Hi again, I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who has taken the time to answer my questions and provide me with so much valuable information, you've given me inspiration by being so open with your own journeys and it's reassuring to know there are so many members here that really care! I think I'm going down the SC route for SI and just wanted to know, if I want to use the same needle for drawing up and injecting, what do you find is the best size please? I'm trying to keep things simple as changing needles etc scares me a little!
A massive thank you!: Hi again, I just... - Pernicious Anaemi...
A massive thank you!
52 Replies
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I use a 27G 1/2". If you're not swapping, the 30G is very narrow and takes forever to draw up the liquid. Any larger (smaller G) and the needle is too thick.
Post back when you have the ampoules because there's a trick to getting it out of the ampoule. It might even be shown in one of those video... can't remember.
🤗
in reply to jade_s
Thanks Jade! I don't really like needles, is the 27G thin enough to not feel it when injecting? X
jade_s in reply to
I never ever feel the needle going in. I even used a 26G and nothing. They're so thin & sharp. It seems like it would sting but it doesn't, you'll be surprised. 
It's the b12 that stings like a !! Warming it up helps, and depending on nerve damage you may or may not feel it at first. Different spots may also be more/less sensitive.
in reply to jade_s
Thanks Jade, is the tummy the best place or can you inject in to the upper arm like a flu jab?
jade_s in reply to
Tummy is easiest to reach / largest area but there are other places. I have to leave now for an appointment, will send some linsk later x
in reply to jade_s
Thank you!!!
jade_s in reply to
If you google it there are lots of pictures, i kinda like this one
mskcc.org/cancer-care/patie... pictures are about a third of the way down. Looks like the arms are possible.
Wwwdot in reply to
Familymum
Welcome to the group of brave souls! 😁😁😁
I use same as Jade, started with 1” 25G and then moved to 1/2” 27G and now the skin piercing is hardly noticeable. Anything finer and drawing up liquid can be a bit trickier I am told.
I take my time as much as I hate injecting! 🤢And I hate needles too but I focus on the liquid.❤️ I always sit down or sit in bed to inject. I never stand up. I have a mug of freshly ground coffee ☕️beside me as my reward. It’s my version of a Japanese tea ceremony!
I wash my hands and lay everything out. I warm the B12 in my hands as I open the swab ready, I then open the non needle end of the needle but leave it in the wrapper, I then push the needle tip end of the syringe through its wrapper taking care not to touch the tip and then I insert the tip of syringe into the needle and then unwrap both.
I then open and close the plunger on the needle gently a couple of times to check it’s smooth and not sticky.
I find the hardest part is getting the sheath off the needle - some days it’s easier than others but there is another post on that subject! It is fiddly! But try to hold the needle on with your thumbnail over the ridge of the needle base while you push down the sheath and then twist and wiggle it to get it off. The sheaths are put on by machine so sometimes they are quite tight! Loosen the sheath but leave LOOSELY on the needle.
Then I use a snapper to break open the phial. Check it’s in date (good practice) and ensure all the B12 is in the base of the phial. Line up the dots on the phial and the snapper so both facing you, then snap away from you. I pop the snapper and tip into an old hard glasses case. 👓👓 or if not using a snapper always have dot facing you and snap away from you. Same principle.
Then tilt the phial so it’s horizontal and insert the needle into the liquid and draw up the liquid by using your fingers to push the syringe away from the plunger. (This is great for manual dexterity!!!) If the plunger gets to the end of the syringe and still liquid in the phial - don’t worry. Lay the phial propped up in your glasses case and take the swab and place the needle facing upwards onto it then gently push the plunger into the syringe and expel the air and a little B12 will come out into the swab. Then repeat filling from the phial until syringe is about half full. Put empty phial in glasses case. (Not as I once did and lose it till it’s found when someone sits on it! 🤪)
(If you want you can practice this with a clean needle and syringe and coloured water into the old phial as practice makes perfect!)
