• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Injecting b12 - any tips advice

Messages
15
Hello everyone,

Following a consultation with Dr Bansal (UK immunologist) I have finally got round to the B12 injection part of his advice.

I seem to recall the Dr. Telling me to inject into the belly fat, however I have just found a YouTube video which seems to suggest the upper arm area to the left of the tricep.

Does anyone have any experience of self injecting and where is best?

Thanks for reading!
 

Faith2007

Senior Member
Messages
118
Location
Montana, USA
So it has been years since I have done this. And it didn't last long, because I found out I am not good at doing self-injections, and I found no noticeable difference. I believe I remember the abdomen was one of the places, but the thigh ended up being easiest for me. Watch out for veins, since I skewered one once. I would think your upper arm would be the most painful site to do it.

I did find a link to this PDF which shows exactly where to inject in all three places:
https://www.unimed.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/B12-self-injecting.pdf

Best wishes with your injections and that this may help you.
 
Messages
34
You can do either in your belly fat or in your thigh muscles. There are other spots but for self injecting these seem the most common. They require different needles: The one in your belly is usually thinner. Although you can use that one in your thigh muscles just fine. The other way around I'm not so sure.
 

mattie

Senior Member
Messages
369
https://vibrantvitalityclinic.com/blog/b12-injection-sites/

I found it difficult to “stab” myself.
If you can have someone do it for you I would recommend upper buttocks. Sometimes even hardly felt needle going in. See above link for exact site.

1714591236983.png

Also dont forget to use a filter needle when using glass vials! Many people don’t but that is bad practice.
 

perchance dreamer

Senior Member
Messages
1,702
I inject myself daily with a serum that combines methyl B12, hydroxy B12, folinic acid, and B6. I use my upper thighs, alternating legs each day.

Stomach injections don't work for me because I find them painful, even with very thin needles. It could be because I have scar tissue in my abdomen from a long-ago surgery.

When I inject, I pinch my skin and insert the needle in the middle of the area I'm pinching. It's how I was taught. Maybe the pinching helps make the injection less painful.
 

BrightCandle

Senior Member
Messages
1,157
I was looking for a source of injection B12 (UK) and I haven't had much luck finding one. My recent iron blood test results suggest I need it (high blood iron, low cellular ferritin) but not had much luck finding a source.
 
Messages
15
I was looking for a source of injection B12 (UK) and I haven't had much luck finding one. My recent iron blood test results suggest I need it (high blood iron, low cellular ferritin) but not had much luck finding a source.
Hi sorry, what do you mean a source of injection?
 
Messages
13
I too am looking for a source for injectable B12, but I’m in the US. I don’t really care what type - it can be cyanocobalamin or methylcobalamine.

The most important thing is the concentration must be at least 5000 mcg/mL. A lot of compounding pharmacies seem to only be selling 1000 mcg/mL, and I found that useless.

Any tips would be much appreciated!
 
Messages
13
Hello everyone,

Following a consultation with Dr Bansal (UK immunologist) I have finally got round to the B12 injection part of his advice.

I seem to recall the Dr. Telling me to inject into the belly fat, however I have just found a YouTube video which seems to suggest the upper arm area to the left of the tricep.

Does anyone have any experience of self injecting and where is best?

Thanks for reading!
I have done SC in the belly and SC or IM in the upper thigh (a little to the outside of center). I’ve never heard of injecting yourself in the arm. That. sounds needlessly difficult.
 

Carl

Senior Member
Messages
381
Location
United Kingdom
You don't need to inject B12, take advantage of one of one of our disadvantages which makes us ill, the dramatically increased Increased Digestive Permeability because you won't even need intrinsic factor to absorb B12. Taking B12 Methyl form and I almost had B12 coming out of my ears my blood B12 levels were so high. My useless GP barely bat an eyelid at my B12 blood levels and just told me to take less. My GP couldn't figure out that my B12 levels were not possible because the normally limiting factors such as intrinsic factor should not allow such high levels.

If your Digestive Permeability is as even remotely close to mine then you should simply just absorb it very easily. Maybe your blood levels are low because your body is using it up so quickly? Have you ever considered that?

I would simply try taking a few 5mg Methyl B12 tablets and get another blood test to see if they push your levels up. I was taking 20-25mg/day at one point until I found that it seemed to increase my need for other nutrients noteably K2 and it caused me problems. BTW B12 in high doses can lower IgE production against foods. There was an article on Wiki before a drug supporting person removed it with a ridiculous edit. That was why I used so much and it did help reduce my reactions to foods. I do react a lot with IgE antibodies.

I wouldn't recommend injecting your arms OR your legs, just don't do it because if it is repeated regularly it affects the nervous system function of the liver/spleen and kidneys. Your stomach around your navel or the upper buttocks are best IMO. However I doubt that you actually need it because normal absorption methods are not needed when digestive permeability is significantly high.