B-12 lab question

I just got back my 6 month labs, and for the most part, they look pretty good.  I would like my iron a little higher, but given the high blood loss and TOM issues I was having at the time of the draw, I was pleased they were technically in range. 

Anyway, my B-12 serum is "in range" according to the range they use.  But, I know that we like to keep our B-12 higher.  I can't remember what it was off the top of my head...I think 391, just below 400.  Obviously, this is too low.  I don't need any lecturing about that, I am aware!  And want to change it!  I currently do a monthly injection, but am thinking it would be good to supplement with a sublingual to see if that gets my levels up.  I plan on discussing this at my appt next week, but I am concerned about the advice I may get since according to them, it is fine.

I am just curious, for those who have experienced this, how often would you take a sublingual to supplement the injection?  I was at the store tonight and grabbed the only sublingual they had at Target, so I could get started, which was a 2,500 mcg.  Every other day?  Once a week?  Just curious what the thoughts are of others.  I not replacing this with medical advice, I would just like some feedback from others who've had experience!

Thanks!

I was getting the shots every month and my levels dropped from over 1500 at the beginning of 2010 to 616 in November. Even though it was in range I was concerned about such a large drop so I started using a sublingual every day along with the shots. I think it is 1000 mcg. It brought my level up to 1100 by January. I am going to stick with this until my next labs in July see what I need to do then.

Good to know.  Thanks for responding!  That's what I'm concerned about, with levels so low, I could drop so quickly!  And it is already low enough that I could be experiencing complications!  I already deal with depression.  I don't need my B-12 low and adding to it!

 I was taking 1000mcg a day since surgery and my B12 was 1600ish on my last bloodwork (I'm almost 8 months out).  Since it was rather high, I'm now alternating between 500mcg and 1000mcg every other day.  I use the sublingual dots from Walmart.  They are super cheap at $4.00 a bottle with 200 in a bottle.  And they're rather tasty.  Of all my vitamins, I enjoy them the most. lol

Good luck! 

Good to know!  And thanks for the info.  I like the taste of B-12!  I just try to cut back and the amount of things I take daily!  Its better now that I can swallow more things.  Chewing all that got to be old real fast!

Daily.

I was doing 2 ml IM shots per week and the 10,000 mcg daily and I STILL can't reach 2000.

Thanks Michelle!  I just got my most recent order from you.  Looks like I'll be adding B-12 to my next one!

Some ppl can hold 2000 for years on just 500mcg per day. Mine held for 6 yrs, but now I have to beat it with a very big stick to get the numbers to stay up over 1000

I have the same problem with B12.  I know we all absorb stuff somewhat differently.  Like, I don't see to absorb D well at all, takes huge doses and everyone tells me oh, it should go up real quick on that dose and mine does not.  On the other hand, I must absorb iron great because I don't eat meat so my diet is probably a bit lower in iron than some people's but I don't have to take much iron at all and my ferritin is 219!

But B12.  I do shots.  I was doing 1000 mcg every other week and it fell from 1081 to 502.  How on earth is that even possible?  So now I'm doing the shots weekly.  Do you recommend a sublingual too?  How could I possibly drop that  much on shots?

Did you switch from IM to subcu? I did one year and went from 2000 to 400!

I know! I get an unsteady supply of B12 from my mail order rx. The rx is written for 1 ml weekly. We get 3 months, so 12-13 shots, right? Sometimes I get 12 vials, sometimes 13, sometimes a vial of 10, sometimes a vial of 30! Don might get a 30 in the same shipment when I get 12 1's. So, where I was running behind, suddenly we had them expiring soon, so I started doing 2ml wk.

And then we tried the 10k methyl to see what would happen. They dissolve more slowly, so I had no patience with them. And they contain B6, so we switched to the cyan at 10k.

This time, I didn't do shots OR the subs for several days so I can see the lower score. I had them drawn Tues, so I won't get the full set til next week.

It's kinda funny that I could fix my D with one single 50k, but Don needs 2 and he has more common channel. His protein is up near the top of the range on 90-120g, where I'm good if we get it into low normal on 180+. But our albumin and pre-albumin are the same. Our irons and ferritins are the same. Our B1/6 are the same.

But he has to beat his D and K with a very big stick.

Go figure.

And how can you not get B12 via shot? It's weird. You could add subs and see if anything changes. The mega doses are kinda spendy, in comparison to the ones at WalMart, b ut it might be a good test to try one bottle if you can test toward the end of it and see for once and all if it changes.