Now needle is full of B12 and air. This is important bit - take care as no sheath on the needle. Now extend plunger to TAKE IN a bit more air. This draws most B12 out of the needle tip into the body of the syringe. Now hold syringe vertically against the swab again and gently close the plunger and expel the air until a little jewel of B12 exits the needle tip and into the swab (it temporarily stains fabric otherwise) and the syringe should now be ready. Full of glorious B12 and no air. Put sheath back on . I have a slurp of coffee at this point to recover my composure! 😋😋
I choose my site, swab it, and that will be THE site. I don’t change it as not necessary if I do it right. Jabbing around at different sites is not a good approach and is stressful! So be firm and I tell myself this even now - this is the site!
I use breathing to insert the needle but find what’s best for you. So into my tum I pinch my flesh gently, place the needle against the skin, vertical at 90 degrees to the skin, then I breathe in swelling my belly and the belly swells into the needle which pops in if you keep your hand still. If it doesn’t, then breathe out long and slow, keeping the needle in the same place against the skin and breathe into the belly again - usually goes in second time. The belly breathing helps calm me 🤪🤪🤪🤪
Inject as slowly as you can and I try to inject on my long slow out breath but it doesn’t matter as to start with your breathing is likely to be more rapid - that’s normal and ok. Then once the liquid is gone I count to 20-30 before withdrawing the needle. Then sheath on and discard needle into glasses case and swab wipe the injection site and give it a massage for about 30 seconds feeling smug 🤪and relief 😮💨at this point!
I then relax and enjoy my coffee. I put the used needle and glass from phials and wrappings into a hard glasses case and then empty once I am up - don’t want a needle in my bum by accident 😂
I am needle phobic yet I cope. I still cannot bear to watch needles on TV or when medics use needles on me or anyone else!
You will be fine. Just remember to breathe! Wish you every success and sorry for the long post but maybe something will help!
🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
in reply to Wwwdot
Thanks so much wwwdot! I really appreciate your detailed post, it really helps me to learn. So, you only use the one needle? You don't swap, as in a bigger one to draw up and a finer one to inject?
Wwwdot in reply to
I use the one needle as I do struggle getting the sheathes off and often catch the needle too with the sheath which is not good either. I am careful not to hit the needle with the glass as others say and I rest the needle base on the inside edge of the phial. As the needle is short it’s in the liquid but you do need to be careful not to blunt it. 🤗🤗🤗
in reply to Wwwdot
Others have mentioned too about hitting the needle on the glass but I don't really understand that bit. In my head a longer needle would be more likely to hit the glass so I'm a bit confused 😆
Wwwdot in reply to
Yes the length of the needle is one factor. A shorter needle easier to control. Also depends how shaky your hands are - it’s all trial and error to find what works for you. All solutions are the right solution for someone! 🤗🤗🤗
in reply to Wwwdot
I have no experience of injecting yet so I have no idea what I'm talking about so just trying to understand in my head😆
Sneedle in reply to
Hi there,
I've been following along because this may be me or my daughter in the near future.
I found this NHS gp surgery video on B12 self-injection. Maybe it's of use as a basic idea of the stages.
eastwoodprimarycarecentre.n...
If there is anything members have found that they wouldn't do the way it's done in the video, I'm sure they'll shout!
🌸😀
Hockey_player in reply to
We have never swapped: 25G 1" for both.
Brilliant explanation Wwwdot ! 👏👏😄
Very much like i do it! I like your belly breathing trick.
I got a carton ikea box and put a sharps bin, small clean glass jar, and small amount of needles/syringes in it. When i sit down to inject, i put the box next to me, then do your procedure. I discard the glass ampoule in the jar. When it's full, transfer contents to any old used larger jar & recycle.
The used needle goes directly in the sharps bin so i don't have to resheath - stuck myself a few times 🙈 there's a ridge that lets you remove the needle from the syringe, needle pops out into the bin, syringe stays in my hand and goes into the trash.
In cooler weather i keep the b12 & folate in the box too. Those are currently in the fridge or the basement.
Btw I warm it up in my bra 😂 while prepping needle/syringe.
