from a company like Boots in the UK - the difference is that in Germany injectable B12 is an over the counter medication. It is a prescription only medication in the UK (because all injectable medications are prescription only)l

There are two ways of injecting - intramuscular, which is the way it will be done at your doctors surgery, or subcutaneously (into the layer of fat beneath the skin). This is the way diabetics inject insulin and is probably less complicated - you can do it with insulin needles.

I suggest that you do this in stages - find a source of B12 - you can check that it is a good product by posting again.

Then source the needles - I use a company called medisave - and buy 1000ml insulin needles.

Once you have these then come back and ask about opening the B12 phials and filling the needles - there are a few steps and I don't want to overload you with information.

[Estateman in reply to Gambit62]

I hope you mean 1000 microgrammes (1ml) - 1000ml syringes are big enough for an elephant!

Please note that I only clarify this as the questioner is autistic/dyslexic.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Estateman]

thank you - yes, I do mean 1ml

[Foggyme Administrator]

Hi AngeltheArtist.

Hello and welcome.

Here are some sources for hydroxocobalamin 1mg in 1ml (the links are to 100 ampoules but the websites also sell them in packs of 10 - but a lot cheaper if you buy in 100's and saves on postage costs).

Some sites state that they no longer deliver to the U.K. but you can get around that if you pay by PayPal or amazon pay (each inserts the U.K. address automatically).

versandapo.de/vitamin-b12-d... (This site is in German but if you use google chrome you can translate each page into English. Or you can use a translation app. Best to use amazon pay - that automatically inserts U.K. address - the site will not allow delivery to the U.K. unless you pay by Amazon pay).

mycare.de/en/online-kaufen/... (This site is also in German, so translation needed, as above). You can pay using PayPal here - automatically insert U.K. address. Postage is a bit more expensive at this one).

apomex.net/product/vitamin-... (Also in German and a bit tricky to negotiate - but okay if you use google chrome - again, you can pay by PayPal - again, automatically inserts U.K. address.No image at this link but it's the correct B12).

You may have to check which have stock and who will currently deliver to the U.K. (so may suspend for a time due to coronavirus 😬 - I bough some recently from Apomex and others have used versapando recently).

Other supplies you will need (syringes, needles, sharps disposal box, alcohol skin wipes) - each link takes you directly to the product.

medisave.co.uk/bd-emerald-h... (2ml syringes better than 1ml - easier to draw up B12 and easier to handle than thinner 1ml syringes)

medisave.co.uk/b-d-microlan... (Green needles for drawing up from ampoule)

medisave.co.uk/b-d-microlan... (Blue needles for injecting)

medisave.co.uk/sharpsguard-... (Sharps Bin for disposal of ampoules, needles and syringes - this one is quite small - there are larger ones if you prefer - just search for sharps bins).

I have purchased from all three - quality controlled and appropriately regulated - delivery to U.K. usually takes about five days (may be longer at the moment due to current circumstances).

Hope my signposting and links make this an easy task for you - making purchases for the first time is always a bit of a tease.

Please leave a reply if you have any problems or need further clarification.

Good luck x

[AngeltheArtist in reply to Foggyme]

Thankyou for your help. I'll be looking into these.

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to AngeltheArtist]

Just spotted that the links to syringes etc are broken...going back to fix...

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to AngeltheArtist]

Links all fixed and working 👏👏👏🤣🤣.

[bambuko in reply to Foggyme]

correction re versandapo

you are saying that it does not allow delivery to UK unless you use amazon

not true - I just ordered directly from them to UK without using amazon

no problem at all

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to bambuko]

New customers are now unable to register a U.K. address. AngeltheArtist is a new customer. Unless they've changed it in the last few weeks.

Those who are already registered as a customer can still make a purchase.

[bambuko in reply to Foggyme]

I am new customer (just registered couple of days ago) so no, your info is not correct

It is perfectly possible to register for delivery to UK

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to bambuko]

You’re the first person who’s reported been able to do that for many months (they changed it pre-brexit).

I’ll check this out later this afternoon.

[Midnight_Voice in reply to Foggyme]

He’s the second, as we registered with Versandapo only a couple of weeks ago.

Though we had bought from them before, when you didn’t need to register, so maybe they remembered us.

Still had to put all our details in this time though, as they didn’t remember those....

I would also recommend an ampoule snapper to AngeltheArtist, £3 from Amazon for a simple plastic one, as this makes it easier both to open the ampoule and to hold the two halves safely until they can go into the sharps bin.

Another thing we’ve noticed recently, especially from travelling with the ampoules, is that some of the fluid goes up into the top of the ampoule, above the snap mark, and won’t come down by gravity alone. So we have to gently tap the top of the ampoule so it does go down into the lower bit, and we don’t lose part of the dose.

