How to know B12 injection is absorbed completely in order to go for next injection?

[Hamayeshguy]

I think urine discoloration is a good biomarker of B12 injection absorption. If you have any other experience please share with me

[Nackapan]

It goes directly into your blood stream. It's how long it's retained at a level you csn utilise it So it goes by symptoms.

Most try and aim for getting the next injection before feeling ill agsin.

Different for everyone.

[Gambit62 Administrator]

B12 doesn't normally affect colour of urine.go by return of symptoms to determine frequency as Nackapan says,

[Yingtong22 in reply to Gambit62]

I think my urine seems to be darker with IM B12 I don’t know why.

[Gambit62 Administrator in reply to Yingtong22]

sometimes B12 is given with other vitamins and minerals so it might be that but we are all different ... just after an injection is when you would be excreting most B12.The volume of water can also make urine appear darker so it could be affected by drinking less ... Just that colouring urine isn't something that is normally associated with B12

[Adsypadsy in reply to Yingtong22]

Dehydration can cause darker coloured urine, make sure you drink enough fluids. Try drinking more fluids before and after your B12 Jab and see if that makes a difference.

[Hamayeshguy]

My problem is my weak muscles. When I walk I feel my weight is beyond my muscle tolerance and when I have anxiety attack I sweat alot . Severe fatigue and at the same time I have dizziness. Really I have too much neurological symptoms. Maybe even some other problems are involved but it's not known yet! But I had some improvement too like my vision blurriness and double vision got improved and I'm so happy with that.

[Lenny17 in reply to Hamayeshguy]

When did you start having possitive symptoms from the loading injections?

[Runner623]

Hi! I’m from the US, Arizona. I’m injecting methylcobalamin, 1cc, 4 times per week. I’m told by my ND (Natural Path doctor), to look for red urine. Because methylcobalamin is bright magenta, if you’re getting too much you’ll just pee it out. If I see pink or red urine I will know that I’m finally injecting more than I need.

After a few months no change in color, still yellow. I’m told someone who is not b12 deficient will have red urine. I will stay the course and look fiward to red urine hoping that means I can cut down on the amount injected or how many injections per week.

Don’t know if this info helps or if it was what you’re looking for. Either way, I wish you the best of luck.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to Runner623]

Sorry for replying again. I need to buy methylcobalamine vial for injection. I'm in Canada because I think cyanocobalamin maybe doesn't work for me and I want try methylcobalamine form. Please let me know how can I buy it.In the meantime can I ask you type of symptoms you had and you are on deficiency or PA? How was improvement. I know it depends on genetic and enzyme but I want try other forms to see which one is working better for me.

Have you ever tried other firms and for how long you inject. And methyl cobalamin is just IM otlr SC injection us also possible.

Thank you in advance and appreciate if you answer those questions.

[Runner623 in reply to Hamayeshguy]

I’ve been a long distance runner for nearly 40 years. After a half marathon in February 2020 followed by a 15k rolling hill run I could not bounce back. I’ve has Multiple Sclerosis since I was 17 and at first I thought it was another relapse. But, it felt different.

I went to my PrimaCare doctor twice with no results. I dropped a lot of weight quickly. From 129 to 115. At 5’9” that’s way to thin and unhealthy. I went to my ND (Natural Path). She said it sounded like PA. The blood test came back positive.

I started with hydrocobalamin in July of 2020. I began injecting 3 x per week and i began to feel better immediately. Like many others on this site have reported, it was short lived. I was having terrible back pain and my neurologist was concerned about Subacute Combined Degeneration. He sent me back to my ND to get hydroxy infusions and increase the injections.. I did 8 weeks of 2 x per week infusions. My spine felt better but I still had little energy. After the infusions I injected 1cc of hydroxy every day. But after nearly a year I felt as if I was going down hill.

Your question about cyancobalamin. It is my understanding that cyan is harder for the body to break down. Also, if your going to have an allergic reaction it will be to cyan. According to the books I’ve read and my research the preferred types for PA are hydroxy and methyl.

