I've got the go ahead to give myself my B12 jabs at home. I had mine on Tuesday and mentioned that its difficult to get an appointment, the receptionists can often be very awkward about booking me in, even though it clearly states I can have them every 2 months, and I feel booking me for a 15 minute slot with a nurse for a 30 second procedure seems like a waste of precious NHS clinic time.
I joked that they should just give us the stuff and let us do it ourselves, to which the nurse replied that some patients do SI and if I was interested she could get the pharmacy team to prescribe the needles, ampoules and a sharps bin. Plus she's given me a link to a video from Guys hospital showing to to do it.
I received a message today to say its been given the green light. Just thought it was worth mentioning in case anyone else wants to try it with their surgery.
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Sparklingsunshine
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Thank you, appreciated 😁. I've got a medical exemption so cost isnt an issue. I guess I'll find out how it all works ( or doesn't lol) in the months ahead.
It's currently impossible to prescribe the paraphernalia to inject B12. Only items listed in the drug tariff can be prescribed, and the appropriate needles and syringes are not listed. At my surgery the nurses pack the needles and syringes up to be collected when the prescription is issued. The doctors and nurses preferred to do it this way so they know the patients are getting the right equipment. There is a formal training and sign off process for self injecting which is done over 2 appointments.
You must appreciate that GP surgeries almost always have the 'Dragon At The Gates Of Doom' whose sole purpose in life is to prevent you making an appointment. You've encountered one of these. Likewise, the cost of providing a 15 minute nurse appointment will be costed in great detail, and if it only takes 30 seconds, the 15 minute cost is still applied, and no-one else gets the opportunity for the other 14 min 30 seconds either. You could describe this as 'slack in the system', but I couldn't possibly comment.
When I had a fingernail removed last January [ouch!] I had a comedy dressing put on at the hospital. It needed changing after a few days. I contacted the surgery to make an appointment for this minor procedure. I was given an appointment with someone they describe on their website as a 'clinician', to cover up the truth. Within a day, I received call from the surgery, because 'the clinician' can't do dressings. I was referred to my local 'crawl, hobble or hop-in centre' and without an appointment, I was seen promptly, politely and efficiently, my wound was dressed and I was given sufficient materials to repeat the process myself in a few days.
I am a supporter of 'R NHS', having worked in it for over 40 years, but it would be fair to say there is room for improvement.
Self Injection is the way forward. My 'self-injection training course' took about 30 seconds too, and I was happy and confident to continue.
I understand receptionists are there to be unhelpful but I cant be arsed arguing with them. I'm allowed a jab every 2 months, originally 3 and its eveywhere on my notes and on the recall. I could understand it if I was asking for the secret of eternal life but its just a B12 jab.
They really should be pushing the SI route, for those that can manage it. I've thought this for years. It must be cheaper to provide the patient with equipment than to get a nurse to do it.
I guess the fly in the ointment is cost, people currently get the jabs for free, but if they SI they will presumably at some point pay if the repeats go on their prescription list.
Flipper said it's not exactly the secret to eternal life, but it's definitely the secret to essential life for all of us here🙄. Glad you have got some where in your fight to get what you need!
And at risk of stating the obvious, there's nothing stop you buying more vials from Germany and seeing if you do better with increased frequency now you can comfortably SI? It made a big difference to me.
Also if you can find the money to buy bulk it costs about £1.50 ish for the B12 per injection to buy yourself in 100 vial packs.
That was my plan actually, see how I get on with SI via NHS and then think about sourcing my own B12 ampoules if necessary. I'm glad I get the chance to try it first before taking the plunge.
I have changed GP practice and my new GP will be prescribing B12 for me to SI and all the needles and syringes.
I inject 3 times a day with 1.5mg hydroxo by Pascoe and wil be replacing with 3 x 1mg of either Accord or Gerot Lannach a day. Hopefully 3mg will be enough and a fourth injection not needed.
I hope this very uncommon display of common sense spreads to us all!
I was permitted to SI when covid era started. Its very liberating!Had already persuaded surgery to give me monthly injections and have bought syringes, needles, sharps box online from medisave. Also supplement with additional ampoules from Versandapo. A German pharmacy. Less than 10 euros for 10 ampoules. But postage to Uk was around £23. Expiry date currently around April 2027. Best to get a few packs if you need jabs more freqently than Dr will allow.
I am currently experimenting with IM inj into thigh once every 4 or 5 days . This seems to reduce symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy bought on by cancer this year. I also had PN in left foot when 1st diagnosed over 20 years ago and now this does not trouble me. So fingers crossed it works for the bigger problem with PN this time
Does anyone else get benefits from Hydrodroxocoblamin this way?
I was in for my NHS injection 2 weeks ago and afterwards was given a questionnaire to fill in about if I would consider injecting at home if they showed me how it was done and if I would be happy to do it myself and if not myself if I would let a family member do it. This is on North Lanark so hopefully it is something the are looking at.
It never said, just a questionnaire with about 6 questions. Think it's a cost cutting exercise if they can get us to self inject rather than go to a nurse. Assume it would need to be intramuscular as that's what they recommend for hydroxocobalamin
I think you are correct about it being a cost cutting exercise.
Subcutaneous injections are fairly straightforward and you wouldn’t in my opinion, meet with too many problems.
However, for PA intramuscular injections are recommended for rapid absorption.
In my opinion, asking patients or family members to self inject IM, is asking for trouble.
You would be limited to the sites you could use , especially if you have arthritis or another condition where movement is limited. This means risk of fibrosis at the site would be increased as would accidental risk of injecting another structure.
I'm guessing its not going to be mandatory, hence the questionnaire. People who arent confident, have dexterity or mobility issues or simply dont want to presumably wont be forced.
However there will be patients who prefer to SI themselves, saving time and potentially freeing up much needed nurse appointments. I think it should be offered as a choice.
Brill! Yes I do SI injections at home too. My GP was delighted when I offered. It saves them money....miles cheaper for them as no nurse involved. My bew GP Practise are keen to do this too.
I’m so very pleased for you, that everything is going so well after such a long traumatic time…. All your ducks are lined up in a neat row! Well done to your bravery and perseverance…. By the way are you still waiting for your appointment in Cardiff with the specialist Endo Clinic? 💖
Well I spoke too soon Bulgari. I then got an email from PM saying b12 stopped until I'm seen by Neurologist late April! I sent her the b12 new guidelines.....now she's chasing a letter from neuro stopped till they get that.
Yes on his books but no ndt yet.....now 9 months am getting desperate. He has to put an IFR in. But Welsh and English systems don't interact so he can't. Meanwhile the new IFRpolicy says any private treatment is an automatic dismissal from nhs funding.....but they wont allow nhs ndt prescription either whilst they sort their mess out. Their new policy also says if there's a change in doctor whether GP or consultant ndt/ liothyronine must be stopped, referral to consultant and then another IFR has to be out in to get it prescribed. The IFR is a three stage process. Private treatment excludes you from funding. Its barking....putting my life on the line.
So yes my GP Surgery have a treatment t plan and advice from lasAugust but still no ndt. Couldn't make it up
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Advice please: going to US for 2 weeks holiday and need to SI frequently
My first SI - Done!
EOD on the NHS? 
Rejected by NHS again
First SI blimey
