topic Re: Vit B12 shots in Wellness

Vit B12 shots

cherry — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:18:01 GMT

My usual nurse didn't administer my shot today. So I asked her if I had to return. She said the office would get in touch with me

My regular nurse called ,and told me the Dr wants me to remain on B12 shots, for the rest of my life..Is anyone here taking them forever?

I don't mind, and I am not afraid, just curious

Re: Vit B12 shots

proudlyfromNJ — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:24:57 GMT

I have bloodwork done every three months. I think twice in the past nine years my Dr. said I needed the shots. The first time I had to go once a week for three months. That got a bit played running to her office that often. Next time I needed them I said no I'll take a vitamin. Took Nature's Plus Shot-o-B12. They worked.

Re: Vit B12 shots

ceekay — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:29:39 GMT

My mother in law got them monthly for years and years. We could always tell when she did not get one as she would get really forgetful and spacey. When she moved to a retirement community she got them on schedule since the nurses there would give the shot and we did not need to make a trip to the doctors office. She had pernicious anemia.

Re: Vit B12 shots

cherry — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:34:12 GMT

I know my labs were very low. I was also put on massive doses of Vit D..I take metformin, and it stops the absorbtion of these vitamins, and I also take a PPI, and it does the same thing

Re: Vit B12 shots

RedTop — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:47:12 GMT

My B12 bottomed out after my first knee surgery. I needed shots twice a month for 3 months, then monthly for about 6 more months to raise my level where it needed to be. I made sure my vitamin levels were high enough prior to my second knee surgery, and now maintain my vitamin and mineral levels with oral OTC products.

Only my first shot was given in my doctors office; after that my RN brother gave them to me, or I gave them to myself.

Re: Vit B12 shots

kitcat51 — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:47:29 GMT

My body can't absorb B12 the normal way so I've been giving myself the shots for 16 years & will need to continue for the rest of my life. Like you said @cherry, not a big deal. I wish you well.

Re: Vit B12 shots

hckynut — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:53:16 GMT

@cherry

Even after I guit Coumadin (warfarin) my Hemoglobin numbers were barely over 10.0, not a good reading for a guy like me that loves physical fitness so much. After about 9 months off the thinners, I asked my Hematologist what might help.

He suggested trying the B-12 regimen, which was 1 shot per week for a month, and monthly there after. Took about 3 months but my Hemoglobin numbers were moving up. That was back in 2009, and since then it has stayed around 14.0-14.5, except when I had another colon bleed and it dropped back into the 8's.

After getting that fixed it took a few months, but it did eventually get in the 14's, sometimes even a 15. I still need Iron Infusions when my Iron Ferritin numbers get below 40. Just had 2 of them, 1 yesterday and 1 the prior Monday. They are 4-6 hours, sometimes even longer. Without my B-12 monthly injections, I would probably need them much more often, and I am not taking that chance over a monthly B-12 shot.

This is all because of chronic colon bleeds starting back in 2007, and at least 130+ blood transfusions. Without this monthly injection? Not worth it to me, and I pay less than $7 for them. Yes, I plan on them for the rest of my life, because Anemia does not go with my 2 hour ice skating sessions 3 times a week, or my other 2-3 day 1.5 to 2 hour workout sessions. If I "ain't moving, I am not living, I am existing". BIG, BIG difference in my quality of life.

hckynut(john)

Re: Vit B12 shots

juliekb — Tue, 15 May 2018 19:53:59 GMT

I get a shot everymonth and do not want to go one with out. I can feel when my time is getting close. i call it my drug of choice. I found out i was B-12 deficient too late and some of my numbness wont go away. I will be taking it forever.

Re: Vit B12 shots

BirkiLady — Tue, 15 May 2018 20:07:43 GMT

@cherryBetween diabetes, lupus and a history of anemia, I tried the OTC B-12 vitamins. Didn't work for me. Have lab work done every four weeks for lupus and every three months for diabetes. The shots are easy and covered completely by Medicare and BC-BS. Yes, I'll be on them forever. Part of my DNA.

Re: Vit B12 shots

Mama Mia — Tue, 15 May 2018 20:38:06 GMT

Cherry, I am taking the shots once a month now, for at least a year. My levelsl were pretty good when I started but the doctor is having me do it anyway. Had chemo three years ago, so things got messed up then. I can't feel any difference yet..

Re: Vit B12 shots

pupwhipped — Wed, 16 May 2018 01:13:43 GMT

Okay, I'm going out on a limb here and hope I don't get bashed for asking a question. I'll specifically address it to the OP @cherry and to our beloved @hckynut. Of course, I would appreciate any input from anyone else who would care to respond. My question is, can you be low on B12 and still have a normal red blood cell count? Just wondering...just asking....trying to learn.

Thanks.

Re: Vit B12 shots

cherry — Wed, 16 May 2018 01:16:03 GMT

@pupwhipped I don't know. They find it when they test your labs. There are symptoms for low B12

You can read more about in on the diabetes thread

Re: Vit B12 shots

hckynut — Wed, 16 May 2018 02:31:49 GMT

@pupwhipped

If your red blood cell count is low it can be from B-12 deficiency. From my own experience, if my body is B-12 deficient, my red blood cell count is low. Does that mean it's the same way for everyone? That you will have to find out from your PCP or Hematologist.

I was Anemic for about 5 years and much of it was from my many bleeding issues(right colon), consequently I needed blood transfusions and Iron Infusions regularly. Many were while I was in the hospital having Colonoscopy after Colonoscopy to try to find the bleed.

So my Anemia was classified(my Hematologist told me this) as Vitamin B-12 Deficiency Anemia. Guess there are other causes within the body for Anemia, mine was/is B-12 deficiency.

Best I can tell you about this. If you are concerned, you know what you should do, right? "beloved hckynut"? If you say so. =^..^=

hckynut(john)

Re: Vit B12 shots

lulu1 — Wed, 16 May 2018 15:46:40 GMT

I suffer from Burning Mouth Syndrome. A B12 shot every 2 months makes all the difference in the world.

There was another poster with the same affliction who said she suffered terribly. I mentioned the success I had with a B12 shot, but she chose not to investigate further.

Re: Vit B12 shots

pupwhipped — Wed, 16 May 2018 20:05:09 GMT

@lulu1 wrote:
I suffer from Burning Mouth Syndrome. A B12 shot every 2 months makes all the difference in the world.

There was another poster with the same affliction who said she suffered terribly. I mentioned the success I had with a B12 shot, but she chose not to investigate further.

@lulu1, wow, thanks so much for mentioning this. I, too, have burning mouth. It came on last summer and I saw my dentist, GP, and ENT doctor. ENT said I also have an inflamed salivary gland. The burning mouth actually got a "little" better over the winter but in the last month or so it is back! While reading about B12 deficiency, I seemed like a prime candidate for it with some of my symptoms and my lifestyle. I posed the question earlier about can a person be B12 deficient without a low RBC count as mine is normal. Anyway, thanks for your post...gives me more to think about.

Also, thanks much to @cherry and @hckynut for your kind replies. And yes, John, you are beloved on these boards. Thank you ALL!