All of the B12s are still sublingual...but really they dissolve in your saliva and you swallow it anyway. Very little goes thru the mouth membranes. B12 is such a huge molecule and all.

But you DO have to take it orally or subling if you choose, on an empty stomach. Food will absorb it's tiny microgram amount and prevent the passive absorption in the small intestine.

If you have intact intrinsic factor (and most people who are low do not), then that is easier for absorption.

The research on microgram amounts of drugs was done on levothyroxine and was shown that food ruined it's absorption. Then digoxin was added to the list. So that now if you get these on RX, there will be a warning sticker. For some odd reason no one has understood or picked up on it yet, for microgram amounts of B12... not even the supplement manufacturers!
But I know about this, and know it is crucial to get good absorption orally. Just don't choose a "timed release" product as that is USELESS.

Mrs. D,

I saw my GP yesterday and he wants to put me on a B12 spray once a week. Like I earlier mentioned, my B12 level was 474. What do you think? Thanks a lot! Danielle

On the B12 informational thread.... at PN forum in the stickies, near the end is the important paper by Dr. C. Snow who recommends using B12 treatment, for borderline normal patients with neurological symptoms. He feels there is nothing to lose and everything to gain, as some people may need higher B12 levels than others:

Please read this:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/post698522-70.html

I think you will raise your level faster by using oral every day.

If you want quick results do 5mg daily on an empty stomach.
You should see good results within 3 months.
Once up... you may choose to lower to 1 or 2mg daily or not, depending on whether increasing your B12 shows some improvements for you.

After cystocele surgery 3 yrs. ago, i was given a 14 day dose of Levaquin 500mg. Little did I know what this could do. I had also been given phenazopridine 200 mg. After 3 or 4 days home from the hospital, my feet and legs began swelling. I called doctor's office and was told to stop the phenazopridine. I continued with the Levaquin. This was the start of stasis dermatatis, edema and terrible burning of feet & ankles plus leg pain. I had had spinal fusion, lamenectomy 5 years ago. Doctor said my nerve was a very angry red nerve. I thought my PN was possibly due to my spine surgery because I was and am on pain meds because of the terrible spine pain, along with eventual burning feet/ankles and leg pain. When I think back, the burning feet,ankle and leg pain did not start until after my bladder surgery. I wish I had known about Levaquin. I now believe that is the reason for my PN.

I think your Pn is probably bc of the antibiotic. There are a lot of people out there that have had bad reactions to these antibiotics. Some have seen some improvement in their symptoms. It is all very scary!

After reading about Levequin, and the timing with the burning feet/ankles, legs, as well as swelling; eventually leading to the Statis Dermatatis as well, i do believe Levequin is the culprit. A few weeks after Cystocele(bladder) surgery, I mentioned the swelling of my legs and feet - the doctor/surgeon told me is was most likely because I was getting older and that often happens when getting older. I must have really done and awful amount of aging in a few weeks to get all this and his explanation was weak; but would not related it to anything but my age and getting older. By the way, I no longer see this doctor.