Anyone Get B12 Shots?

[seraphim]

I was watching info about how serum b12 is usually not enough for diagnosing b12 deficiency. It was something i was going to look into but I was curious...has anyone had b12 shots? What was it like? What are they injecting into you exactly? I know vaccines use egg white? Kinda curious about this. Only if i have a severe deficiency mind you. Otherwise I'll be looking for sublingual b12. My grandfather was getting b12 shots after diagnosed with alzheimers but I've never asked him anything about it.

[mamaw]

I  take  a B-12  shot  weekly.  I  use for  for  edema....  works  wonderful.... The usual  dosage  is  monthly  for  low  B-12...  The  reference  range  is  quite  large  but  one  needs to keep their  B-12  in  the  700's  or  a  tad  higher...  I  don't  have  the  reference  range in  front  of me   but I think  it  starts  around  300 &  goes  to  900...

[seraphim]

Does lack of b12 cause swelling?

[GottaSki]

I was watching info about how serum b12 is usually not enough for diagnosing b12 deficiency. It was something i was going to look into but I was curious...has anyone had b12 shots? What was it like? What are they injecting into you exactly? I know vaccines use egg white? Kinda curious about this. Only if i have a severe deficiency mind you. Otherwise I'll be looking for sublingual b12. My grandfather was getting b12 shots after diagnosed with alzheimers but I've never asked him anything about it.

 

Start with a serum B12....not sure what you were watching...but start with a blood test.  If the results are low....then time to supplement.  Shots are important for some...but not a starting point for most.

 

While you are having blood drawn...if you still suspect Celiac Disease -- you may wish to add:

 

B1, B2, B6, B12, D, K, Iron, Ferritin, Copper and Zinc -- if you haven't had them run recently.

[mamaw]

yes,  it has been the only thing that  worked  for angio lymphatic  edema. I got  this  reaction when I was  put on levothyroxine. Now  this isn't  common for most to have this happen to them but I'm a super  sensitive  person. I  react to many drugs in severe  ways...

And I agree  with Gottski most  start out  with a pill form  of B-12 then after a  recheck  if that isn't  making  the level  go up  & stay  then a  doc  may suggest B-12 injections  .....

[seraphim]

Start with a serum B12....not sure what you were watching...but start with a blood test.  If the results are low....then time to supplement.  Shots are important for some...but not a starting point for most.

 

While you are having blood drawn...if you still suspect Celiac Disease -- you may wish to add:

 

B1, B2, B6, B12, D, K, Iron, Ferritin, Copper and Zinc -- if you haven't had them run recently.

This was the video I saw...basically serum b12 alone is not always reliable. It would take forever for me to type out why but it's a very interesting video if you have time to watch it sometime. There are a few tests one should have with that.

 

[seraphim]

yes,  it has been the only thing that  worked  for angio lymphatic  edema. I got  this  reaction when I was  put on levothyroxine. Now  this isn't  common for most to have this happen to them but I'm a super  sensitive  person. I  react to many drugs in severe  ways...

And I agree  with Gottski most  start out  with a pill form  of B-12 then after a  recheck  if that isn't  making  the level  go up  & stay  then a  doc  may suggest B-12 injections  .....

Yeah I'm hoping sublingual will be fine. Also hoping because i think under the tongue may be less likely to cause a tummy ache than a pill to swallow too. Plus if i'm malabsorbing a pill may not be best. Yeah I was wondering about the b12 and swelling because I was getting swelling and hives for about 3 weeks and i hadn't been getting any b12 for a couple months.

[kareng]

This was the video I saw...basically serum b12 alone is not always reliable. It would take forever for me to type out why but it's a very interesting video if you have time to watch it sometime. There are a few tests one should have with that.

 

I can't tell on my iPad...who made this video?

[seraphim]

It just says Elissa Leonard at the end that I can tell but I have cross referenced the info they give about homocysteine etc and it's all true. It's just a matter of a few extra blood tests like that along with serum b12 and a couple others.