And plenty of coffee sips in between for me too ☕😊
I put whole thing in sharps syringe and needle - is that wrong 😑 🤦♀️
🤗🤗🤗
I have lots of hard glasses cases with no specs in as I have a habit of losing glasses! So each hard glasses case has a B12, swab syringe and needle in it and every handbag and car has a glasses case. Just in case. Only needed the emergency supplies once in 8 months and that was last week. Refilled and back in the bag. Stops B12 range anxiety!! 😂😂😂
🤗🤗🤗
Nice system! 👍 i hope the b12 in your system will mean you don't lose them anymore 😂
I think you're very brave doing all this when you are nervous. Just wanted to say. 🌸
in reply to Sneedle
Aww that's so kind! I think I'd do anything to hopefully feel better tbh! As long as it's not too painful, I can do it!😊
Sneedle in reply to
Darn right you can!
Self-injecting is something I may have to do in future, not there yet but I know I would be feeling the same as you describe.
My daughter has to self inject a massive dose of anti migraine medicine each month (tube looks like a rocket ) and it really helps to have it at room temperature.
She has got used to it.
Please come back and report your triumph!
in reply to Sneedle
Oh wow, your daughter is so brave!!! Yes I will xx
Nackapan in reply to
I've been injecting sc for nearly 3 years now .I do get the IM onex done at the surgery .
That suits me whilst possible.
I change needles as I'm nog steady enough nog yk touch thd glass.
I use s 21G needle to draw up as easy.
Chsmging needles is simple . I've thr ones thst twist on.
If no grip wear s latex glove
Use a long needle 1 1/2 inches to extract the B12 , say 21G which is a coarse needle . If you use that 1/2 inch 27G to extract the B12 from the ampoule , you will, unless you are very clever , touch the needle on the glass , which will make it blunt YOU DO NOT WANT THAT! 27G is beautifully fine so you can’t inject fast with it You can use the whole of the front of your thighs to inject sun-cut , not just the outer middle third of the thigh , which is where you inject into the vastus Lateralis for I.M,
All the very best . Your decision is brilliant. .
in reply to wedgewood
Thanks Wedgwood. Would you day you find it easy to swap the needles? This is what I'm worried about. Thank you.
it’s simple to change needles Familymim . If you use the same needle e.i. your 30G ( finest ) x 1/2 inch to withdraw the B12 from the ampoule , you are bound to touch the glass with the needle top . A. blunt needle is painful .
Wedgewood is right it can be tricky to not touch the glass but I don’t change needles as I find changing needles too tricky for me as I struggle getting the sheaths off.
The method isn’t as import as finding what works for you - your method will be a lovely 💕 composition of all these suggestions and will be unique and what works for you.
You won’t look back 🤗🤗🤗🤗
Hi Familymum,
Best of luck. I inject subcutaneous into my belly.
I do it at a 45 degree angle to my skin.
Because this is a new thing. I’d recommend doing it in 2 stages.
1) Drawing up, changing needle etc.
Then give yourself a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and relax.
2) Then get yourself as comfortable as possible. See the area to inject, insert needle. Whilst decompressing the plunger at your own speed, if you can feel your toes, wiggle them or hum a little tune.
x
in reply to Narwhal10
I like that idea, thank you!
Orchard33 in reply to
It's much easier using the larger safety needle to draw up. Then swapping to the fine one. It felt like a huge step to SI but with the help of a retired medic friend it was absolutely fine. It was so painless putting the needle into my belly for the first time that I inadvertently pulled it out. Hadn't felt it go in!! And such a sense of achievement when I'd done it. I still feel something of that now, months on. Taking back control is a truly liberating thing to do.
in reply to Orchard33
Thanks Orchard33, it's funny as when I've been to the surgery the injections are so quick and seem so simple but now I'm preparing to do it myself it all seems a bit intricate and daunting!
Also tucking the phial into your bra first warms it up a little. It seems to remove the sting a little. You will soon be an expert ⭐️
in reply to Carlosdoug
Thank you!! Good idea😀
Good idea, especially in the winter months! 😀
I have single use syringes and needles. The ones I like are 25G x 1" (0.5mm x 25mm). My husband injects it into my arm. I am not quite sure what you mean by "drawing up". Do you mean putting the needle into the vial of B12 and getting the B12 into the syringe? My husband has no problems with these. They seem to work better than some other ones I got from a different pharmacy.
The containers of B12 I get each have 10 doses in them. There is some rubber on the top that you stick the needle into.
in reply to Hockey_player
Thank you, I really appreciate the info. X
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