I got my weekly b12 shot, a different nurse injected it this time and it is very painful & sore. It is throbbing and feels kind of like my covid shot. Usually it hurts very little. She also injected it much lower on my arm than the regular nurse does it.
Should I be concerned?
Yes I've had painful b12 injections too. Depends on the nurse. Technique. Hitting a nerve How relaxed you are. I found the actual covid injection painless in comparison but much much more sore after. Also for much longer.
If you get the sane nurses next time mention it hurt and coujd sge try try higher or slower ect. Also room temperature.
Most good nurses receptive.
There was nurses j simply avoided as really hurt every time adding I was so lucky to have term! (Don't feel 'lucky')
B12 injections they hate doing ir seems as alot of fluid and deep. Having to give them in your upper arm.
I see, good to know.
The initial poke did not hurt too much - it was when she pushed the b12 through, and afterward that I really felt the pain (still hurts now). Feels like a big throbbing bruise.
Sort of the same painful feeling with my covid shot except the covid shot took a few hours for the pain to hit me.
I intentionally focused on relaxing my arm right before hand (b12 shot), so tense muscles doesn’t seem like the answer.
I expect I won’t get the same nurse again, but if I do I will mention where I usually get my b12 injection (which was at least an inch higher than where she gave it). And to ask if she could be slower with injecting it.
Only once in my life had I ever had an almost pain-free injection, (flu shot), and I do think technique is the biggest reason for it!
I’m sorry that you’ve had painful b12 shots as well!
And thank you for your reply. I appreciate it quite a lot 
I might be a bit nervous getting my next b12 shot in a week, considering how this one went! Fingers crossed I’ll get my usual nurse.
And if I do I’ll be certain to praise her for her skillful technique, which tbh I did take for granted until today!
About three or maybe four years ago, sorry memory not good. I had my first one that didn’t hurt at all, the following day all my upper arm was badly bruised and since then I have problems with that arm. To begin with it was extremely painful all the time but it has reduced over the years. When I mentioned it to the nurse who did the injection she just shrugged and said she had never heard of this before but perhaps I should make an appointment with a doctor. I didn’t because most just don’t understand b12 anyway. Although it has been a long time I have just lived with it and to be honest it has improved. Just found t strange that it has been the only one that didn’t hurt but has caused problems. My own fault for not following up but just don’t trust that the majority of doctors would do anything but dismiss me anyway.
Yrs it's odd I changed mainly to sc injection as the whole of my arm 'cranked ' I did see a pysio once by the NHS. By the time I was seen some improvement. He gave neck stretching exercises.
Then left?? Nothing to do with me I assume lol
The covid vaccine was painless.
My arm is still In credibly sore 5 days after. The nurses did say arms get sore. but its different as a reaction to the vaccine. Swollen big lump. Very big bruises under the skin. Painful to move. Some have hD nothing however.
After b12 it wax more joint pain after so many 100+
That had resolved ax over z yesterday ago . Injection position is important.
As Nackapan says some of the nurses are terrible at giving the shots you’ve just been unlucky.I’ve had a few whopping bruises from nurses but I never have any issues when I do my own injections into alternate arms and no bruising or pain,you could always try asking if they’ll teach you how to inject so you can do your own,I did ask to self inject because I was feeling unwell and didn’t want to risk Covid having to go to the surgery and they give me the needles and b12 every three months.best of luck
Thank you, that’s what I expected it was. I really wouldn’t be surprised if my b12 shot gave me a bruise, certainly what it feels like!
Interesting that you self inject into your arms. Usually when I read about people who self inject, they do so in other areas like the hip or belly.
My clinic does not seem comfortable with their patients self-injecting, but I do hope to learn eventually, it is a good skill to have regardless.
Certainly during covid times, it seems ideal to self inject at home, I’m glad you had the opportunity to do so.
Most people here inject into the thigh muscle because it’s I.M shots we do,belly is sub cut shots.We all have our different preferences,I find it it easy to do the I.M into my arms I warm the ampoule in my bra usually while I’m prepping all my needles etc,I use an ampoule snapper from amazon then I draw the liquid up using one needle,, which I then change because it can get blunted during this process, and I then fit a smaller/finer needle to do the injecting.I put the needle in quite quickly,sometimes you can feel the muscle resisting so I know I’m uptight and relax my arm more then once it’s in push the plunger slowly and inject the fluid.That’s it done and dusted lol.
When I started I was terrified and practiced injecting water into oranges just to get a feel for the plunger and fitting needles etc that was a big help.best of luck x
How do you squeeze and hold the skin when self injecting into your arm? My mom is a type 1 diabetic and I grew up seeing her self inject subcutaneously in the arm and abdomen. She used to use a wall to put the arm against to self inject, but this was SC Is that what you’re doing? Seems very difficult at best. Also, I feel like IM injections in the thigh are way more comfortable than in the arm ( before self injecting, a nurse would administer in my arms). Also, I had allergy shots for 10 years, which were SC and the nurse always pinched the skin, so I am curious how you’re accomplishing this during self injection?
