michellew Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I've taken B-12 injections in the past (at a doctor's office) and they really helped with energy and weight loss. I've put on a few pounds over the past few months and would like to take them again. However, the doctor's office doesn't offer them anymore and they are very costly. I noticed you can buy the b12 vials and syringes online (amazon), but I have no idea which ones to buy or if I am even capable of injecting myself (I hate needles). Does anyone on here take B12 injections at home? If so, please send some advice my way. (What/where to buy, how/where to inject, etc). Thanks! Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I've taken B-12 injections in the past (at a doctor's office) and they really helped with energy and weight loss. I've put on a few pounds over the past few months and would like to take them again. However, the doctor's office doesn't offer them anymore and they are very costly. I noticed you can buy the b12 vials and syringes online (amazon), but I have no idea which ones to buy or if I am even capable of injecting myself (I hate needles). Does anyone on here take B12 injections at home? If so, please send some advice my way. (What/where to buy, how/where to inject, etc). Thanks! Costly? I get monthly B12 shots, very cheap. I buy once a year and the B12 gets added to others who also need shots - Kind of like in bulk pot and everybody shares the vitamin. They never run out. DO not buy this online! Talk to your family Dr about this directly or find another med clinic that is able to give shots monthly. I'm in Canada and the price of one bottle is less than 10 bucks. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
EasyHeart Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 B-12 injections are not for losing weight; they are for treating serious medical conditions. It's also a prescription. I don't know what you're seeing on Amazon, but it ain't the stuff you get at a doctors office. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
AnyaNova Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I've taken B-12 injections in the past (at a doctor's office) and they really helped with energy and weight loss. I've put on a few pounds over the past few months and would like to take them again. However, the doctor's office doesn't offer them anymore and they are very costly. I noticed you can buy the b12 vials and syringes online (amazon), but I have no idea which ones to buy or if I am even capable of injecting myself (I hate needles). Does anyone on here take B12 injections at home? If so, please send some advice my way. (What/where to buy, how/where to inject, etc). Thanks! The best thing is to do it out of your doctor's office. Online, the only thing you can be sure of in terms of quality, purity of product, and safety of product, is absolutely nothing. Screwing up injections can get you infections, or much, much worse if you accidentally get an intramuscular into a vein or vice versa. You can get them at salons, but both that I went to actually diluted their product after the first couple of pure shots to get you "hooked" Which you can tell, because b12 doesn't sting. Saline does. When I got mine from the doctor's office, they never stung, at all. It might for a second at the beginning if a little bit of the alcohol was on the needle, but only for a microsecond before it stopped. The Salons would give a pure shot I think about every three or four weeks or so, and the others would all sting quite a bit. I finally put it together because I recognized that particular sting from getting an I.V. cleaned with saline before they re-hooked me up. The bottom line is you are safest in terms of getting the real stuff (particularly if you really need to real stuff), going to your doctor's office. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
PhoenixRysing Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 I have not posted in a while but feel the need to add something here. I have to take B12 injections or I will die. I have what is called Pernicious Anemia and I cannot absorb B12 from food or orally. There is currently a massive B12 shortage and it is becoming more difficult for me to even get what I need to survive. If you don't need injections, please don't take them! There are many of us who need them to live and the fad for others to take them for energy could be disastrous for folks like me in the future. If you can absorb B12 normally, please just get over the counter B12 vitamins or take the sublinguals. You can get these very inexpensively on most vitamin sites and it saves the injections for those of us who have no choice in the matter. The Marketing, Scarcity, Rising Costs and Future of Vitamin B12 | No Stomach For Cancer Thank you. 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Hope Shimmers Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 Yikes!!! Do NOT buy any medication for injection from Amazon and certainly do not inject it yourself unless you have been trained to do so! It's not as simple as just sticking the needle in and injecting, even if the medication you receive is pure, sterile and accurate (and who knows what you are getting if you order it online like that). You can end up with some very negative consequences if you try this. BTW, there is no solid evidence that B12 causes weight loss. I would recommend leaving the injectable B12 for those who need it to live. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Author michellew Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 Thanks for the advice everyone! I think I'll try the sublinguals instead of attempting to inject myself! @PhoenixRysing... I didn't realize there was a shortage. I'm sorry to hear this. @Whichwayisup... yes, they are costly here. $15 per injection and I used to get two a week. It's been a couple of years since my last injection; they may be even more now, especially if there's a shortage. @easyheart...B12 is used for various medical conditions, including weight loss. Most doctors offices that offer a weight loss program will prescribe phentermine and b12 injections, in addition to healthy eating and an exercise program. Link to post Share on other sites
Hope Shimmers Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 The main reason that cyanobalamin (B12) injections are in such short supply is because it has become 'fashionable' for people to get them for weight loss. Clinics have adopted this practice even without sufficient evidence that it works. (Even WITH that evidence, people who need the drug because they can't absorb B12 [pernicious anemia] should get priority for this medication). 5 Link to post Share on other sites
