Use-by dates for B12

[Orchard33]

I posted recently about a three month decline and symptom return as my B12 batch approached its December expiry date. When I tealised what the problem might be I began injecting EOD with a new batch with a 2025 expiry and I'm feeling much better already. Just a cautionary tale about expiry dates. In future I'll probably not use after six months before the expiry date, so with a December expiry, not after June or July. it was a sobering reminder of what a serious relapse is like.

[topazrat]

I'm in the same boat. Mine had an expiry of 11/23. I started to slowly go downhill about three months ago, but put it down to having a virus. By the time the penny dropped, I was feeling awful! I started on a new batch last week and I'm now starting to feel a bit better, but nowhere near well! The moral of the story is to trust your body, not the use by dates!

One thing I did wonder, was that the B12 only had 18 months use by, rather than the usual three years when it arrived. How had it been stored during that year and a half? I am meticulous about storage at home, so it makes me think that it was stored inappropriately during that time.

[wedgewood in reply to topazrat]

Yes , that’s possible . There have been heat - waves during that time and in Germany the heat-waves are usually a bit warmer than here . I’ve bought a tiny fridge for my b12 ampoules. I keep a thermometer in there . They must not freeze .

I would imagine that ampoules that have been kept at the ideal temperature since manufacture may well still be potent for a short time after their best -before date . But are obviously more vulnerable if they have at some point been kept too warm . And one is not to know how they have been stored before sale .

[Orchard33 in reply to wedgewood]

I think you're right that there may be temperature and storage issues as the climate becomes more volatile and we try and keep pace with our adjustments. I keep my ampoules well below 25° and in the heat of this summer transfered to the fridge if it approached 25° in the bottom of my wardrobe.

[MrsTuft in reply to wedgewood]

What temperature is ideal? And what kind of mini fridge as that’s a great idea?!

[Orchard33 in reply to MrsTuft]

I understand that they must be kept below 25°.

[wedgewood in reply to MrsTuft]

Well I believe anywhere above freezing but below 25 Celsius . I got my mini-fridge from Amazon . There are several brands .

[Mixteca in reply to wedgewood]

It would be good if suppliers stated important info about storage on their websites.

[Orchard33 in reply to Mixteca]

Yes.I agree. But like everything to do with this illness we have to find out the hard way.

[luckymaria]

Omg im so glad you posted this! I've been wondering why I'm so tired and achy legs yet si a couple of weeks ago and when this heading popped into my inbox it alerted me to read on! I alternate with bimonthly infections at gp, and bimonthly at home. I've just checked my batch and use by date is 11/23. I'll order more today....

Would you think these remaining 15 ampoules that I have are at all worth still using? May there be any goodness in them if I used them weekly for instance ? Or worthless and bin? I must admit, I also didn't consider storage temperwise until now. Will defo do so from now. Many thanks !

Like others, I often read the info on here and am relieved ( yet alarmed) to understand more about how debilitating things can get without adequate maintenance. Best wishes 😁

[Orchard33 in reply to luckymaria]

Painful to bin, but bin.

[topazrat in reply to Orchard33]

I've binned my last two boxes. Our health isn't worth risking.

[margareta12321]

Hi Orchard I had a return of symptoms after I couldn’t source supply from Germany .I asked my GP if I could get more frequent injections as I was feeling aweful.She totally shut me down saying it was impossible for symptoms to return and more frequent injections would make no difference.I assured her they had returned and she said I was imagining things.I eventually managed to get supply and feel better but not fully back to normal.I’m sorry your symptoms returned but glad I know it is possible and not my imagination making my very visible symptoms return.In my surgery they store the ampules in a cupboard in a basket with no temperature control.I’ve recently been keeping mine at home and injecting myself instead of going to nurse so hopefully this will be better I’ve been keeping them in fridge .

[Bellabab]

As others have said - storage conditions during transit and storage at home might have an effect. I store mine in the top shelf of my fridge door next to a good thermometer and it sits at 10 degrees Centigrade constantly. I adopted this as I felt that storing in a dark cupboard that could get up to 23 degrees Centigrade might have resulted in a slight fall in the effectiveness.

[WIZARD6787]

Thank you for sharing. Sorry you experienced that.

I am thinking that it is most likely that the supplement was exposed to heat or cold in transport and therefore had lost its potency when you started to inject that batch. I understand I do not know.

I reviewed the travel of my supplements and sometimes it is exchanged at least 7 times and has hung around customs for a couple of weeks. The cargo planes and trucks are not temperature controlled. Some cargo planes do not have insulation to save weight.

I checked the information from the pharmaceutical companies of my supplements and the range I need is 15c to 77c. I trust the science of pharmaceutical companies as they have a risk of being sued. Also chemistry is science and not applied science as medicine is.

In NH USA I have the added challenge of when it is delivered on my porch it can be well below 0c for 6 months.

The dorm fridge is a great idea. It will help with my keeping bacteria at bay. My house is a converted camp, converted by people with an obvious drinking problem and little knowledge. 🙂 It is not set up to be a lab.

I am transitioning to all powder mixed with saline and am assuming in solution the temperature ranges are not as critical until I mix it.

So thank you all for sharing I was not considering the lower temperature limit other than keep from freezing.

[Orchard33 in reply to WIZARD6787]

I'd been injecting that batch since about February. It was a short expiry. I think it was fine until about August, I estimate.

[WIZARD6787 in reply to Orchard33]

Thanks for that information. Good to know!