B12 in beauty salons

[Nrxx1234]

Hi. I've had pa for about 7/8 years now. I've really suffered with it badly and had to fight to have my injections.

I am really angry to see lots of beauty people selling b12 shots as a "pick me up"!!

How is this allowed as it is a prescribed drug?

[wedgewood]

It’s only prescribed because it’s injectable . ( Even saline is only obtainable on prescription!) B12 tablets are obtained without prescription ... It’s not illegal as long as the clinics don’t claim medicinal properties for the injections . . i.e. for B12 deficiency or P.A. It’s usually offered for weight loss or as an aid against ageing .,!

I gave up fighting for adequate treatment from my GP. It is so exhausting when you feel so unwell anyhow . I self inject by obtaining B12 ampoules from German online pharmacies , ( strictly regulated by the German Health Authority ) which sell German produced B12 ampoules . It’s cheap and safe.

[lucasussex in reply to wedgewood]

Same here they good

[Nackapan]

Yes unfortunately it gives the wrong impression of b12 .It indicates it will give you a buzz .

Stop you aging.

Make you perform better with sport.

Celebrities don't help with this either.

I think it's odd they can get it from a salon but not at a chemist too.

A nurses who gave me my prescribed b12 injection told me I was very lucky.once.

She has a monthly b12 injection but has to pay £40 for it at a health salon.

Again I was lost for words as this is a nurse!!

Glad she has left actually. Every injection she gave me really really hurt.

I certainly do not feel lucky.

My neighbour yesterday whist havi g a chat over the fence asked about my possible addiction to b12.

I was so taken aback I didnt answer properly. He has seen me from bouncing off walls ,staggering about in the garden. .To walking in a straight line. Even on a few occasions riding my bike up and down the road. (Short lived as set head symptoms off)

I simply said its not a drug. But I need it.

His reply was well you can get addicted to anything .

He is a nice man andvi know didnt mean anything by it but that's what people evidently are really thinking .

I will address this at the right time without having to shout over a fence. (He is deaf)

So yes salons advertising it does us no favours with this very difficult 'invisable' disease .

I'm given the understanding that if you dont need it ,it doesnt do anything so a big waste of money.

They must pretend or its a true placebo for them.

Giving us more problems!!

[Nrxx1234 in reply to Nackapan]

Makes me so angry. I also have to self inject as the doctors have stopped my injections a number of times Incase I overdose! So ridiculous. Yet I can now pay £40 at a beauty Salon. The whole thing makes a mockery of this awful illness.

[wedgewood in reply to Nrxx1234]

I expect that you know that you cannot overdose on B12 . My GP told me that too many injections of B12 was TOXIC ! Did not ( and could not ) tell me how much was toxic . GPs must know that it’s not true, so why are we lied to ?

[palmier in reply to wedgewood]

Not even the 5 gram (5,000,000 mcg) intravenous infusion (Cyanokit) used against cyanide poisoning is considered toxic.

[wedgewood in reply to palmier]

Yes , that’s100% right .

[deniseinmilden in reply to Nackapan]

It's just dreadful, isn't it?

Bizarrely, people's misguided "advice" and "concerns for you" (meddling, ignorant, disrespect) is more offensive than the dealing with the symptoms of our problem, once we have a handle on them, isn't it!

Grrrrrr! I don't want to feel badly about people and they put you in a position where you can't help but feel shocked and cross.

I always gather other health problems and a while ago a good friend who wants to think he's my supporter questioned if I was making myself ill with "all the stuff you take"! I'd just got an almost perfect set of bloods back (with only B12 high for obvious reasons) and a dx of "chronic pancreatitis", which was having a bit of a flare.

Since having enough B12 I've been very laid back but I felt quite angry for about 3 days!

Thank you for sharing your feelings - it's good to know we're not alone. xx

[Nackapan in reply to deniseinmilden]

It's good to hear from you as having the same response from misguided and quite callous comments .i really wish I could brush it off .

It's not that easy is it .

I put on 'a front ' alot if the time ' to be sociable (given the opportunity) and not be Frank about how I'm actually feeling. .Usually a nice distraction.