Maybe someone has already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating, I think.

[bambuko in reply to Foggyme]

you need to choose "Vereinigtes Königreich" for the country...

[Foggyme Administrator in reply to bambuko]

Thanks bambiko. Will try that. Last time I tried to register the UK was not listed so couldn’t complete the registration.

Will let you know how it goes 👍

[Zc66]

Hello,

I ordered mycare.de a German pharmacy. Fast postage too! May take a little longer in current circumstances.

mycare.de/en/online-kaufen/...

I also just got my my 2ml syringes, green & blue needles from my chemest which is free but you can aslo purchase these online. 😊

[Galadriel1]

Hi, the latest BMA guidelines during this Covid 19 crisis, say that they should 'consider teaching appropriate patients to self-administer', ask to be taught to self inject and quote this to them. You can then be prescribed what you need and save them the nurse time and allow you to take control. You should try to stay on their books no matter how infrequent so you are on record as having B12 injections in case you are not able to self administer in the future. You can order your own to self administer in between G.P. ones therefore obtaining optimal health. There is no need to tell your Dr. if he would not approve as you should not allow any further testing of B12 once on treatment as per ALL the guidelines. Keep a daily diary of your injections and your symptoms, it will be a good record of what difference it makes to you. Just in case you ever need to argue for more from the surgery.

[AngeltheArtist in reply to Galadriel1]

Thankyou. I will tell them that when I see them tomorrow. I'm not overly optimistic as they've not been very co-operative but I'll give it a go. Thanks.

[Galadriel1 in reply to AngeltheArtist]

It is the advice they are being given during Covid19. Also see this video by a G.P. giving himself his B12 injection. youtube.com/watch?feature=y...

[Cherylclaire Forum Support in reply to Galadriel1]

Nice clear instructions on the video. Very matter-of-fact.

On this video, only one needle is used and not two as suggested in

Foggyme 's useful shopping list above:

This is because if you don't scrape the needle on the bottom of the glass phial, it won't be blunt and then you can then use it for injection too.

Most of us aren't experts, but want to get the very last drop of B12 so are more likely to blunt the needle by scraping, hence the use of green (thicker) needle for drawing B12 up from phial into syringe and then changing to the blue (thinner) -or in this GP's case, orange (a lot thinner)- for injection purposes.

A blunt needle would hurt I'm sure.

Also, I think you can eliminate much of the "dull ache" this GP mentioned, just by injecting more slowly.

The discarded wrapper from the syringe can be used to wrap around the top of the phial when breaking the top off, which saves you from any minor cuts from broken glass. Or buy the ampoule (phial) snapper as mentioned in Midnight_Voice 's reply.

[Galadriel1 in reply to Cherylclaire]

Exactly right. The needle he is using is really a sub-cut needle, he does show us the blue one at the beginning which is the right needle for IM unless you are super skinny! It is more the fact it is a G.P. showing it that will give it a bit of clout as an argument for being shown how to do your own during this crisis both to help us stay well and not become a burden to the NHS and for the protection of NHS staff and ourselves from exposure to Covid19.

[Cherylclaire Forum Support in reply to Galadriel1]

Yes, absolutely. Leverage.

Well, let's hope it helps someone, because injection at home (for those who are able / their partners/ family members) seems the most obvious and sensible solution. Continuity of treatment, too, really important.

[helvella]

and in some cases every 6 months

Is there a single UK guideline which says there are any circumstances whatsoever in which 6 monthly injections of B12 is appropriate?

I strongly suspect it is what happens so often - rigid, inflexible adherence to guidelines if they say what the GP wants them to, and flout them with insouciance if they don't.

[AngeltheArtist in reply to helvella]

I don't know. All I know is that every 6 months would likely kill me. Every 3 months seriously impacted my quality of life. Every 2 months keeps me going at a reasonable level. The 6 month rule was made up by someone in a lab who never sees patients and knows nothing about how low B12 affects quality of life and ability to function, clearly. I don't know what they are thinking, I really don't!

[briarhillcat]

I had a call from my surgery saying the Government wants to stop for A YEAR. My head is all over the place. They would not even let me speak to a doctor. I went to the Pharmacy and they recommended B12 tablets, but I was not that oral B12 for pernicious anemia would not be absorbed . I do not know what to do. I still have two ampules of injections at home and am considering injecting myself. I am a widow so live alone and I am getting so anxious and miserable. I know what it is like when you need your injection the symptoms are awful and you feel so ill. I cannot understand why they would stop it, Would they stop Insulin injections?? I do not think so.

[briarhillcat]

My surgery has said a year! Government guide lines, no way I can survive. I am going down the self injecting route.