B-12 question!!!

Hello all!!!

I just moved, and in the process of switching drs, as It is impossible for me to go to my origional surgeon!  I was taking a B-12 shot once a month (my choice to take the shot).  About a year ago, I started having a big B-12 deficiency!  So they uped my doseage.  My new dr acts like he doesn't want to to take the shots any more, and do the pills or something (can't do the nose spray thing, I have had sinus surgery 3 times, and NOTHING goes in my nose!  lol) 

I ran out of my injections about 2 months ago, and I don't get the same effect from the pills.  I am still deficient in B-12.  Should I try to find another dr?  (UGGGGGHHHH  I really don't want to as its such a hassle) 

OR...

I found a web site that I can order the B-12 shots from, and go back to doing them myself!  But has anybody else ever ordered them off the internet before, and gotten good results from them? 

I am just soooooo freaking tired all the time (I have several other deficiency as well that I am working on getting back on track!!!)  But I have numbness in my hands and feet quite often, and I really don't want it to get out of control where I have perminate nerve damage...

PLEASE HELP!!!!  ( I am 18 months out of RNY)  :)  AND so happy with my results thus far!!! 

I use a liquid sublingual B complex daily.  The last time I had labs drawn my B12 was high.  My doctor suggested I drop down to using it once per week.  After talking to her about likely forgetting if I don't use it daily she was fine w/ me continuing as the B vitamins are water soluble.  I think I use the Spring Valley brand and get it at Walmart.

You can order them online without a prescription?  I don't know, I'd be kinda worried there might be something funny going on with that.

Your doctor acts like he doesn't want you to take the shots.  Does that mean he will not write you a prescription?  Or does it just mean he thinks sublinguals are a better choice?

I would find a new doc if he refuses to write the prescription.  Not just so you can get your shots, but so you don't have this kind of problem with him in the future over something else.  I mean, what happens when you want him to order a lab test he doesn't think is necessary?  Or any time you need something and he disagrees so won't write the order?

Many of us with "behind the times docs" use the veterinary B complex. It's made by the same lab who makes the B12 rx. The only thing to watch for with that is B6 rising faster than your other levels. Still, doing weekly shots, it's going to take a year of weeklies to reach a high level. High is not "toxic".

If you found the site in Canada that sells B12, many have used that or combo'd with the Bplex. Like 1cc B12 this week, 1cc bplex next week.

The ideal is to get the rx weekly and always have some handy.

If your B12 is low (which means scary low, below brain damage), and your doc knows it and won't write, please have him note in your file that he refused to rx it for you, even with your B12 number at xxx. Then if you are unable to walk or have brain damage, it's on him.

B12 cannot go toxic. There's more risk to him NOT writing it than to write it. You never want your level below 4 digits.

Should I be doing weeklys???  I was doing bi weekly before I quit the shots completely 2 months ago, and went to the pills...  My labs were done at my request last week, and I should be getting those results this week, but I am pretty confident that I am still pretty deficent in b-12...

If I order the injections online, should I go ahead and start doing weeklys or go back to my origional bi-weeklys?

Thanks so much for your advise....  GOSH I don't know what I would do without this site!!!  :D

Well, can't give you medical advice.

My personal preference is weekly. I've seen too much in all these years. Bad stuff. It's no big deal to do it weekly then I can be sure I'm keeping my numbers over 1000. I don't need to hit the stratosphere to be happy, but I'm not upset when it gets way high.

But since we've been watching our own patterns, and testing about 10 days after a shot, it appears to drop significantly in just 10 days! We've tested 2-3 days after a shot (stupid planning) and then get those 2000 type numbers, but again, when we are on the ball and can wait a week, we both drop below 1000.

Thanks so much Michelle!!! 

So just to make sure I have this correct, 1cc weekly?

I completely understand that this is your own personal advise, and not medical advise, I just want to feel better, and get back to my normal self!

Thanks so much for your advise!

-Jess-

Our mail order pharmacy fills them funny. Mind you, the deal is for 13 weeks, right?

Sometimes I get 12-13 vials of 1 cc each. But Don might get a vial of 10, or two of them, or a single vial of 30.

We were running behind before my doc caught up to modern times. Now we're ahead of the game, so to keep them from expiring, I sometimes issue myself 2cc. Depends on what we've got.

I'm not worried about overdose, but am scared to death of deficiency.

I still want you to get charted that your doc refused to rx for you with a known level of xxx. Good to have in the file. You can ask nicely but firmly.

In essence, he's failing to treat a known problem. Kinda like seeing a cancer but not sending you to a source to fix it. Just as deadly if you don't take matters into your own hands.

Thanks so much!!!  :D 

I will be having them chart that I do have the decency, and that she is refusing to give me the b-12 injection scipts.  I am going to start looking for another Dr asap!  But I am going to go ahead and order the injections on-line, just so that I can start to feel better again, and hopefully get my b-12 back into the normal ranges!  Now I am kinda curious to get my labs back this week, so I can really see it on paper, how bad it actually is!

Thanks again!  You have been very helpful!!!  :)

consider the top end of lab normals as the bottom end for OPTIMAL for us. So, if the range is 200-900-ish, 900 would be your bottom end for best results