I purchase mine from a local apothecary. FDA laws here require a clean room to make it. The apothecary I use sends me 2 vials with 8 shots each. One to use that’s good in the fridge for 2 weeks the other in the freezer that’s good for 45 days. I’m going to guess your laws are similar but don’t know. My shop does not ship out of state. They do require a script. My insurance does pay for most of the cost.

I have a research background-though not in medical. However, the same principles on finding answers are the same . It just takes me much, much longer to decipher than someone who’s brain is geared towards medicine or biology.

It took me months to figure out I was asking the wrong questions. The big question on this site that resonated with me was ‘why did I start feeling better then crashed.’

I read a paragraph in the book Could it be b12? A must read if you have not, It was about methylation. I took this to my ND and she said she would dig further. That’s where I am now. She suggested it was possible my body had trouble with methylating. So she said to switch from hydroxy to methyl for b12 and from regular folate to methylfolate.

It’s been 3 months. I do not feel well yet. I have little energy but I believe I’m better than I was. I’m hopeful. I’m just now trying to run again. The plan is to stay this course for 8 months then see where we are. Everything I’ve read has said it could take up to 18 months to feel better and finally get enough b12. My other question that I’ve not found an answer to is does the liver store any leftovers from each injection? Could that be why it takes some people 18 months?

I’ve blamed most of my symptoms on MS and age but looking back I can tell you my biggest symptom was neuropathy. Burning in my toes at first then a feeling of wearing socks all the way to my knees. I’m not diabetic. That is a better. The sock feeling is gone. It was very tough to run when I couldn’t feel all of the soles of my feet. The other big symptom was blood spots on my arms. That appears to be a wee bit better as well.

Diarrhea and being hungry all the time was a huge one. Since the switch to methylcobalamin, I can maintain 122 pounds with only occasional diarrhea. I’m still hungry.

My eyesight has diminished and am seeing an eye specialist who tells me to ignore the Oncologists and continue injecting and infusions. He says he’s seen hundreds of patients who’ve lost their vision by listening to doctors who ignore the symptoms.

The weirdest symptom is loss of fat pads on my feet. They have gotten better with the injections. Im told the body needs b12 to grow cells. Without it we begin to break down.

You mention enzymes and genetics. That’s something I’m interested in. Can you share with me what you know? I’m about ready to make an appointment with an ND Oncologist to see if she has any insight into PA. I spoke with her briefly and she thought she might have something to add.

I don’t know where you can find methyl in Canada but I’m interested in your story. If you.d like to share.

In the US I’ve not been able to find anyone who knows much about PA. Most GPS or Oncologist believe it’s no big deal and an injection once a month or once every 3 months is good enough and usher you out of the room. The only people who are willing and or interested, thus far in my quest, have been NDs. How has your experience been in Canada?

I’m sure this was too much information but when we are all struggling to understand with little knowledge to glean from, I’m hoping this helps.

Looking forward to hearing more from you.

[helvella in reply to Runner623]

If I see pink or red urine I will know that I’m finally injecting more than I need.

But you are always injecting more than you need!

Although numbers claimed or quoted vary, typical daily requirements for B12 are lower than 10 micrograms. 1cc is a volume but assuming it contains 1000 micrograms of B12, that is at least a hundred times what you need in a day.

[Runner623 in reply to helvella]

Sorry you didn’t like my response. I will continue to listen to both my natural path and my neurologist. They both said the same thing.

[helvella in reply to Runner623]

I actually wish you had replied to explain why what I said is rubbish. Doing that might help others.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to Runner623]

Sorry for asking. I need to try methylcobalamine. Can you help me and let me know where can I buy it and was that effective in symptoms improvement and when you started and how was your symptoms at the beginning. Is that possible to inject subcutaneously or just IV and or IM? MANY THANKS

[Runner623 in reply to Hamayeshguy]

Subcutaneous injections do not work for me. You can get hydroxy infusion but not methyl. It is not stable enough. It will break down to hydroxy.

[VellBlue in reply to helvella]

Yes, I was going to say that I'm pretty sure the pink urine thing is a bit of a myth!

