B12 Deficiency - ThinnerTimes

shereeks · 08-22-2007, 01:18 PM

I've just had some blood tests done and been told that I am very low in B12. Can anyone explain to me in laymans terms what this is?

Apparently I have to have an injection and probably will need one once a month for the rest of my life. Does anyone know if there is any other way to get it other than by injection and also if I have to have the injection where do they stick it???

Guess that could explain why I am soooo tired lately?

justawoman · 08-22-2007, 01:58 PM

I am also B12 deficient, I was before surgery and still am. They started doing B12 shots for me at the clinic, it was in my upper arm then they showed me how to do it at home. I know do them at home in my upper arm once a month. It is very simple. I am not sure, why or how I became B12 deficient but I know that once I started taking the injections my skin cleared up. I have always had really bad skin (I use to break out all the time) now I barely ever do!

LQQkn · 08-22-2007, 02:04 PM

I give myself my own injections. I take them twice a month, and sometimes once a week depending on how I feel. It's not bad.. I shoot in the hip, and rotate. Janie

taleci · 08-22-2007, 03:30 PM

I'm just curious, before getting to the point of needing the injections, were you taking sublingual B12? I take a couple of these everyday and this is a level that is doing fine.

http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/store/e...ci_sku=VS-1063

LisaBoston · 08-22-2007, 03:47 PM

I have taken b12 injections from about 6 weeks out. I was at 1300 before surgery, went down to 400 at 6 weeks out. Apparently my doc says they usually don't start giving any patient b12 until they get down to 200, but he was concerned about how fast mine went.

I did shots once a week for 4 weeks, every other week for 4 weeks, then once a month for life. With my last surgery, my surgeon prescribed me oral b12 to take on week 3, one week before the needle. He feels that I drop down too low at about 21 days out before the next injection. No big deal with the needle. I have taken every 2 weeks since my panni due to all my issues, will go back to monthly maybe in Jan. The needles are no big deal. Think of a diabetic having to take mulitples every day...one a month - no biggie! But I can tell you it makes a world of difference to my energy levels. I also take vitamin c & d on its own now along with my liquid multivitamin. I have calcuim to take, but still can't manage taking it to date...backs me up BIG TIME.....hopefully one day I will be able to take. Many non GBP patients as they get older talke b12, but for us, we ALL need it.

Some take sublingual without any problem. I started with the shots and they work for me and cheap here...10 doses of 1mm each for under $7 and then 33 cents a needle.

DAISY · 08-22-2007, 11:04 PM

I was really tired and sleeping a lot for about two months straight. Couldn't figure out why I had no energy. I would go to work come home and sleep until work again. I went to the doctors and she did a blood test. My B12 was low. I was going into the clinic once a week to get injections and then because of my work schedule I couldn't get in there so I am just starting to have to inject myself once a week for about a month and a half and then I go back for blood work to see if it brought my B12 up. I still don't have the guts to stick myself though. Luckily I am near my mom twice a week for my jaw appointments so she said she will do it. My doctor said that obviously my body won't absorb B12 vitamin pills and that I should have come in when I was getting tired. I had no idea I was low on B12 and if it wasn't for Carrie telling me that our body after gastric doesn't absorb B12 very good and to try the ones that go under the tongue and desolve I would have had no clue. So, I take one dose a week in the arm or hip and hopefully in 6 weeks the B12 will be up enough that I can start taking the ones under my tongue.

shereeks · 08-23-2007, 12:02 AM

Thanks everyone that's really useful information! At least it doesn't sound too scary! My B12 level is 90 so I guess if LisaBoston is saying that they normally give it when you hit 200 then that definitely explains why I am so tired!

First injection next week (just can't find the time before that) so hopefully that will give me a real boost!

I haven't been taking any B12 sublinguals - never even knew B12 was a issue for us - surgeon never spoke about that.

Thanks for all the info - you guys are a wealth of knowledge and support!

paige52 · 08-23-2007, 07:43 AM

I did B12 shots for years and it worked pretty good.

Now I take a sublingual from Trader Joes that also has B6 & folic acid and my B's are all off the charts good!

rainrain · 08-23-2007, 07:56 AM

been usinf Traders b-12 for 3 years.no problems ever!

Rachel · 12-07-2007, 10:33 AM

How long do your sublingual b12's take to disolve? the one I have been taking takes 30 min or more. Am looking for one that is faster. Thanks