Yes it dwells with and me for a few days too which makes me cross too .This time on my walk instead of anger was a bit tearful and sorry for myself. Unusual. Close emotions. I decided it's fine occasionally ans good when walking.

I'm also glad it isnt just me. .

We try so hard all of thd time to get well and get on

I can see how people could isolate themselves and get down. .I like conversation. (Most if the time..ha)

I'm glad "all the stuff you take " has helped you get good blood results.

Also the flare up of pancreatitis is short lived.

Take care xx

[deniseinmilden in reply to Nackapan]

Thank you so much!

I know you have suffered much more than I have, especially with your head. While my system doesn't work it usually only gives me a lot of grief when I try to do anything much.

Saying that, I'm waiting to be OK enough to go home from hospital having just had surgery for a hydrocele - which normally only men get in their testicles! It's really rare in females but I'm usually the exception to the rules. With me there's always something! 😁

I hope you keep improving and coping with things! xxx

[Brokenbutbeautiful in reply to Nackapan]

My mother is of the same mindset, that surely if my life depends on this b12 injection (and it does!), that the doctors would prescribe it to me in a quantity I would benefit from. She got her knickers in a bunch when she found out I was sourcing my own supplies and SI. Never mind that I’m a medical professional. She likens my treatment of my PA to the degree of my treatment for my chronic pain caused by PA, as another drug I don’t need. It’s sad really.

[Midnight_Voice in reply to Nackapan]

Ask him if he is ‘addicted’ to his hearing aid...

[besotted2 in reply to Midnight_Voice]

Lol

[Nackapan in reply to Midnight_Voice]

🤣good point.

[ktwing]

There was a good blog post on this subject by Tracey Witty in December: b12deficiency.info/blog/202...

[Shadowlight in reply to ktwing]

Thank you so much for that. I am in the US (NYC, to be specific), and getting sufficient b12 has proved impossible, despite the fact that I was hospitalised and nearly died from b12 deficiency before I was diagnosed. Now they want me to have a blood test before prescribing more (do they think I can regenerate intrinsic factor?).

I source my b12 from Germany, now, and self inject, but I have to maintain the charade that I need my doctors to prescribe it so that I have an "excuse" to travel with syringes.

So silly.

[Sleepybunny]

Hi,

Thought you might be interested to know that the person who runs B12 deficiency Info website has been involved in campaigning for B12 ampoules to be available over the counter in UK pharmacies as they are in some European countries.

Link about petition to make B12 available over the counter

change.org/p/ian-hudson-ple...

The one above has over 96, 000 signatures.

Link to blog post about MHRA's ( Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency ) classification of B12 injections

b12deficiency.info/blog/202...

PAS (Pernicious Anaemia Society)

Based in Wales, UK.

pernicious-anaemia-society....

There is a helpline number that PAS members can ring.

Unhappy with Treatment (UK info)?

Letters to GPs about B12 deficiency

b12deficiency.info/b12-writ...

Link has letter templates covering a variety of situations linked to B12 deficiency.

Letters avoid face to face confrontation with GP and allow patient time to express their concerns effectively.

Best to keep letters as brief, to the point and polite as possible. It's harder to ignore a letter in my opinion. Keep copies of any letters written or received.

I've written some very detailed replies with more B12 info eg causes of b12 deficiency, symptoms, B12 books, B12 articles, a few hints about how to deal with unhelpful GPs etc that you may find of interest.

Here's a couple of threads where I left detailed replies.

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

healthunlocked.com/pasoc/po...

I am not medically trained.

[jaracleo]

This vitamin is not only used in masks. I used to make a hair mask out of the usual ingredients and add the vitamin in ampoules. My sister graduated from the new advanced esthetics program nwcollege.edu and after graduating she started working in a salon. They told her that the vitamin causes blood flow to the roots of the hair and causes growth. Many say that it helps to restore the hair and make it grow back. I don't know if it's true, but pepper masks with B vitamins are good for hair in general, making it more elastic and less brittle.