Definitely, you will be excreting a lot of it anyway, but also, if you are taking one ampoule every two days and probably creating about 3 litres of urine over that time period, even if all of the 1ml ampoule was going directly into the urine I doubt you'd notice a colour change!

However taking B2 (riboflavin) supplements definitely does change urine to luminous yellow (have seen it with my own eyes!). So perhaps the B12 myth comes from there.

[Runner623 in reply to VellBlue]

This has already been proven to me by my ND. But if you ask Google, it says the same thing. When in doubt, ask your doctor.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to Runner623]

My b12 depleted due to stressful life and in 2014 my GP told me I need injection every month but because other doctors ignorance I couldn't get my monthly shot. In that time I didn't have any symptoms but in September 2020 I experienced RBC macrocytosis and visited many doctors but no one ask for proper tests and I started to take methylcobalamine sublingual and asked couple of GP to get shot but after 3 or 4 times they stopped my injection. I was on methylcobalamine for seven months and megaloblastic symptoms stoped in few months but other symptoms started like extreme fatigue, severe muscle weakness and severe muscle pain in meantime I was developed blurry vision, double vision and lots of gastrointestinal problems and dizziness burning feet, numbness in hands, tinnitus. Some of them to some extent resolved like burning feet and dizziness and some improved like severe vision problem but my extreme fatigue sometimes us beyond my tolerance and also my severe muscle weakness . When I walk it's like climbing mountain and sweat alot. I don't know for how long it continues but I'm so mentally down. I'm just wondering why at the time of taking pills I didn't have that much symptoms. Why before megaloblastic experience I didn't have this extent of symptoms?And I think cyanocobalamin works but in weird way. Now after sux months injection and seven months taking pills I'm still in extreme fatigue and severe muscle weakness and severe muscle pain. Blurry eyesight and tinnitus, numbness in hands. And worst part sometimes I can't stand on my feet. Do you think cyanocobalamin is really hard to breakdown in our body? Can you share information. I read couple if articles and all of them saying bioavailability depends on genetic and enzyme and very personal. I gave no idea if I switch to other form to get better result. Do you think is it possible to get better result?

[Runner623 in reply to Hamayeshguy]

If I were you I’d have them look at other reasons for B12 deficiency. Also, read the book Could it be B12?, Sally M Pacholok & Jeffery J Stuart. Martin Hooper has 3 books on PA and b12 deficiency one about his experience.

I believe you need to be seen by a neurologist to rule out any neuro problems as well as subacute combined degeneration. Martin Hooper has it from doctor ignorance.

These books will tell you about the different types of b12 and why methyl and hydroxy are preferred.

Check in your area for a compounding pharmacy and call to see if they will make it for you. It took me a few phone calls before I found the one I use. Find out if they need a script. If your doctor won’t provide one you may have to see a private doctor or Natural Path that will help.

Also, SleepingBunny on this site has posted many links to articles and studies to read. I’ve not read all. Some I haven’t agreed with but every single one has given me info I didn’t have or triggered a thought to later research. All have been helpful.

It’s worth a try to switch to hydroxy or methyl. Everyone is different. My neurologist believes methyl works best for neuro symptoms. I didn’t ask him why.

I’ve read many stories of others experiences. Symptoms and results are varied. I wish you the best of luck. So sorry I don’t have any info that will ease your symptoms.

[Hamayeshguy in reply to Runner623]

I have seen by neurologist and has done nerve conduction test. He said it's a general thing But I think more investigation is required to rule out M.S. Soon I'm going to see internist and follow from there already I've seen cardiologist and from heart perspective everything was look alright. But ferritin was low bottom range. I tried to exercise last month but finally I couldn't even stand on my feet then I just left it and yesterday after taking my second dose of Pfizer vaccine I felt bad. In my family I think we carry B12 deficiency gene. I don't know how long is injection required but my injection in last six months didn't have any pattern and last week started to inject every other day. I don't know but I think I had some improvement but still far away from getting healed. Thank you so much for your help and wish you best days ahead

[tomdickharry in reply to VellBlue]

Colour depends on acidity or alkalinity of urine.