3 ms·

I couldn't get a vitamin B12 injection, the materials cost of which is less than £1 with no negative side effects, more often than every 12 weeks from my doctor

I couldn't get a vitamin B12 injection, the materials cost of which is less than £1 with no negative side effects, more often than every 12 weeks from my doctor. Despite feeling awful at 8 weeks onwards, to the point of not being able to work, and better again every time I had the injection. I didn't care if it was placebo (although why it would be placebo at 8 weeks but deemed not a placebo at 12 weeks I struggle to understand), I felt I needed it more often and eventually found a doctor willing to try it. For me, it works. What got to me though, is while the doctor wasn't willing to try a vitamin slightly more frequently, he offered anti-depressants at the drop of a hat. He couldn't have been more forwards in offering them and didn't take the hint when I told him I didn't really want them - I had to give him a firm no in the end!

JamesBarney 7y ago
There is some evidence high serum levels of b12 are a risk for cancer. http://sciencenordic.com/high-levels-vitamin-b12-can-increase-lung-cancer-risk http://sciencenordic.com/high-levels-vitamin-b12-can-increas...
nutjob2 7y ago
> although why it would be placebo at 8 weeks but deemed not a placebo at 12 weeks I struggle to understand Because the placebo effect fades over time. The doctor has concluded that you'd be safely clear of it at 12 weeks.
ip26 7y ago
Curious, why do you need an injection? I thought only vegans had issues with B12, and only if they weren't paying attention to what they ate.
- 52-6F-62 7y ago
  I'm a ~30 year old meat-eating male in a family with a history of anemia on my mother's side (including my sister). It was discovered sometime within the past few years during a routine blood test that I had low hemoglobin from a moderate-to-severe Iron/B12 deficiency (no full blown other condition, though) I was never recommended injections, however. Doctor told me to take an off-the-shelf supplement and to eat more red meat. (I rarely did) When I don't follow through with those items I do notice. Following his advice has greatly improved my overall feeling of well-being. I would otherwise feel tired, foggy-headed, weak, faint, anxious, nauseous at times—sometimes a mix of all of the above. Used to think my blood sugar was just low.
- cs02rm0 7y ago
  I've heard it's possible due to poor diet, but I'm not vegan and even then it's very rare - AIUI your body stores some 2-5 years worth of what you need, so if you're low it's probably because your body isn't absorbing it. Which also means supplements aren't going to work for me. Why it's not absorbed varies, I was tested for pernicious anaemia which is a relatively common cause but I don't have that. That seems to be the end of the line for investigations on the UK NHS, they pretty much just said you can't get it from your diet, it doesn't matter why, so we'll inject it.
  - ip26 7y ago
    It's still worth at least quickly evaluating your diet to check. You probably know already, but generally speaking B12 comes from fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Nothing else.
    - cs02rm0 7y ago
      Thanks, I think I'm in the clear there. I had milk on my cereal which happens to be fortified with B12, some chicken bite things for a snack, scrambled eggs for lunch and beef burgers for tea just yesterday. (With some fruit and veg). That's not an atypical day for me. That my mother and siblings, and we all live apart, also have it and they don't seem short of dietary B12 either seems to add to the picture.

JamesBarney 7y ago

There is some evidence high serum levels of b12 are a risk for cancer. http://sciencenordic.com/high-levels-vitamin-b12-can-increase-lung-cancer-risk http://sciencenordic.com/high-levels-vitamin-b12-can-increas...

nutjob2 7y ago

> although why it would be placebo at 8 weeks but deemed not a placebo at 12 weeks I struggle to understand Because the placebo effect fades over time. The doctor has concluded that you'd be safely clear of it at 12 weeks.

ip26 7y ago

Curious, why do you need an injection? I thought only vegans had issues with B12, and only if they weren't paying attention to what they ate.

52-6F-62 7y ago
I'm a ~30 year old meat-eating male in a family with a history of anemia on my mother's side (including my sister). It was discovered sometime within the past few years during a routine blood test that I had low hemoglobin from a moderate-to-severe Iron/B12 deficiency (no full blown other condition, though) I was never recommended injections, however. Doctor told me to take an off-the-shelf supplement and to eat more red meat. (I rarely did) When I don't follow through with those items I do notice. Following his advice has greatly improved my overall feeling of well-being. I would otherwise feel tired, foggy-headed, weak, faint, anxious, nauseous at times—sometimes a mix of all of the above. Used to think my blood sugar was just low.
cs02rm0 7y ago
I've heard it's possible due to poor diet, but I'm not vegan and even then it's very rare - AIUI your body stores some 2-5 years worth of what you need, so if you're low it's probably because your body isn't absorbing it. Which also means supplements aren't going to work for me. Why it's not absorbed varies, I was tested for pernicious anaemia which is a relatively common cause but I don't have that. That seems to be the end of the line for investigations on the UK NHS, they pretty much just said you can't get it from your diet, it doesn't matter why, so we'll inject it.
- ip26 7y ago
  It's still worth at least quickly evaluating your diet to check. You probably know already, but generally speaking B12 comes from fish, meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Nothing else.
  - cs02rm0 7y ago
    Thanks, I think I'm in the clear there. I had milk on my cereal which happens to be fortified with B12, some chicken bite things for a snack, scrambled eggs for lunch and beef burgers for tea just yesterday. (With some fruit and veg). That's not an atypical day for me. That my mother and siblings, and we all live apart, also have it and they don't seem short of dietary B12 either seems to add to the picture.