Author michellew Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 The main reason that cyanobalamin (B12) injections are in such short supply is because it has become 'fashionable' for people to get them for weight loss. Clinics have adopted this practice even without sufficient evidence that it works. (Even WITH that evidence, people who need the drug because they can't absorb B12 [pernicious anemia] should get priority for this medication). I agree; they should definitely get priority. Like I said, I didn't realize there was a shortage. Now that I know this, I'm going to try the sublingual pills. For the record, I did not take my first shot because it was fashionable. In fact, I had never even heard of B12 injections until I went to a doctor thinking I was only getting a prescription for phentermine. I was unaware that two shots were also included in the cost of the program. They did work and from there I continued to take the shots at $15/ea. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Hope Shimmers Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I agree; they should definitely get priority. Like I said, I didn't realize there was a shortage. Now that I know this, I'm going to try the sublingual pills. For the record, I did not take my first shot because it was fashionable. In fact, I had never even heard of B12 injections until I went to a doctor thinking I was only getting a prescription for phentermine. I was unaware that two shots were also included in the cost of the program. They did work and from there I continued to take the shots at $15/ea. Not blaming you by any means! By 'fashionable' I meant that medical clinics have put it in their weight-loss programs. It's not the patients who are to blame. Hard to tell what worked - the phentermine or the B12 or the rest of the program. Link to post Share on other sites
Author michellew Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 Not blaming you by any means! By 'fashionable' I meant that medical clinics have put it in their weight-loss programs. It's not the patients who are to blame. Hard to tell what worked - the phentermine or the B12 or the rest of the program. The phentermine made the most impact for sure, but I saw jumps in the scale every time I had the b12 injections and definitely had more natural energy after as opposed to the crazy, anxious, coked out type of energy you get from the phentermine. I hated that feeling and do not look forward to going through it again. Link to post Share on other sites
lollipopspot Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 It's strange to me that you noticed such a big difference from the B-12 shots. Did you have a blood test prior to the shot that showed your levels were low? I take a sublingual (I'm vegan), and it works fine. They usually make them taste like candy. Link to post Share on other sites
Author michellew Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 It's strange to me that you noticed such a big difference from the B-12 shots. Did you have a blood test prior to the shot that showed your levels were low? I take a sublingual (I'm vegan), and it works fine. They usually make them taste like candy. No blood tests specifically for B-12; just an EKG, thyroid, and cholesterol tests to make sure I was healthy enough to take the phentermine. If I felt such a difference, do you think there's a chance my levels were low? Link to post Share on other sites
Author michellew Posted July 4, 2014 Author Share Posted July 4, 2014 http://amzn.com/B0013OQGO6 I just ordered these B12 lozenges from Amazon; the reviews were really good. I'll let you posted! Link to post Share on other sites
ascendotum Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 http://amzn.com/B0013OQGO6 I just ordered these B12 lozenges from Amazon; the reviews were really good. I'll let you posted! Those will be fine for you. your best bet rather than injections. As they are sublingual you will need to keep them in your mouth for a s long as possible to get any decent level of absorption. Vitamin B12 comes in 3 types. I tried the injections (the cyanide version) but they did not do that much for me. I was better with the methylated version but they were not cheap. I ended up switching to methylcobalamin sublinguals. Some people cannot break down the cyanocobalamin version, and many doctors don't realize this. I am surprised to hear its become trendy for weight loss. I take it for an illness to boost my energy. I have read of people who took B12 + folic acid to reboot their methlyatiion cycle and they lost weight, but these people were unwell (CFS). Link to post Share on other sites
pureinheart Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I've taken B-12 injections in the past (at a doctor's office) and they really helped with energy and weight loss. I've put on a few pounds over the past few months and would like to take them again. However, the doctor's office doesn't offer them anymore and they are very costly. I noticed you can buy the b12 vials and syringes online (amazon), but I have no idea which ones to buy or if I am even capable of injecting myself (I hate needles). Does anyone on here take B12 injections at home? If so, please send some advice my way. (What/where to buy, how/where to inject, etc). Thanks! I can give myself injections. My doctor gave me the script for B-12 back in the day. I gave myself them in the hip. It's a little hard to describe how to fill the syringe ...fill it up and push that thing (plunge?) in so the air comes out, let a little come out of the needle to assure all air is removed from the syringe. Now I have to go to the nurse once a month to get the injections...I'd rather do it myself. Be careful of what you buy on Amazon... here in the US it requires a script. Mexico doesn't. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I had no idea about the shortages, thanks for that info. Gonna ask about that in a few weeks when I go get my B12 shot. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
SoonMyFriend Posted July 4, 2014 Share Posted July 4, 2014 I take a sublingual tablet everyday and it has raised my levels just fine. I work with my doctor and get blood tests to ensure I am on the right track. I hate needles so I would NEVER inject myself. Yikes! Link to post Share on other sites
BC1980 Posted July 5, 2014 Share Posted July 5, 2014 I've taken B-12 injections in the past (at a doctor's office) and they really helped with energy and weight loss. I've put on a few pounds over the past few months and would like to take them again. However, the doctor's office doesn't offer them anymore and they are very costly. I noticed you can buy the b12 vials and syringes online (amazon), but I have no idea which ones to buy or if I am even capable of injecting myself (I hate needles). Does anyone on here take B12 injections at home? If so, please send some advice my way. (What/where to buy, how/where to inject, etc). Thanks! You can buy B12 sublingual pills over the counter. I'm not completely sure, but I don't think there is much evidence that injections are any better than the pills. I haven't done any research myself though. I would be wary of buying any type of supplement on Amazon because it is probably not as potent for starters. I have taken Biotin, which is over the counter, and it helped with weight loss and energy levels. You might want to look into that as well. Link to post Share on other sites
whichwayisup Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 You can buy B12 sublingual pills over the counter. I'm not completely sure, but I don't think there is much evidence that injections are any better than the pills. I haven't done any research myself though. I would be wary of buying any type of supplement on Amazon because it is probably not as potent for starters. I have taken Biotin, which is over the counter, and it helped with weight loss and energy levels. You might want to look into that as well. The pills take longer to absorb and the B12 shots work much faster. If you (general you) have a B12 deficency you need the shots, pills don't work. Link to post Share on other sites
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