Where to buy B12 in USA?

I struck out looking a few months back. don't think my doctor will prescribe. anyone have decent luck and reasonable delivery times? other forms besides cyano? i think i would only need the single dose vials. could buy insulin needles anywhere i believe.

i'm still on the fence about multi vials. i emailed perniciousanemia.org and asked about their multis. they said "All sorts of closures for the glass vials were considered for antimicrobial protection. Rubber closures actually allow ingress of contamination from the hole through which the needle passes, which is too large to keep out bacterial contamination. There are multiple studies reporting that. Here’s one. Also, rubber closures are prone to sample contamination by rubber additives. Here’s another study for your information. This is more well-known now and another reason to avoid that type of closure, though there are still plenty around, since they tend to be cheaper.

Ensuring the vial remains tightly closed is best for maintaining the integrity of the methyl B12. Anyway, it is the staph aureus on our skin that causes most problems, so always clean your skin with alcohol swabs or soap before injecting."

anyone have trouble with multis?

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

I'm in UK. I believe that some US forum members obtain B12 from Canada. Not sure how pandemic has affected getting supplies. There are posts from other US forum members about this.

PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)

Based in Wales, UK.

pernicious-anaemia-society....

There is a helpline number that PAS members can ring.

B12 Deficiency Info website

b12deficiency.info/

B12 Awareness (US website)

b12awareness.org/

Stichting B12 Tekort (Dutch website with English articles)

stichtingb12tekort.nl/weten...

B12 article from Mayo Clinic

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

Table 1 in above article is about frequent misconceptions about B12 deficiency.

[fbirder]

Why do you not want cyanocobalamin? It is more stable than, cheaper than, easier to obtain than, and causes fewer side-effects than methylcobalamin. And it is as effective, if not better. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[Hidden in reply to fbirder]

there isn't complete agreement on which forms are more bio available. there are published studies concluding cyano is the least bio available. given the vast differences between individuals i'd like some options.

[fbirder in reply to Hidden]

All B12 injections are 100% bioavailable.

Bioavailability is a measure of the amount that reaches the blood. When you inject, all of it does. Bioavailability is really only relevant with oral treatments.

Cyanocobalamin is supposedly eliminated from the body faster than is hydroxocobalamin, which is why we use the latter here in Europe. I can find no real evidence of this. Nor can I find any information about the elimination of methylcobalamin. But it's a really complex topic as elimination of B12 doesn't follow simple rules.

[Hidden in reply to fbirder]

i bet it's complex.

here is a meta study looking at bioavailablity.

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

but you know what? who cares? not me. the most sense this study makes is when it says you have to try stuff. " individuals may require either a trial-and-error approach by supplementing with 1 particular form of B12 at a time"

we'll both be dead by the time the verdict is in. so lets try stuff. personally i'd like to start with a naturally occurring form. and, as you say, perhaps there is little difference. lots of questions.

[fbirder in reply to Hidden]

Thanks fir that paper. It's another source for the fact that all forms of B12 are converted to cob(II)alamin in the cell -

"The studies reviewed provide evidence that all supplemental or food-derived B12 forms are reduced to a core cobalamin molecule, which converts to the intracellular active forms: MeCbl and AdCbl, in a ratio not influenced by the form of B12 ingested. The methyl and adenosyl components of supplemental MeCbl and AdCbl are cleaved inside cells and are not used in the synthesis of intracellular MeCbl and AdCbl, respectively."

So, whatever form you take is irrelevant, once it gets into the cell.

[fbirder in reply to Hidden]

I'd rather take the most effective form - hydroxocobalamin.

[TroyNZ]

Boca Vitamin sell Methylcobalamin ampoules (with syringes)

They were called Vitaminquick and are based in Florida by the look of their website.

I bought some off them (they shipped to New Zealand) a year ago. they were very helpful and very quick. Unfortunately their product did not agree with me, it was very painful and I threw it out in the end, but it may work for you.

[Hidden in reply to TroyNZ]

i'm looking at the site and they have one of those counters. trying to get you to order while "supplies last". false and manipulative i think. major turn off. no second date. haha. bring it up on another browser and guess what? a new amount that is "going fast"

[mcg-woo]

My initial treatment began with cyano and I can see why it’s more available in the US. It can be administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly and the serum is more comfortable when injecting. It is not an active form of B12 and I wanted to switch to hydroxocobalamin, which must go in the muscle and is thicker than cyano and can be a little less comfortable when injecting. Cyano is a little more expensive and comes in single dose vial—a little hard to get all the serum out. Hydroxo is a multi-vial, 30 ml. The only problem I had with Hydroxo is that I didn’t realize it is supposed to be discarded after 30 days. I had used it for months and was having symptoms and couldn’t figure it out until a pharmacist asked me how long I was using the vials because I wasn’t refilling frequently. The serum was degrading and I was getting less potent serum over time. Insurance covers a vial every 30 days—who knew? Now, I wrap the vial in foil and refrigerate—open a new vial every 30 days. Doing much better now. Hydro has been tough to obtain in the past—shortages—but seems to be better now. The multi vial is usually for clinics, so before filling the first time, a pharmacist will call doctor to confirm. You don’t need a script for needles but you will have a hard time finding a pharmacist to sell them to you without an injectable prescription. I do think there is something to b12 numbers falling faster after taking cyano as opposed to hydroxo, but you will feel amazing injecting either one frequently enough. One other option in the US, there are some labs that offer B12 shots as frequently as weekly without a script if you can find one. That’s what I did when my doctor wasn’t giving me the treatment I needed. I am lucky to have a doctor who listens to me and cares about keeping symptoms at bay, however my injection schedule was reduced because b12 testing after a week of an injection showed levels off the scale—weekly down to two per month. Good luck. Getting proper treatment can be a tough battle that I seem to still be fighting somewhat after over 4 years.

[fbirder in reply to mcg-woo]

Nope. Hydroxocobalamin can be injected subcutaneously. It is no thicker than cyanocobalamin. Look at the picture of the hydroxocobalamin box here - versandapo.de/vitamin-b12-d... - It says IM IV or SC

[mcg-woo in reply to fbirder]

I inject Actavis Hydroxo and it says “For Intramuscular Use only” in big bold red letters on the front of the package. This is by Rx only in the US. I can post a photo if that’s helpful, but I’m new here and not sure if site allows?

[fbirder in reply to mcg-woo]

Hmmm, I don't know why they would restrict it to IM only. It must be something specific to US licensing. I think UK packages have the same labelling, whereas the Rotexmedica stuff is from Germany, where it's available without prescription.

[MoKayD]

It sounds like you haven't asked your doctor for a prescription. It doesn't hurt to ask. You could always get a new doctor. One who understands B12 deficiency. Also, it's my understanding that some urgent care locations, Patient First, etc., will give you a B12 shot without a prescription. I think they charge $40.00 per injection.

[Hidden]

most doctors play it by the book. the way i see it i need to find a new doctor every time i want to try something ....or DIY.

yay online medicine. $70 consult with a real doctor and ....prescription. i'm doing this with naltrexone right now. it's cheap, super safe, and some people are greatly helped. but of coarse my doctor wouldn't do it. he told me that would be like "experimenting" and he could get in trouble. on the other hand they hand out SSRIs like candy and that stuff has known suicide risks.

i read some peoples stories and get so mad. 10-20 years of life diminished because of bad tests, because a doctor won't try something as benign as B12, because they listen more to labs than patients.

ain't no money in B12. if there were we'd all be "asking out doctors if B12 is right for you". : )