As someone who had injections before and then tried oral, I can confirm what MrsD. says. It's cheaper and less hassle.

If you continue to inject, however, B12 injections are preferably done intramuscular. Best place (as it's the largest muscle area) is the lower back just above the buttocks, but since that is impossible for self injection, the second best choice is the thigh.

Of course, this depends on the type of needle you are using: if you are using the short ones (I forgot the technical details) it won't really matter; the needles for IM are a bit longer, but can also potentially damage nerves if you miss the correct spot.

I have never ever heard about injecting in the stomach, even in long discussions with medical personnel about the best spot for B12.

I am thinking she would have sub Q needles (the short ones), if she was directed to inject in the stomach. would need to get different needles to get effective IM injection.

Obtaining B12 through food instead?
 

I've been trying to dig through this thread and the forums, so pardon me if this has been addressed and I missed it!

I'm curious about how difficult it is to raise B12 levels through diet rather than supplementation. My B12 levels are sitting around 310 right now. I don't have dairy or bread/cereal, so I'm not really getting much of the fortified stuff. Is it feasible to get levels up to better levels through dietary means rather than supplementation? Duck eggs, fish, and the like. I tend to have unpleasant reactions to medications (and am allergic to nickel which to my understanding nickel and cobalt allergies often go together?), so I've been a bit nervous about trying B12 supplements though I do not know if I would even absorb enough from what I'd be eating. I've been doing a mostly paleo diet for a bit over a year so unfortunately while they suspect possible celiac or gluten issues, the blood test turned up negative so I am waiting to see a gastroenterologist.

If you have low acid in the stomach or broken
intrinsic factor you may not benefit from
dietary B12.

You are low for a reason so supplements
Are the best way to go. Activated B12-
methyl cobalamin is very inexpensive
(as low as 6 cents a dose) so not
availing yourself of it seems odd to me.

Pipbub...I tried foods to increase b12 levels, no good in my situation. I must take subligual methylcobalamin and use the Pure Encapsulations brand because it gives me the least amount of side effects. I am also allergic to metals, cobalt included. Two yrs ago when my b12 level was quite low, I saw my Rheum, endo, allergists, ENT, neuro, surgeon and primary docs on a weekly basis. :eek: All recommended this form of b12 supplement.

I haven't taken a medication, not even tylenol, for 25 yrs due to untoward side effcts. Having had many small bowel obstruction surgeries, my ability to absorb b12 is limited, at best. I also have psoriatic arthritis, which clouded finding this b12 malabsorption for many yrs. My symptoms were devastating: surgeries planned, neuropathy in hands and feet, I could nolonger read, walking was diffcult, glucose control concerns showed up, unable to lift my purse, pulsatile tinnitus, heart irregularities, my memory was gone, extreme pain, vision problems. I didn't have the usual depression associated with lack of b12 so b12 was overlooked. Had I not read up on it, I wouldn't be alive.

You're concerned about side effects of taking the b12. My docs wouldn't give me the injections due to my extreme allergies. My initial dose of sublingual methylcobalamin, 2000mcg, resulted in a cough and sinus drainage. As expected, it was extreme, but I lived...:) Taking a med to fend off the cough and sinus attack wasn't an option for me. But, because the level 10 pain I'd lived with for many yrs was cut to a level 5, I continued dosing each day. After a wk of coughing, I called my primary, who suggested I cut back the dose, which I did to 1000mcg... still the cough. I then revisited the allergist, ent, neuro, etc... New side effects started after a few wks, node swelling, vivid and bad dreams, hormonal issues..more doctors, orders to stop taking the b12 for 2 wks then to take 20 mcg and work up to a dose that gives me relief. During the 2 wks, all side effects disappeared. Pain and neuropthy reappeared. :(

After 2 yrs, I take very small doses, 150mcg-250mcg, a couple times per day. When the cough gets too disruptive, I skip a day. It's a miserable day, though.

My advice to you is to try the liquid drops of methylcobalamin and start at a low dose schedule. Depending upon your side effects, seek out foods that supply other nutrients to help b12 do it's job. Study b12 deficiency, understand it's importance. I am still studying.

Hope this helps. You're probably not going to find anyone else that has a sensitivity to cobalt but if you do, please let me know. Oh..explaination to my metal allergy was determined to be from injesting cobalt blue paint for yrs. Oh, yes, I did. :eek: I'm an artist, and back in my young and stupid yrs, I was instructed to wet my paintbrush by sticking it in my mouth.

enjoy the day...
deb

Hello all,

I'm new to this site and I have been very pleased with all the information I have read about Vitamin Deficiency, especially concerning Vitamin B. I was recently diagnosed with Vitamin D deficiency and lab work showed low Vitamin B (285). I am getting the homocysteine and methylomaic acid tests done this weekend, hopefully this will be the start of some answers concerning my nerve damage.

My Dr gave me 5 injections of Vitamin B prior to requesting I get the homocysteine and methylomaic acid tests so I hope that does't mess with the results. I'm going this weekend so three weeks will have passed since my last shot.

I'm also wondering if some of the symptoms I've been experincing are due to the shots, first week I had upset stomach, loss of appetite and I have constant burning sensation in my arms and sometimes legs. I didn't notice this until after the 5 shots. I also wake up feeling like I lifted weights the night before :eek: ...achey joints and muscles.

Since I have to continue with monthly shots I hope the side effects subside after awhile.

One should avoid injections for up to 7 days before any testing.

Post when you get the results of your MMA and homocysteine tests.

I would assume you are getting cyano form in those injections?
If you are not methylating well, (if you have the MTHFR mutations) the B12 in the serum will not be activated to methyl form in order to work.

Make sure also you are using D3 (OTC) and not the D2 that is given on RX still by doctors. The D2 form does not work much at all it has been discovered recently.

Here is the D thread on our Vitamin forum:
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread92116.html
The links and newest information are on that thread for you to study.

Well the nurse left me a message today and said my MMA and homocysteine tests came back normal but did not say what the numbers were. They are putting me on b12 injections for 6 months (CYANO FORM) then she said a pill form after that. They are also referring me to the big University Neurology department to get more tests done. I can feel my anxiety coming back, I just want to be normal again.

Hi, maybe you can get a copy of your results. Then you can post them here. I take 5000 Methyl B-12 every day and believe me the difference in my energy level is amazing. I'm almost 66 and let me tell you, I would not stop taking this supplement if they paid me. Been taking this for 7 years or so. Big Difference in my brain function, my diabetic neuropathy and just about everything else. I tell everybody about taking Methyl B-12. All my diabetic friends take it. One doesn't have to be a diabetic to get good results.

Look into this. Just might help.

Take care, Melody

I'm not sure what could be causing my low levels and I even told them about my ulcer and h-pylori. I hope the fact that my Dr gave me 5 injections before the MMA and homocysteine tests did not change the results who knows. My foot is getting worse and it's beginning to get painful, I'm scared to death it's something serious beyond vitamin defiency especially since my opposite wrist is damaged too. Ughhh this is so stressful.

Can I take Methyl B-12 while doing the injections as well?? I am defiantly going to start, I'm willing to try anything.

I'm also going to go to the lab afterwork today and get a print out of my results.