Question:
Vitamin B12 Poll
For those taking B12 injections, can you please let me know what your dosage is and how frequently you take it? Do you do it yourself, or do you have to haul butt into the Dr each time? And what are the costs associated with it?? I'm 8 months post-op RNY, and have thus far been taking 1000 mcg's 3 times weekly at my surgeon's recommendation. I'm finding I scimp on this due to the taste, texture and length of time it takes to dissolve. Although my labs have been fine, I'm not feeling quite as energized as I'd like. I talked to my PCP regarding injections, and he seemed to want to lean more toward the Nascobal nasal gel spray--500 mcb's in 1 nostril 1 time per week. (Per the pharmacist, all of this will be absorbed, whereas with sublingual, it is pretty much hit or miss--that's why we take "extra"). I have yet to try this, as I just picked it up from the pharmacy last night and noticed it was expired. YIKES! It is very pricey--$150 for 8 doses. YIKES AGAIN! (Although I do have insurance that covers all but $40 of that, it still makes me feel like a not so good consumer of my health care benefits). Any info you can give me regarding injections would be very appreciated--it will give me a springboard for discussion with my PCP. Thanks! Audra, Open RNY 8-7-03. 5'6"/248/155/140 — jellybean0605 (posted on April 23, 2004)
April 23, 2004
I haven't done injections or the nasal one, BUT, it sounds like your main
issue is if you hate the dissolve time of B-12, I wanted to recommend
trying a different kind. I'm not sure where you are at, but the ones that
Trader Joe's sells in California are great, tasteless and dissolve very
quickly. They are inexpensive, and wow, some of the other options that you
mention are quite expensive. The other thing I try is to eat meat every
day to make sure I get all my nutrients in. As far as the energy issue,
perhaps it's not the B-12? If your levels are normal, maybe it's something
else, like iron, or blood sugar? I have issues with energy, and mine, as
best as I've been able to tell, was with blood sugar. Good luck to you!
— w8free
April 23, 2004
OK, let's see. I do B12 myself weekly. It is addressing other conditions
besides the obvious, and holds my levels 600-800, which is where I want to
be. My husband does every 2 weeks (we shoot each other), and his levels
hold around 800. We also do my dad (86, but a normie). (Don't stop by here
on Sunday! LOL!) The doc/nurse taught us how to shoot ourselves, where,
how not to. It has to be IM, not subcu with diabetes needle. BIgger needle
than you want, but only the pointy part hurts <g> Cost. WITH
insurance, I pay about $3 for a 30 shot vial. My dad's is $1.48. Mine was
coming in 1 shot vials for awhile, big nuisance, so I bought locally
without ins and it was $7 for the 30 shot vial. Still redquires Rx, but I
just didn't run it thru the ins. So, it is the very cheapest way to get
it. Although I did not pay any copay at the doc's office, didn't always
have time to wait my turn, etc. The syringes are 4/$1 at Walgreen's. In
WA state, if you have Rx for the syringes, you don't pay sales tax on them.
My PCP was reluctant to start shots before our levels went too low, so I
explained (again) our physiology and that I'm not planning to reroute the
food so it goes back via my stomach again, so it's not going to fix itself.
He just grinned and said, "Oh yeah" and wrote it up for me.
Since he's the one reading the labs, he is the witness for all 3 of us as
to the correctness, proper frequency, etc. I'm 9.5 yrs postie, husband is
8.5, so the frequency has been calculated with labs, over time. It's
different for everyone, though many start with monthly and adjust from
there. The std dose is 1 ml. All the years I've been doing this and I
have NEVER seen the Nascobal work for one single soul. The shots are SO
cheap, why would anyone mess with that, IMHO?
— vitalady
April 23, 2004
My husband gives me a one c.c. injection once a month. I put an ice cube on
first..(gives it in my upper thigh) and I cant feel a thing..I pay $3 a
shot including syringe.
— Kathy S.
April 23, 2004
I give myself B12 injections. One a month unless I start to feel tired and
achey. If that I happens I may have 2 in one month. It is very
inexpensive. My insurance does not cover it and I pay about 8.00 every 3
to 4 months. The needles are very small and HONESTLY you hardly feel it.
In the first few months after my surgery I had to have the shot twice a
montha nd my surgeon's nurse gave them to me. I got really tired of going
in to his office and waiting for her to have a free minute and I tried it
myself. I was surprised at how easy it was. It makes me feel much more
energetic too. Hope that answers your question.
Leda
— lmaxwell
April 23, 2004
I have to go for B12 twice a month. I go to the doctors office.. my cost
$4.82 a shot.
— star .
April 23, 2004
I self inject once a month. 1 c.c. with a 1" needle in the upper
thigh. The sublingual B-12 didn't do anything for me.
— Kathy J.
April 23, 2004
I also do the injectable. I paid $11.48 for 24 syringes and $7.50 for 10
1ml vials of cyanocobalomin (B-12). And this was WITHOUT using my
insurance. I'm almost a year out and my labs are perfect. Good luck!
— SMG I.
April 23, 2004
I do the injections once a month at home, my sister or my Mom give them to
me in my hip. I get 1 ml each month with a 1.5 inch needle. My surgeon says
this needs to be given intermuscular for better absorbancy. It does not
hurt at all and is very inexpensive. With insurance its like 5.00 for a
years supply......Good Luck..
— Sharon1964
April 24, 2004
I give myself injections of 1ml per month. I purchased the B-12 w/o
insurance and paid 18 dollars for a 30ml bottle. That will last me 2.5
years. Sounds like the nose spray is WAY more expensive. ;)
— RebeccaP
April 29, 2004
I inject myself . . . 1X a week. Doesn't hurt, easy, *very* cheap!
I paid $10 for 30 cc of the stuff, and $20 for 100 syringes. Without
insurance. Thant's 6 months worth of the vite, and 2 years worth of
syringes. (Don't buy that many at once - they get old, and the rubber
deteriorates.)
Very easy to learn to do, cheaper than sublinguals, and more effective.
— RWH G.
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