B12 advice

[Peonie 23]

I was told by my bariatric nurse to book in for my B12 injection as I am three months post op, so booked in at my GP surgery today with the instruction to have one every 6 months. Get to my GP surgery today and they think I should be having injections every other day for two weeks - both sides are holding firm on their stances.

Just wondered what everyone else's experience was?

[liveaboard15 1,293]

injections? I was told to take a B12 supplement along with a Multivitamin. No injections.

[Lisa LoVuolo 63]

Poweraid zero has B12 in it

Sent from my octopus using BariatricPal mobile app

[The Greater Fool 2,054]

Is one or the other basing their recommendation on bloodwork or a calendar?

I'd go with the one based on bloodwork myself, but that's me.

Good luck,

Tek

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

I assume one doctor isn’t planning on giving you 7 times as much of the Vitamin. Have you asked about the dosing? Maybe one doctor just thinks it absorbs differently or something so they spread the dosages out. Either way if you can’t get to the bottom of it I would insist that they talk and agree on a treatment.

[RickM 1,752]

Presumably they are going off of lab tests and not a calendar, as with a sleeve you may not even need it unless there is something about you that makes you low (it's more of a bypass than a sleeve thing.) I've never supplemented it (other than what's in my multivitamin) and my levels have always been fine.

[GradyCat 3,695]

Injections? I was never told to get injections. I was told to take a B12 supplement.

[ShoppGirl 5,024]

3 minutes ago, GradyCat said:

Injections? I was never told to get injections. I was told to take a B12 supplement.

I think all that is determined by pre op and then post op labs. I don’t even have to take a supplement (just what’s in my multivitamin) and my labs have been fine.

[Sleeve_Me_Alone 656]

Agree with others that labs should drive supplements. Have either done blood work recently? If not, start there. If you aren't supplementing now, and levels are normal, likely no need to start. If you are under, then that should drive how much/how often. My most recent labs show B12 slightly elevated and I have never supplemented so I certainly wouldn't want or need to start.

[lizonaplane 1,613]

Vitamin B12 doesn't really absorb that well orally, so you have to take a lot and still might not get much benefit from them unless you take a shot. My father has a B12 deficiency (not related to WLS) and was told to start with shots every other day at first and then move to monthly shots.

Like others have said, I would ask to see what your B12 levels are (your lab tests will show what the "normal range" is and whether you are in that normal range, or how far out of it you are.

[catwoman7 11,221]

Bypass patients have to take B12 via either sublingual tablet or injection (although the vast majority go with the sublingual tablet) because we don't have enough intrinsic factor to absorb it in any other form. I don't think sleevers have that issue - I think you can take regular tablets (if you even need B12 in the first place - maybe so (I'm not a sleever, so I'm not sure about this))

it could be these people are thinking of giving you different doses (the twice a year one might be a much higher dose), but that's just a guess. And they should be going by your lab work. I've had to cut back - and then increase - my B12 supplementation a couple of times based on my labs (I'm several years out, though)

Edited February 15, 2022 by catwoman7

[OutdoorsGirl 93]

I’ve been taking Pro Care one a day Multivitamins. It must be enough B12 for me because I didn’t have any Vitamin deficiencies on my 3 month labs. I had the sleeve.

Edited February 15, 2022 by OutdoorsGirl

[Arabesque 7,442]

I’m hoping they’re basing this on your blood tests & you are lacking in B12. That rigorous of an injection regime does seems extreme. But your blood tests could be showing you are very low & need a more intensive regime. But I’d still quiz your GP further about what your levels actually are & what they should be if only for your own information.

Out of curiosity, are you a vegetarian or vegan? B12 is found in animal products (meat, seafood, poultry, dairy) so if you don’t eat much of these foods it could be contributing.

@catwoman7 is correct. Sleevers don’t tend to have the absorption issues those with a bypass can. I only had to take a multivitamin & no other supplements while losing. I gave them up at 8 months post surgery & haven’t taken any Vitamins since then. Don’t need to as my 3 monthly blood tests show I absorb enough from what I eat.

[summerseeker 2,250]

19 hours ago, Peonie said:

I was told by my bariatric nurse to book in for my B12 injection as I am three months post op, so booked in at my GP surgery today with the instruction to have one every 6 months. Get to my GP surgery today and they think I should be having injections every other day for two weeks - both sides are holding firm on their stances.

Just wondered what everyone else's experience was?

Hi Peonie We must be on the same UK recovery timeline. I had my first shot of B12 today and am scheduled for one every 3 months. I trust the NHS, they will check our blood tests and if it comes to that we dont need it anymore then they will stop it. Ask your surgeon to ring the GP Surgery and sort it out for you

[Peonie 23]

6 hours ago, summerseeker said:

Hi Peonie We must be on the same UK recovery timeline. I had my first shot of B12 today and am scheduled for one every 3 months. I trust the NHS, they will check our blood tests and if it comes to that we dont need it anymore then they will stop it. Ask your surgeon to ring the GP Surgery and sort it out for you

Interesting, it must be a UK thing then. Have you had your blood tests done then or are you still waiting? Mine are scheduled in for month 6 for the first lot. I actually went to school with the nurse at the GP surgery and she is going to look into it further with the Dr, my bariatric nurses and the pharmacist so will report back when they come back to me.