B12 shots

I've been getting them once a week for a four week chunk. I get my last one this week. They do help with energy a bit. My levels were borderline low so my doc went ahead with them.

Mustard, how often?

blueberrymuffin said...
Mustard, how often?

Not sure, the script hasn't shown up yet.

Listening and caring.

I used to give myself the shots. The first time was hard but after that it was easy as pie. The needle (when I was giving them to myself daily) was so tiny I barely felt a prick.

I was at the dr last week and they said I might benefit from b12 injections. So they tell me I could get one in the office that day and if it made a difference in my energy level within 2 days they would call it into a compound pharmacy for me.

I gave it to myself in the office. In fact, when the nurse came at me with the needle I am like oh no, I will give it to myself. I think he was very relieved I wasn't going to panic about it all. Not a big deal for me at all since I am a type 1 diabetic and give myself shots anyway.

It is easy to do. Use an alcohol wipe. I injected it into my stomach. Take the alcohol wipe and clean in a circle starting from the inside and work your way out, not going back over the same place. Make about an 2 inch circle. Then pinch up the skin, hold it there, inject the whole syringe, and then release the skin. I injected slowly. I am not sure, I didn't ask if there was a proper speed to do it, but I am not quick about the insulin either. I would rather it have time to get taken into the tissue then leak out after I pull the needle. Also, If you pinch the skin up it doesn't hurt when the needle goes in. Put the needle straight in, not at an angle.

You won't hurt a nerve or blood vessel.

I did get relief and felt some more energy the next day. I was so severely fatigued that this was such a welcome change that I didn't desperately need to lay down all day that I am craving the next injection.

I called today to get it filled. I can not wait!! I will be giving them to myself two times a week.

Oh yeah it colors your peep pinkish to dark pink/purple. Don't be alarmed it is supposed to do this as B12 is not stored in the body and excess is flushed out quickly.

I'm good with giving critters shots, but not in giving myself shots. LOL! I used to worry about those things as well, but nothing ever went 'wrong' (other than I couldn't tolerate the cyano type of B-12, which is all my doc would give).

Just swab with alcohol an area in the upper thigh - my doc told me at about a 45 degree angle - and push it in quickly, so it doesn't hurt. You should have short, very small diameter needles, so it will go all the way into the skin - then inject the mixture. You can put your finger over it for a minute or two. There may even be a drop or two of blood, but this is okay. You won't hit any major vessels in the upper thigh area.

If someone else is giving the shot, you can have them do it in your upper hip area, but this is too hard of an angle for the person to reach themselves, so the upper thigh area is used.

You can also use an ice cube for a moment or two to numb the area just before the shot. I did that to help get myself started.

Actually, someone posted that B-12 is not stored in the body - that's true, and the body will only absorb as much as it needs daily, so you would be 'wasting' it by giving yourself too much. I don't remember how many cc's I was taking of it, but it was only one shot 3 times a week to give the body a chance to absorb and use it without my body just eliminating the excess. So, doubling up wouldn't be a good idea.

Super glad you started this! I just went to a new doctor, functional medicine, and he prescribed B-12 shots 3x a week, I can do them myself. Gave it to myself at the appointment. He said it should help with all my neuro issues, dizziness, weakness, neuropathy, etc, and it should give me more energy. Has anybody had any luck using these to treat their neuro issues?

Since they're $4.50 a shot, I figured I would try them for a month and see if I had any improvement.

He also prescribed low dose naltrexone.

It never helped my neuro issues, but that's because of the infections that were still working away at causing those neuro issues. Hopefully you will find that they help yours though.

Methyl B-12 does help my energy levels though, if I stay regular at taking them. (LOL!)

The LDN should be helpful though for quite a few things if it works for you. It helps some, but not others. I've not used it, but from what others have said, you do need to give it a bit of time to work though.

Blueberry, just before you give yourself the injection, take a few calming breaths. This will not only steady your hands, but will help keep you from tensing your muscles - it's best to not give an injection into tensed muscles, as it will hurt more. If you can relax, it should only sting a bit, and only for a short while. The first few times, I had an ice cube that I used to numb the spot, then would put the ice cube back on my leg right after the injection. LOL! I was nervous. But after I had relaxed, I would put heat on it for a few minutes to help the muscles absorb the B-12. I never even bruised from any of the injections I gave myself, and I usually bruise pretty easily as I'm very fair skinned.

Yes, it could increase the soreness in your legs, although you do need to alternative sites after each shot. I had to write down which leg I last injected so that I could keep alternating sides.

You might want to consider using them for 6 weeks to see if they help, it's a slow process.

I have another question about this:
how long should you have shots 3x per week in order to see benefits? I saw 12 weeks but isn't it too much? when to descrease to once per week?
I want to start, but I really need this information.