Pernicious Anemia - Self Injecting

[Chelsea01]

I have ordered VB12 from Germany which has just arrived. I’m not sure what size needles to order and wondered if someone could advise me please? I’m 70kgs and plan to SI in my thighs. What size needle should I use?

[wedgewood]

You need two needles to inject . I have been self-injecting for 8 years now , using I,M. method also. You need a long needle to withdraw the B12 from the ampoule . I use a 21G x 1 1/2 inch needle for this . To inject most people use a 25G x 1inch needle . I see that you can get a slightly finer needle now -26 G x 1inch . For a 1ml ampoule , a 2ml syringe is necessary, in order to get every last drop of precious B12 . .

Two needles are necessary because you can’t help but make a needle blunt when you withdraw, when it touches the glass ampoule . This makes for a painful injection , which you don’t want ,

I use either medisave.co.uk or exchangesupplies.org ( they have my favourite “never share” syringes ,which hold the needles very safely )

Don’t forget to get a yellow sharps disposal box .

Here is a bit more information, which I prepared earlier !

TO INJECT INTRAMUSCULARLY 

Flick the ampoule to get all the B12 into the bottom .Open it by either wrapping a swab around it to avoid cutting yourself , or use an ampoule opener . Break it at the weakest point , which is marked with a spot on the neck of the ampoule 

Use a 2ml syringe .(with a 1ml syringe ,it’s  impossible to get every last drop of precious B12 out of the ampoule!)  Fix the withdrawing needle on the end of the syringe . Pull out the plunger on the syringe and SLOWLY inject air into the ampoule  . Now pull out the plunger and all the precious B12 will be sucked up into the syringe . Now take off the withdrawing needle and replace it with the injection needle .. Now gently press out the air in the syringe , until a tiny bead of red B12 appears on the needle tip. 💉

YOU ARE NOW READY TO INJECT INTO THE VASTUS LATERALIS MUSCLE. ( it’s nearest the surface of your thigh in the middle outside third of your thigh - look up info online  .There are also diagrams of the thigh and the muscle )  Inject  at 90 degrees . 

For sub cut please  refer to internet , as I’ve not used this method , or ask members on the forum .

After injecting please dispose of needles into a yellow sharps bin . When full,  ask your local council how you can dispose of the full bin . Disposal varies in different areas . I can take mine to a local chemist . 

[Chelsea01 in reply to wedgewood]

Thank you so much Wedgewood. Now that’s what I call ‘Help’ 😉

[Clare184]

Everything Wedgewood said! This helped me so much when I started SI - I will admit I'm still too daft to be able to do it myself so my husband kindly does it for me.

A few tips I have picked up overtime - pull the skin tight as you inject, seems to go in easier. Make sure you put the needle all the way in, if not it will hurt! Start off slowly don't try to shove it in really quick. I was advised to warm up the ampoule beforehand because cold B12 is thicker so you can feel it going in more - I pop the ampoule in my bra for 10 minutes while I get everything else ready! Finally if you don't like the sensation of injections someone on here advised to run a fingernail across your top lip, your brain apparently perceives that sensation more strongly.

Good luck

[Chelsea01 in reply to Clare184]

Thank you Clare 😉

[Hidden]

you’ll need two different size needles. A long thick one to draw the liquid up from the ampoule and a short very fine one for injecting into your thigh muscle

I’d strongly advise getting help on how to self inject from a nurse because I would never have known the correct way to do this by myself.

Needle to inject into muscle 0,4 x30mm

Needle to extract the fluid from the ampoule, size 1,1 x40 mm

I bought all these supplies from MedicalDirect in Holland but hopefully you’ll find an equivalent company within the UK