Because my doctor only prescribed ONE B12 injection every TWO months, I started self-injecting. At first, I was worried about where and how to buy unprescribed B12. I was lucky to already have a dozen "insulin syringes" with already attached needles.
Then, an older Latina lady at work told me B12 is over-the-counter stuff in Mexico and that I should be able to find it in Mexican, Salvadorian, Honduran, and other Latin stores. Not the big chain stores like Fiesta or La Michoacana (Texan grocery chain stores catering to Hispanic population.) But the small businesses. Even at the flea markets! Anyone else here familiar with "pulgas?"
"¿Tienes vitamina B12 para inyecciones? ¿En frasco chiquito o en jeringas?"
Well I asked around these places. And you can definitely find B12 vials or syringes there.
You can find cyanocobalamin vials of 10 mL (ten doses) for as cheap as $20 USD!!! Just 1mL costs me $17 dollars + $9 for 12 insulin syringes. In the "pulgas" they had medicine sellers who import syringes already loaded with cyanocobalamin. It is more expensive. A box of five syringes with 2 mL each costs $75 total at one stand and $40 at another.
I recommend anyone in the United States who lives near Hispanic communities to ask around small stores or pulgas for B12. I do not know how they get it here but I do not care because they are doing me a great service. I could not order it online from Mexico, so this is the next best thing.
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GreenTamales
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Canadian sites supply the USA with B12 ampoules and also vials . I have the sites addresses , but i’m away from home at the moment , so can’t give you them . I know that is where most American members get their injectable B12 from The same sites also sell needles and syringes . Put up a message asking fellow Americans for the information how to get injectable B12 from Canada . Best wishes from U.K. !
I checked the 3 sites you mentioned and they all mentioned a prescription is required for the injectable cyanocobalamin. I buy mine at my local pharmacy in Victoria BC and it is $13 Canadian dollars (9.66 US dollars) for a 10 dose vial.
Hello. USA based here also. I purchase B12 from Biosense Clinic (Canada based). They’ll call to confirm your order, ask if you have a doctor (name only), and to get payment info. I’ve purchased through them several times with no issue. They sell needles too, but I purchase those through ShopMedVet.com as they’re cheaper. Hope this helps.
that is who I use. They don't ask questions. 30ml vials are the cheapest. Been using them for 3 years now but on and off I switch to the German pharmacies, the German pharmacies offer a 2000 mcg / 1 ml. This Canadian pharmacy only offers 100 mcg/ ml. But I still get my needles from them.
Hervert brand felt better but it was causing acne so I went back to the Canadian. I now switch back and forth.
You might be able to find a doc who will give you whatever you want. I have one and I'm about to request hydroxo prescription. He has told me he would allow me to inject as frequent as I want.
He is 1 of 2 docs to understand that b12 is not toxic unless there is a preexisting liver of kidney function problem. All the 10+ others including the hematologist from Mayo Clinic either told me b12 was not my issue or tried to restrict the amount of b12. Come on it's a metabolic issue for sure in my case.
What helped was to take this article. I created a summary page with the list of fact statements that backed up my need for frequent b12 injections indefinitely to go along with the letter and highlighted those statements in the doc.
Docs don't have a lot of time.
But find a doc who listens or ultimately unless I want blood tests I just manage everything myself by self injection and taking other b vitamins orally
I live in the southwest in the US and after 10 yrs of SI, have found the best price for B12 at this Canadian website: buy-otc.com (don't forget the dash). They currently charge $29.75 for a 30 ml bottle, no prescription required! Shipping runs $14.50, but if you pay by echeck instead of credit card, they deduct 10% of the order total from the shipping charge. I order two 30 ml bottles and get a discount of about $6. I don't order syringes here because there are many cheaper places for syringes, including Amazon, Diabetes websites, even the local pharmacy.
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