injectable B12?

[Nell2]

Hi mates,

I’ve been doing subcutaneous B12 for a couple of weeks. The day after I get a big bump in energy, which is terrific. But I’m not totally sure I’m giving myself the injections correctly. It all goes well, but after the needle is out, it hurts like %$#@! Kind of a burning pain that lasts about 5 minutes, lessening as time passes. The rx is for .5 ml which is quite a bit of liquid so I’m thinking it just hurts because everything’s getting pushed around and stretched? Or am I doing something wrong?

Nell

[Krys]

Hi Nell,
I hesitated to answer because my B12 is 1cc only and I am giving it to myself in the fat layer around the belly button. If I hit a small vein it hurts a little and I get a big bruise that lasts a month, otherwise it’s not hurting. But mine is not really subcutaneous.
I know that intramuscular vit B injections (if all or many are combined) DO hurt a lot. They are often given for that reason with lignocaine. I took a lot of them as a teenager in Europe and I usually opted for no lignocaine and the pain lasted only about 5 – 7 minutes. But you had to relax your muscle really well, otherwise it could have been torture. I took only a few subcutaneous ones (don’t remember what it was) as a kid and it really hurt the worst! Sorry I can’t be more helpful. Does it matter very much how you administer them? I’m sure there’s somebody that can advise you better than I. Painless bumps in vibrant energy to you!!! Krys

[Kash]

When I was giving myself B12 shots I did them in my belly. Having ample padding, it didn’t usually hurt….but I did get some bruising. Probably user error!
I did not think they helped me much….

[Eileen]

When I did B12 injecs. seven yrs. ago, I administered them daily. Yes. Every stick was a pinch and I did bruise. I did not find it too painful, but I was also on I.V. 24/7 pump at the time, bi-cillin injs. and injecting magnesium — now that shot [magnesium] was terribly painful and so were the lumps and bruises that followed. I did not find B12 (methylcobalimum? sp) helpful. Just had labs done and B12 still way too high — shifting other b’s into the low range and knocking others out of whack.

One thing I noticed when injecting is that the ‘needles’ weren’t quite as sharp as they needed to be. I remember poking myself in the leg and feeling as if there was resistance, then needle would go in. That’s when I bruised. Also, I don’t remember the gauge of the needles. Check with your dr. to see if you can size down. That could be a contributing factor.

Eileen

[Nell2]

Thanks Eileen and Kash and Krys.

I’m wondering if it’s the preservative that’s causing the stinging. The needle going in is no problem, it’s just afterwards, like 30 seconds after when I’m putting things away that all of a sudden it burns like mad. As long as I’m not doing it wrong, it’s OK, it’s over in about 5 minutes and the energy I’m getting from the shots is totally worth it.

But maybe on my next trip to the doc’s I’ll ask about single-dose shots with no need for preservative. Or maybe she’d prescribe the nasal spray that autistic kids use.

And thanks for the info on the mag shots. I was going to ask about those too, because I can’t take as much oral as I need, and I can’t spend all my time in an Epsom bath!

Nell

[Lyn_x]

I’m on B12 injections and I was told to give the injection into a muscle by my doctor and the nurses at a different clinic who taught me how to do it. I do the thigh, since it is less awkward than other places. The nurses who taught me suggested using a larger size (smaller gauge, I use 21) to withdraw the solution, then switching to a smaller needle (larger gauge, 25) for the actual injection.

The withdrawing from the ampule dulls the first needle making it more painful.

Good luck.

[Lyn_x]

Almost forgot, the unused, smaller needle causes much less bruising than the ‘used to withdraw’ bigger needle–and it’s much less scary (I look at the big needle and am so relieved that it is not the needle I’m going to stick myself with that it makes the injection all the easier! 🙂

[Nell2]

I wonder what the difference is with subcutaneous and intramuscular B12, whether the formulations are any different or the effects. My needles are definitely sub-c, 31 gauge insulin needles. I do remember how much it hurt to do intramuscular, when I briefly had infertility treatments in which I had to give myself those. Ow!

Nell

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