Which Brand B12 NHS injections please ? - Pernicious Anaemi...

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Which Brand B12 NHS injections please ?

Spritze profile image
Spritze
β€’15 Replies

My NHS surgery use Gerot Lannach and boy do they sting ! 😲

Had a conversation with the nurse doing the injection today, who is more than happy (.......to the point of being over excited ! ) to fight on our behalf to change to a different, non stinging brand, if I can give her some suggestions of what to ask for.

So my question is - does anyone have NHS B12 injections that don't sting .... πŸ™‚ and what brand do they use ?

Super helpful if you feel able to say what area or Trust you are under so my nurse can compare prices etc.

Many thanks

Claire

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Spritze
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Nackapan profile image
Nackapan

I'm presently having Gerot and lannoch.Have had ;

Accord

Neo cytamen

Cobalamin H

All from The NHS

My only problem with Gerot and lannoch as I self inject too is the ampoules are much bigger so I had to buy longer needles to extract it.

I've had transient stinging with all brands occasionally.

I do remember my initial treatment they used Gerot and lannach when having then EOD for months .

I did use a small lunchbox cool block to hold on injection site in the waiting room.

That numbed it a bit .

Also make sure If an alcohol swab used your arm is dry.

If not make sure no cream or residue bubble bath on your skin.

I also wiped with a plain water wipe before at times.

Sometimes it's technique too.

The NHS get whatever the best deal is at the time.

Technoid profile image
Technoid

I was told to warm the ampoule to body temperature just before the injection is done and it helps to eliminate stinging. I always did this and never had stinging.

Poor technique (or maybe just bad luck with choice of injection site) can also cause a little pain but I would describe that differently to stinging.

JanCymru profile image
JanCymruβ€’ in reply toTechnoid

For SI at home I've found that warming the ampoule beforehand does help too. (Am sure one of our trusty contributors recently mentioned popping it in her bra before using! Good idea, if you are a bra wearer!). And yes, also allowing the skin to dry if you've used an alcohol wipe. Still find the ones I have at the surgery sting.

Jillymo profile image
Jillymo

Mine are also the Gerot Lannach brand ! They must be the cheapest they can prescribe, cant say I have noticed that they sting ! I now self inject & have found some iv'e purchased sting like mad. ☹

How wonderful to have a nurse that is prepared to act ! Now there's a rarity maybe we should clone her. πŸ€”

Sid_Arthur profile image
Sid_Arthurβ€’ in reply toJillymo

. . . sounds purrfect, . . . especially if I cld hv one of the first clones to visit me regularly enuf, . . . purely on a professional basis, of course ! πŸ™‚ πŸ˜„ πŸ˜† πŸ˜‚

. . . altho' much science fiction has become fact ( - like sliding doors & ?'communicators' on Star Trek !), . . . sadly, cloning those who understand a particular subject area better than the ?'willfully blind' crowd, . . . still seems some way off, . . . for better or worse ! In the meantime, . . . we'd all better recognise, acknowledge. . . & applaud best present practice, . . . when we do come across it ! πŸ™‚ πŸ™πŸ™‚

AtB,

Sid

On a sunny 🌀️ winter's a.m. . . . after a week of enuf+? rain, β˜” 🌧️ 🌧️ . . . in the W Mids.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jillymo profile image
Jillymoβ€’ in reply toSid_Arthur

Hi Sid,

I love your humour and weather reports, its damned πŸ₯Ά & πŸ€” no frosty emoji ! It was a hell of a frost here this morn.

If they can clone πŸ‘ then surely they must be able to clone good Drs & nurses. If your into sliding doors ect download the doors paradox game. My son recommended the game geez it has done my head in but good if you like solving puzzles.

I have not come across many practisioners of late that I can applaud.......but some of my old clinicians were good. πŸ‘‹ Everything is so long winded these days it gets frustrating.

Take care &nice to hear from you.

On a cold Saturday morn freezing my bits off. πŸ₯Ά πŸ§₯πŸ‘’

Ghound profile image
Ghound

Hi, I've been injected, and injected myself, with many different brands over the last seven years, including at present Gerot Lannach. Sometimes the injections sting, sometimes they don't .

I happened to be absolutely fine with Gerot Lannach.

Often a brand I've used before without any problem will suddenly sting.

It may be just be once, or a couple of times, then the next one will be painless.

In my experience, there doesn't seem to be any reason why some sting and some don't.

I usually have the same nurse, I use the same routine when self injecting, and I've tried warming the ampoules, etc. etc.

My view is ; that when I know that a pain is normal, to be expected, and won't harm me, I can put up with it much better.

Hope your next injection is more comfortable !

Best wishes x

OldmanD profile image
OldmanD

Oddly I posted or answered earlier about real stingy jab I had a few days ago. . . . . Nothing wrong with the B12. . . . . . The end of the needle was damaged and it went though the skin kinda rough and I thought heh so but when I depressed the plunger it still stang . . . . . I removed it and had a closer look with thoughts about B1 which would make ye jump through the roof to find the needle less than perfect. . . . . . Swapped the needle . . . Same B12, Same syringe. . . New spot and no pain, no sting . . . . So how many of ye are drawing up the B12 with the same needle ye inject with?? . . . . I use a separate larger needle to draw up as this happened a few times at the beginning. . . . . Didnt always sting but it could and it certainly was not painless which I can usually manage .. . . . . some nurses do similar some dont. . . . . Just one touch against the bottom of a glass ampoule and the point of the needle is easily damaged. . . . . Those points are so fine and beautifully engineered very little can upset them. . .