[1desperateladysaved]

I thought of doing B12 injections, but with additional healing, my levels rose without them!

 

D

[seraphim]

b12 isn't something I was fretting about since I started getting meat into me again the past couple weeks but I need to have optimal levels before thyroid treatment which I may need so someone shared this with me in a thyroid group. I'm about to be tested for a "MTHFR" genetic defect which can affect what kind of b12 to take and involves detoxing the body which i seem to have issues with right now at least possibly with one or two things. All a part of the healing process. We'll see what my testing shows.

[Alwayssomething]

I get my 4th B12 shot today (one a week), I have been gluten free for 2 years and recently started experiencing a burning sensation in my feet.  When I asked the Dr. he said that is mostly a dieabetic thing or B12 defficiency and I am not diabetic so he tested my B12.  It came back low, after this week I will go to a monthly shot then be retested and hopefully be able to just go to pill or sublyingul.   
 

I went back to my file of medical records for the last 4 eyars and not one time was my B12 tested.   A lot of other vitamin levels were, but not B12 and my research of B12 deficiency showed me I had been have symptoms for many years and no one even thought to check it.   Worse part is the neurological issues it caused (numbness in my feet and vision problems) the damage is often not reversable.     

[seraphim]

 

 

I get my 4th B12 shot today (one a week), I have been gluten free for 2 years and recently started experiencing a burning sensation in my feet.  When I asked the Dr. he said that is mostly a dieabetic thing or B12 defficiency and I am not diabetic so he tested my B12.  It came back low, after this week I will go to a monthly shot then be retested and hopefully be able to just go to pill or sublyingul.   
 

I went back to my file of medical records for the last 4 eyars and not one time was my B12 tested.   A lot of other vitamin levels were, but not B12 and my research of B12 deficiency showed me I had been have symptoms for many years and no one even thought to check it.   Worse part is the neurological issues it caused (numbness in my feet and vision problems) the damage is often not reversable.     

 

Yes it's really almost a crime how little b12 levels are tested an yet they are SO important for everyone's well being. Many doctors won't even test vitamin D either. B12 you're looking at all kinds of issues if you don't have enough.

[frieze]

I get my 4th B12 shot today (one a week), I have been gluten free for 2 years and recently started experiencing a burning sensation in my feet.  When I asked the Dr. he said that is mostly a dieabetic thing or B12 defficiency and I am not diabetic so he tested my B12.  It came back low, after this week I will go to a monthly shot then be retested and hopefully be able to just go to pill or sublyingul.   

 

I went back to my file of medical records for the last 4 eyars and not one time was my B12 tested.   A lot of other vitamin levels were, but not B12 and my research of B12 deficiency showed me I had been have symptoms for many years and no one even thought to check it.   Worse part is the neurological issues it caused (numbness in my feet and vision problems) the damage is often not reversable.     

check for the MCV, part of the CBC.  If it is up, that can be a sign of B12 def.

and how was your thiamine level?  If that is low check out benfotamine.

[AlwaysLearning]

I've had luck with a B12 tablet that dissolves under the tongue, gluten free made by Country life, though it does have ingredients derived from corn and is actually a synthetic form of B12, made in a lab.

I'm not certain, but I'm going to guess that the shots and nasal sprays also rely on B12 created in a laboratory setting so I've also been trying to keep an eye on my food sources for B12 and not skimping.

Only from the research I've done, I'm not liking the idea of injections alone. If you are only getting injections every few weeks, and the cause of the original deficiency hasn't healed or been addressed, that just means that you end up on a cycle of repeated deficiencies until your next shot. And the most common side effects/problems seem to come from the injections themselves.

So, it makes sense to me that taking an oral supplement more regularly could help avoid dipping to low levels again.

And if your deficiency is being caused by malabsorption in the digestive tract, then the form that dissolves under your tongue should bypass those problems.

But my biggest issue with tablets is knowing how much to take. I don't have a clue. The one I was taking is 50,000 times the recommended daily dose. Though I'm sure not all of that made its way into my system, I did stop taking it until I hear back what affect it may have had, more testing scheduled for tomorrow.

