haven't had my b12 injection as NHS have decided not to allow anyone

[Peterpami]

Hi all anyone got any suggestion im 2months overdue on my b12 injection and feeling pretty tired all the time and I'm back in work I need an energy boost

[Nackapan]

Write to your Gp . Tell them your symptoms since b12 stopped.

2 months overdue?

How often do you have them?

Do you have PA ?

Some are taking 1000m g b12 tablets until injection is sorted

Gps all over are prescribing or telling people to but tablets

Im sure there is a shortage now

[Peterpami in reply to Nackapan]

My gp won't do anything I've phoned a few times see if I can get on prescription but all they say is no take the tablets which don't really work

I have 1 every 3months

Yes I've got PA

[Nackapan in reply to Peterpami]

Look at the posts . It's happened to so many

I pushed and got a prescription.

My injections were not stopped .

I was waiting for it to happen.

As need a high frequency bought it.

There is a letter if guidance ti show Gp

Are you a PAS member,

Look at the posts

[Gambit62 Administrator]

Suggest that you contact your GP and ask them to follow this guidance provided by the BCSH for treatment during the pandemic

b-s-h.org.uk/media/18259/bs...

I am not sure what the latest advice is from the RCP. The last version I saw was before the above was issued so I am not sure if it has been updated.

You can try high dose oral tablets - 1000mcg plus (you can take several a day), or try using a sublingal spray as an alternative to injections - but about 1/3 of people don't find they work for them - though at least one person has posted on the forum in the last couple of weeks to say that they preferred them.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Have you considered challenging the GP's decision?

I left a long reply in this next thread with info on impact of pandemic on B12 treatment in UK

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po.....

It includes links to recent PAS news items and blog posts from B12 Deficiency Info which have suggestions on how to cope if injections stopped/delayed/swapped for oral tablets.

PAS news items about Covid pandemic

pernicious-anaemia-society....

B12 deficiency Info blog posts about pandemic

b12deficiency.info/covid-19/

I wrote another very detailed reply on another forum thread with links to symptoms lists, causes of b12 deficiency, info about tests for PA, B12 books, B12 websites, UK B12 documents, letters to GP about B12 deficiency and other B12 info which you might also find helpful.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

B12 article from Mayo Clinic (US)

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Suggests

1) No proof that oral b12 is a good at treating B12 deficiency as B12 injections

2) Many current diagnostic tests eg serum b12, active B12, MMA, Homocysteine, are not totally reliable

3) Successful treatment should not be stopped

Warning

I believe that many UK patients who have been on B12 injections will find it difficult to get them reinstated even after pandemic is over.

1) There are moves afoot in some areas of UK eg Gloucestershire to move patients permanently to oral tablets.

Blog post about Treatment of B12 deficiency in Gloucestershire (April 2020)

b12deficiency.info/blog/202...

PAS blog post about oral B12 treatment (August 2016)

martynhooper.com/2016/08/02...

2) There is pressure on GP surgeries to cut costs...I think some GP surgeries see patients treated with b12 injections as an easy target.

Have a look at the comments under this recent BMJ article about PA (Pernicious Anaemia)

bmj.com/content/369/bmj.m13...

Some of the responses below the article from GPs are very concerning. See response published on 24th April. Attitude of GPs seems very questionable to me.

Costs £30 to get access to original article. There was a recent thread about this article on the forum.

PAS

Have you considered joining PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)?

PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)

Based in Wales, UK.

pernicious-anaemia-society....

There is a helpline number that PAS members can ring.

PAS support groups in UK

pernicious-anaemia-society....

No meetings during pandemic.

B12 Deficiency Info website

b12deficiency.info/

If you want to challenge GP's decision, I suggest putting queries about treatment into a brief as possible, polite letter to GP.

Try to include extracts from UK guidelines etc that support your arguments. Should be useful info in the links I included in this post.

Unhappy with Treatment (UK info)?

Letters to GPs about B12 deficiency

b12deficiency.info/b12-writ...

CAB NHS Complaints

citizensadvice.org.uk/healt...

Your local MP or representative of devolved administration in Scotland, Wales, NI should be interested in your story if you are struggling to get appropriate treatment.

B12d.org are holding some online meetings during pandemic.

b12d.org/event

I am not medically trained.

[Peterpami]

Thanks for all the information

[Coxeymcqueen]

Not sure if the organisation you work for has an occupational health department or not, but I got quite a lot of support from mine because it’s their role to ensure that people are fit and well enough to do their jobs. They agreed to do my jabs for me which took the pressure of the surgery and I got agreement from my GP to go to 8 weekly injections as well.

[Maxie902]

The guidance has changed now and each person is assessed by the doctor on their individual symptoms. I eventually got my injection last week, four weeks overdue. I had very noticeable symptoms.