Technoid profile image
Technoidβ€’ in reply toOldmanD

The nurses administering my jabs always used 2 needles, for this reason, so that the injection needle would not be accidentally blunted and cause pain.

OldmanD profile image
OldmanDβ€’ in reply toTechnoid

When you get your injection in the clinic there is no way to know really whether that batch is stingy or indeed if the your NHS uses the same brand and type over time. . . . Those of us performing SI use ampoules often from a box of 100 which is packaged in a factory from a much bigger batch so the idea that one ampoule could be "stingy" is all but impossible if you look at how the ampoule is produced and sealed so really we need to hear from those who SI . . . . . And can I add again that not every nurse uses a draw needle. . . . . I have watched with great interest from the draw to the jab . . . . . and I do not complain or attempt to change their habits. . . . . In general I am very happy with the service. . . . . .

Nackapan profile image
Nackapanβ€’ in reply toOldmanD

I always use a different needle to draw up the b12.Some sting some don't?

The nurses change needles when i go in for my IM one .

Some hurt Some don't

Some ache afterwards if they don't sting

I've had some really really painful ones .

One particular nurse I avoided.

Have had needles less sharp thsn others of skin tougher ??

I'd rather a sting than pain though .

Once my whole arm waxs so sore I couldn't lift it .

That nurse again !

Also had nasty bruises.

A relaxed arm

Warmed up ampoule

Speed of injection

Place of injection.

Needles used ect

I have found some brands thinner than others as use a fine needle

As long as I get it I will relax.

OldmanD profile image
OldmanDβ€’ in reply toNackapan

Now I had forgot about relaxing. . . . . Relaxing is most definitely very high on the requirements. . . . . I have tried just about every position and location. . . .. . . I absolutely hate having to do it in the car. . . . I can do it . .. . I do do it but if there is one place where I hurt myself this is it. . . . .Your not sitting a good position.. .. . There can be traffic. . . . . . There is too much going on . . . . The only way I can more or less guarantee relaxed is to set two pillows at the head of the bed, kick off my trousers and throw my legs in front of me while resting my back against the pillows. . . . . . . .My whole back not just my lower back . . . . Sitting in chairs, arms or no arms does not do for me. . . . . I have to be in a position where my lower body does not need controlled . . . . . If I as much as twitch that big thigh muscle there is pain. . . . Maybe everyone is not the same but that;s it for me for relaxing . . . I am rather used to needle's long before I had to learn to SI . . . . . I have family who work in health and was taught was to relax . . . . Dont relax it will hurt . . . . . Close your eye tight so you dont see it it will hurt . . . . Look at exactly what they are doing and you'll quckly get more used to it and it wont hurt because ther is no surprise. . . . . That is what I was told and it seems to work. . . . . I am not in this for a debate or who is right or who is wrong . . . . . I asked a question in order to stir a mix of comments and this possibly a mix of knowledge and or idea;s which would be of interest to those who seem to be getting stung. . . There has to be reasons for this. . . . . There us not 10 let alone 1 unique ampoule in a box. . . . . . . . Like we see comments about those at the surgery sting and I can tell you that my clinic keeps them in the fridge . . . . I have SI'd straight out a fridge and it is not that bad and certainly not as bad as that damaged needle. . .. . . There are several nurses all very good at their jobs but there is also as many different ways to do their job. . . . .Burse B====e will always say, this is going to sting. . . . . Her injection will always sting I presume by her action or the temerature or the combination. . . . . . . Once I got the hang of SI I seldom hurt myself. . . . .In my search for knowledge I saw people sit on a chair . . . Sit on chair with a foot resting on another and so forth so that is what I tried and it pretty much fell flat on its face. . . . . . . I also push the plunger real slow. . . . . . whatever it is I am doing it pretty much works good apart from a needle that hurt me the other day and I found the problem. . . . . I didnt know a damaged needle might result in stinging I presume that there is a little extra damage to the very nerve'y upper layers and that in some way caused stinging. . . . I do know that B1 will put you through the ceiling.. . . . If there is as much as a hint of B1 on the end of the needle it is akin to torture so ye just dont use B1 on its own. . . . . . . I floated the idea to see what people thought . . . . . I am not telling anyone what causes stinging, . . . . I am asking for idea's and primarily from those who SI who are obviously using the same batch . . . So we have to look at what we are doing in order to stop what is happening . . . . . If ye keep doing the same things ye cannot expect changes. . . . . . . We need to prompt ourselves into examining what we are doing . . . . . . . If a brand stings or a batch stings that is easy. . .Dont use them next time . . . . An injection from a nurse could sting for any amount of reasons and unless ye see a possible reason there is no good in saying the clinic injection stings this time but not the last time . . . . .

Myoldcat profile image
Myoldcatβ€’ in reply toOldmanD

And of course, you could sing my B12 injection song... "My lovely B12, my lovely B12, you're making me feel much be-tter" to a tune of your choice. Just the perfect timing for injecting a 1ml ampoule! πŸ˜…

Jonlaur profile image
Jonlaur

The injection needs to be administered Slowly, that way I get no stinging

Spritze profile image
Spritze

Thanks all plenty of food for thought !

I should have said I've had one private B12 not sting and then three NHS loading doses all three done by the same nurse, all stinging..... I had thought it was the brand but perhaps it is the nurse !

I will check tomorrow how warm it is and if she injects with the needle she draws it up with.

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