How do you know how often to self inject?

[spacey1]

Ok, so I think this may be a daft question, but ... should I inject as soon as I notice a symptom, or should I aim to increase the frequency so I don't get any symptoms at all? When I need B12 my eyelid twitches and my ears whoosh a little, so it's nothing terrible at that stage.

[Nackapan]

It's difficult. The aim is to inject before symptoms come back. I've not got to that stage yet.

I think all you can do is decide what frequency to try and stick with it for a while.

I log day to day symptoms.

Still no definite pattern!

I go by how many painkillers needed and activity and symptoms. Not had a 'day off' yet.

I'm sticking to same early bedtime and early rising at present.

I've been on 2 weekly for a year. Tried 3 weekly a few times.

Now trying every 10 days .

[wedgewood]

As you cannot overdose on vitaminB12 , why not start injections daily , then every other day , then every 3rd day etc , until you notice a return of symptoms? Then go back a step, and maintain that degree of regularity . Don’t forget about folate /folic acid daily .

[fbirder]

I did it the opposite way round from Wedgewood. Either way is OK.

I already had a diary of symptoms, so I knew that they were really bad after about two weeks. So that's where i started. I kept up my diary and it was plain that my fatigue was getting worse a few days before the two weeks was up. So I switched to ten days. But I had problems remembering when one was due. So I switched to once a week - much easier to remember.

Then people who know me very well started asking me if I was coming up to injections time? They had noticed small personality changes (irritability and paranoia) when an injection was due (or overdue - sometimes I'd forget). Looking at myself I realised they were right.

Now I inject twice a week. The irritability returns if I miss a couple of days, but I've now trained my friends to nag me.

So try starting with too often, and increase the gaps, or not often enough and decrease the gaps. The aim is the same both ways - find a frequency that allows you to live as symptom-free as possible.

[Ritchie1268]

As fbirder & wedgewood have said. As there is no "one size fits all" as we're all different.

I've been on every other day almost 17 months now, I've tried to spread them out but regret it. Sometimes I forget & start feeling agitated about the daftest things. My partner soon says to me, "have you had your injection"

[Mammaelf]

I now have two a week and it’s been like a new life too me. The gp said every 12 weeks! Lol I don’t think so. Since doing two a week for 3 months, I have no recurring throat infections and no ulcers. No severe chronic exhaustion. The worst things that could happen is you will pee out what you don’t need. X

[spacey1]

I've been injecting weekly for ages and it's ok. But not 'right'! I think some symptoms might come from low ferritin too, which is periodically an issue. However, I might try twice a week for a couple of months to monitor how that suits.

Thanks, all. My GP thinks eight weekly is generous and that I'll do fine without during this pandemic 🙄