I f***ing HATE my blood!!! B-12 issues now

[Malice67]

GI agreed to postpone next surgery until January so could get through the fall play and holidays without missing work, just so long as my anemia stayed away. So I was thrilled when my hgb was 12.8 yesterday at the hematologist office... until they called today to tell me my B-12 was at 180... It had been really low in February and I have had several B-12 injections this year, but it had stabilized and seemed fine. Now they think the surgery I had last month has effected B-12 absorption and want to give me weekly injections for a month followed by monthly injections from then on. ugh!!!!!

so, the point of this post (other than to vent and whine) is to ask if it is possible to get self-injectable b-12 to avoid so many dr appts. (this would be in the US)

 

[DJW]

I tried that up here by no luck. I've heard several people mention B12 that goes under your tounge. Might be worth asking the pharmacist if that might work.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

Yes, I self inject b12. You just gotta ask for that. Methylcobalamin is the preferred kind but most pharmacies only carry cyanocobalamin.

 

[AmyIsHere]

I was given the option to self-inject or to take the order from my GI's office to my GP's office. I opted for the latter. The first 4 weeks of weekly injections was a pain, but now going once a month isn't a big deal (for me). I'm not yet adventurous enough to self-inject.

 

[CrohnsChicago]

I asked my PA for info on the self-injectable ones once and they advised me that they weren't trained on administering those to patients so I have to come in and get it every month. My Actual PCP is never in the office and I am nervous about the idea of self-injections but it is possible. Just ask your doctor.

 

[Malice67]

I was given the option to self-inject or to take the order from my GI's office to my GP's office. I opted for the latter. The first 4 weeks of weekly injections was a pain, but now going once a month isn't a big deal (for me). I'm not yet adventurous enough to self-inject.

I used to self-inject heparin so not so scared of the process.... problem is that my hematologist is quiet the distance from my work so it is more the travel time that I am trying to avoid. After the first four, were you able to keep it at only once a month? they had me on monthly B-12 for a while, then wanted to see what would happen if they took me off... each time I dropped more than the time before. this is the first time they have wanted to do the 4 weekly shot, and the first time they have said the monthly shots will likely be for life.

 

[AmyIsHere]

I just recently started them, so haven't retested my levels. My first check of levels is in December. I have switched GIs in the meantime, and the NP at my new office said she isn't familiar with anyone else getting the injection (that seems really weird to me...), so my guess is I'll be off of it after December and will have to see after that. My level was 158 before the injections.

Hopefully you can get an order to self-inject! I have some flexibility with my job and my whole team works from home once a week, so I've scheduled my injections on those days. If I didn't have that option, I'd probably have to suck it up and learn to do it myself, too, because it would probably take me away from the office for 2 hours otherwise.

One other option. Is your GP's office any closer? My GI called the order into my GP and I get the injections there. Maybe you could get them somewhere other than your hemotologist's office, if self-injecting isn't an option.

 

[Malice67]

I just recently started them, so haven't retested my levels. My first check of levels is in December. I have switched GIs in the meantime, and the NP at my new office said she isn't familiar with anyone else getting the injection (that seems really weird to me...), so my guess is I'll be off of it after December and will have to see after that. My level was 158 before the injections.

Hopefully you can get an order to self-inject! I have some flexibility with my job and my whole team works from home once a week, so I've scheduled my injections on those days. If I didn't have that option, I'd probably have to suck it up and learn to do it myself, too, because it would probably take me away from the office for 2 hours otherwise.

One other option. Is your GP's office any closer? My GI called the order into my GP and I get the injections there. Maybe you could get them somewhere other than your hemotologist's office, if self-injecting isn't an option.

unfortunately they are in the same building.... I will ask Monday when I am there for the first injection what other options I have..

 

[DEmberton]

Is there anything difficult about it? I asked the nurse on my first injection, but she said unless there was a nurse or doctor in the family I'd have to come in to have it done. So I assumed it was something that requires some skill; they often seem to have problems getting blood out of me for some reason, but all she did was stick the thing in my arm and squeeze it. I'm sure I could have done that.

 

[AmyIsHere]

unfortunately they are in the same building.... I will ask Monday when I am there for the first injection what other options I have..

Good luck!