And there is the side issue of the sources of B12. Malabsorption issues aside, the B12 from animal sources is easily absorbed while those from plant sources - not so much. I don't know if the body has issues taking in the synthetic forms.

But even if your digestive system heals after going gluten free, word is that B12 becomes more difficult to absorb as we age so I suspect that I'll always have to be on the lookout, even if I do manage to get my levels back on track now.

Your doctor can also prescribe a nasal spray and the patch can be bought online.

I haven't done any research into the shot, spray, or patch being gluten free.

[SanAntonioGF]

I've had luck with a B12 tablet that dissolves under the tongue, gluten free made by Country life, though it does have ingredients derived from corn and is actually a synthetic form of B12, made in a lab.

I'm not certain, but I'm going to guess that the shots and nasal sprays also rely on B12 created in a laboratory setting so I've also been trying to keep an eye on my food sources for B12 and not skimping.

Only from the research I've done, I'm not liking the idea of injections alone. If you are only getting injections every few weeks, and the cause of the original deficiency hasn't healed or been addressed, that just means that you end up on a cycle of repeated deficiencies until your next shot. And the most common side effects/problems seem to come from the injections themselves.

So, it makes sense to me that taking an oral supplement more regularly could help avoid dipping to low levels again.

And if your deficiency is being caused by malabsorption in the digestive tract, then the form that dissolves under your tongue should bypass those problems.

But my biggest issue with tablets is knowing how much to take. I don't have a clue. The one I was taking is 50,000 times the recommended daily dose. Though I'm sure not all of that made its way into my system, I did stop taking it until I hear back what affect it may have had, more testing scheduled for tomorrow.

And there is the side issue of the sources of B12. Malabsorption issues aside, the B12 from animal sources is easily absorbed while those from plant sources - not so much. I don't know if the body has issues taking in the synthetic forms.

But even if your digestive system heals after going gluten free, word is that B12 becomes more difficult to absorb as we age so I suspect that I'll always have to be on the lookout, even if I do manage to get my levels back on track now.

Your doctor can also prescribe a nasal spray and the patch can be bought online.

I haven't done any research into the shot, spray, or patch being gluten free.

Finally, someone else concerned about the 50,000 plus percent of the daily requirement of B-12 in most B-12 pills.  I have Hashimoto's too.  I would get my TSH level normalized then I would add in B-12 to my routine.  I never realized that my doctor prescribed 16,666% of my daily recommended amount.  I would go from feeling normal to over medicated (eyes felt like they were bulging out, heart racing, irritated, etc).  I was told by my doctor without her hearing my symptoms, that I was not being over medicated.  I finally found a lab that would draw my TSH level for less than my co-pays.  I've leveled out my TSH level.  I'm now going to check my B-12 level (which is something that my doctor keeps forgetting to check).  If anyone has found a natural B-12 that is 100% of daily recommended (or a bit higher) then please let me know.  Yes, I'm looking for a new primary doctor. 

[AlwaysLearning]

Sublingual dosing follow up:

30-35 of the 3000 mcg dose (gluten free from Country Life) ended up adding about 235 points to my total B12 levels over the course of a month. I'll continue with once-a-day until I can get my levels up to 700, then probably drop back to once a week.

I did ask a friend who has had some serious B12 deficiencies and has done shots and supplements, sometimes together, what he experiences when he's had too much and he said he feels jittery and on edge.

Online research says that we only absorb about 10% of what is in the sublingual supplement which means the dose listed on the bottle isn't quite so scary, though I have to suspect that, with as many people as there are with deficiencies, the recommended daily dose could also a little on the low side.

And there are all sorts of factors that can draw down reserves beyond just pregnancy or vegetarianism, such as stress or physical exertion, to keep in mind when you consider how often a B12 supplement should be taken.

[Juliebove]

I tried the shots.  Don't know what is in them.  Not all shots use egg.  I felt much better after the first one but no different after the next one.