I have absolutely no problem self injecting into alternate arms ive prob did around 150 shots now.I never pinch the arm and I do I.M shots with no pain and no bruising and now I’m more relaxed doing them it’s over in seconds.When I go to nurse for my three monthly shot on nhs they have never pinched my skin in arm either ,only difference between them and myself is they hurt like hell because of poor technique,ie injecting b12 too quickly.
I have no urge to change to thigh injecting I manage very well on what I’m doing.I have no issues with other peoples choices of sites but the thigh or the belly just doesent appeal to me.
Very interesting! Thanks for the reply! Seems the more locations to rotate the better. I had only been using one thigh but realized after reading this forum that I needed to rotate and use the other thigh. I am right handed, so using the right thigh is easiest. I just assumed I couldn’t also use the arm because I was taught to pinch the skin when injecting and slowly release as I push the plunger.
Ps I self inject twice weekly now,it was every other day for 12 months but I’ve managed to reduce now.
I had one that hurt for several days. I think the nurse did it too fast. Some people are not very good at injecting. Slower is much less painful in my experience.
Yes putyinvbin thd b2e slowly works better for me. J fk push the neddke in quite quickg though but take it out slowly. I've noticed dome pics s fokd of skin and some don't. A doctor fid if once . Dreading it as i thought out of practice .She picked the skin on the my upper arm in a fold. It wad one of the most painless ones I've had .
Still s 23G needle though
It sounds like she injected to low it needs to be in the muscle at the top of the arm.Having said that it always hurts with me as the B12 goes in.
I only have painful injections if I don’t inject myself . I use a fine needle to inject . I inject B12 into my thigh ( Vastus Lateralis muscle ) , outer middle third of the thigh . It is a large area . I swap thighs each time I inject . I inject very slowly, and I can honestly say I experience no pain whatsoever . If others inject me ,they seem to want to do it as quickly as possible , and that’s when it gets painful . I don’t know what size needle they use . It really shouldn’t be lower than 25G if the injection is water-based .
The nurses usually uses 23G 1" needke to deliver b12 in the surgeries
They could use 25G x 1” for water-based B12 ! They are no more expensive , but it would take a nanosecond longer to inject , I suppose .
Yes I asked about a finer needle and about if administered in my thigh for a change when going every other day for. months.
I was told the blue 23G is used for everyone. Safer. Less tissue damage??
As for using a thigh . As often done in hospital or the community.
No reason apart from time! Undressing. Chaperones perhays and policy. Buttocks never used now as csn hit sciatica nerve.
The finer the needle , the less tissue damage, so 25 G is therefore better than 23G!Yes, I can understand that the thigh is an impractical injection place in a medical situation , but ideal for us self-injectors .
Im just repeating what I was told by several nurses. The finer the needle needing more pressure to get that amount of fluid in. ??
I agree with what you say as I use a 30G for sc.
Diabetics use even finer 31G but less fluid to get in. Sc as 4 times a day.
It's the one size fits all scenario as not practical otherwise I expect in a clinical setting.
Also only used 2-3 months in their world .
There are guidelines on the Web on needle sizes .
In an ideal world we woukd all be self Injecting if able, In a way that suits us and it be on our medical records.
So the need of frequency transparent.
To hopefully aid future understanding /research and protocols for future treatment.
I know a long way off that at present.
Thank goodness for this site
We havent any nurses at out sugery at present.?
So if nof self injecting loads going without again.
Access to a G. P seems impossible at present.
Changing hands as so many are
Seemingly forming clusters/groups.
Hooe if can have some benefits eventually. ??
I agree with others—placement is key. I’ve been self injecting for over 4 years and there is one shot that really, really hurt. I think I injected too low in the side of my thigh and it hurt immediately and I felt pain for a couple of days. I think it even bruised a little. Likely more nerve endings in that area—I make sure to avoid this area now. Also, I feel like the thigh is way more comfortable than the arm and 25Gx1 is the way to go plus slow injections are more comfortable.
The needle doesn’t hurt me but it feels like someone pushing something under my skin when plunger is pushed in. I have had numerous nurses and different gp surgeries over the years but it’s always hurt.
Seems to be that if it is hurting when nurse pressing plunger- either still cold (and liquid thicker) because straight out of the fridge without a warm-up, or because too fast into muscle or both. I was quite lucky: even when I was being injected twice a week by any one of four nurses, I never even felt it going in at all. At least for the first three months. So when I did actually feel that something was happening, it felt like (finally) an improvement !
My surgery keeps b12 in cupboard not fridge. Last injection I didn't feel a thing (injection or sting)I wondered if she had in fact gave it to me. I agree with you that I needed the injection.
🙄
I take injections in the upper part of my glutes
No, she isn’t doing it properly, arm should be down and relaxed, she should give the muscle a good slap! Then it doesn’t hurt 😂
It can hurt, I’ve found the nurses don’t take their time and it hurts more the quicker it’s injected.When I do it my self in my thy it doesn’t hurt as much, it stings like in the arm but that’s it.
I did it! I self injected under the eye of the nurse...but need some needle help.
Won't reduce b12 to every six weeks
Experience after first B12 injection
B12 in US
