I'm not absorbing b12... is there anything other than a shot I can do?

Do you have any known digestive problems? I think (correct me if I’m wrong) B12 is mainly absorbed in the ileum, which is the last portion of the small intestine. If you do have absorption problems in the ileum, it can be hard to get around that without getting shots. One thing I can suggest is that chewable or liquid supplements are much easier for the small intestine to absorb than swallowable ones. The coating on some swallowable pills doesn’t break down until it’s past the small intestine. You may still need the shot, but other options are worth a “shot” sorry.

You may have pernicious anemia. For some reason the immune system destroys cells in the stomach that help in the absorption of b12. With out these cells its impossible for you to absorb b12 through your gut. If you have tried oral supplements and seen no improvements then you probably need the shots.

Depends on the reasons why you are not able to assimilate the Supplement. Is it just shots or not through food either?

Are you in some way autoimmune, do you suffer with crones or have anemia?

Pancreatic enzymes help in certain cases, a colonic in others and iron supplementation in others.

You have to know why it is happening to understand how to correct the instance of malabsorption.

Do you have adrenal fatigue? You have to specifically combat the adrenal problem before even addressing the B-12 so it really depends a proper reason is contingent upon a proper diagnosis.

I mean the possibilities are endless really if you get on a roll… Do you have a sulpha allergy? I could go on asking for days… These are however the things you should ask your doctor when you go.

Try the drops that go under the tongue. I have PE and have to take a shot once a month. It’s not really a big deal.

Just out of curiosity what is your objection to the shots? Is it the inconvenience of going to get them?

If it is just that you might ask them to prescribe it for you with diabetic needles and you can self- inject at home. My mom does this and I just pick up the vial and needles at the local pharmacy.

IF you are needle-phobic I can tell you that these needles are so tiny that the injection can barely be felt.

Just another alternative for you.

Crones = crohns… Sorry.

well, when I got this test done, they took I think 7–8 tubes of blood, a urine sample, and stuck a swab up my nose. The bill has 2 pages worth of labs… not the tests but how much each test cost. So I don’t know what tests they did, but I’m sure they would have figured out if any of those things are the cause for the deficiency.

@Dog: yeah, I just really have no desire to have to visit them every whateverperiodoftime and wait just to get a shot in the ass.

I have pernicious anemia and will take the shots for life. I was taught to administer them myself, but after two years of that, I was happy to see that there are walk-in clinics in my area that provide the shots. I did not want to have routine visits to the doc’s office so the nurse could inject me.

You can shoot yourself in the thigh, @poofandmook, if you have the desire and “stomach” to do so. Good luck!

@poofandmook I found someone to do it for me. I pick up the vial at the pharmacy every month and I also have a supply of syringes. I HATE needles, and often faint during blood draws and injections, but I have become used to it. No biggie anymore.

@poofandmook My sis has a nurse friend come over to giver her her shots. Maybe you have a friend or family member that isn’t needle averse?

I know my boyfriend would if I asked him… ugh I just don’t want to. Sigh.

@poofandmook I’m sorry, but I think you have to. :(

It’s changed my life. Just do it.

As @tinyfaery says- it is really no big deal to do it yourself. Trust me!

As far as I know once your levels are back to normal you get a maintenance dose every three months. It’s probably not as bad as you think.

Feel better pretty quickly? What the hell is that?! Take the supplementa for a couple weeks and get another blood test, how you feel is not a barometer, you could have other things wrong with you. God forbid, but still. For all you know your number is already up to 220, and will continue to rise just taking supplement pills. Many people are still symptomatic until they get up into the 400’s I have read.

Did she check your vitamin D? Iron? What exactly are your symptoms? B12 is very important, but if you don’t have a specific intrinsic factor dificiency, you probably can get your number up with just pills or liquid, although not necessarily. Are you Mediterranean descent?

Also, recently I read over 30% of women are b12 dificient! 30%! What the hell is going on? I was, pills did the trick for me. I was also dificient in vitamin D and iron, and so are many of my friends. Many.

Having said all that the shot is not a big deal really. Maybe just get one or two for loading dose, and then you can continue with pills after that?

@JLeslie What does Mediterranean descent have to do with it?

@tinyfaery Mediterranean people have an increased risk of thalassemia. Its simmilar to sickle cell.

Yes, they are more likely to have Pernicious Anemia, Thalassemia, it is more common for people from that part of the world to be missing the intrinsic factor that aids in B12 absorption through the stomach.

Wow. The paternal side of my family has Portuguese ancestors and I have PE. Learn something new every day.

@tinyfaery :).

@poofandmook Another question. Do you have any thyroid trouble? It is common for people with thyroid trouble to be B12 dificient. I’m not sure why. Anyway, correcting your thyroid levels might help with the B12 levels. I think medical science is unclear why so many people have all these dificiencies at once.

Just to clear something up, a doctor friend of mine just told me pernicious anemia is not linked to the mediterranean. My girlfriend who has it is Italian though. She had originally told me it was.

@JLeslie: I don’t know what tests she did… like I said, there were a LOT of tubes of blood, a cup of urine, and a nasal swab. The only abnormal result she got was b12. I assume she tested all the typical vitamin levels and thyroid functions and whatnot.

I would not assume anything. I don’t know your symptoms, but probably she tested for autoimmune stuff. If there is a test for intrinsic factor, which I honestly don’t remember if there is, I think there might be, and you are literally missing what you need to absorb/convert, whatever the right term is, B12 you likely need the shots. But, if she let you try the pills first I am assuming she was willing to try. Why not just get a follow up blood test and see if your N12 went up. You shouldn’t need a doctor’s appointment. Maybe message her nurse that you really have a hard time taking shots, and want to see if the pills are helping at all, that you don’t want to guess.

What type of doctor is she? GP? Rheum? Endo?

It was an urgent care place… I’m not really sure

I just realized I had a typo, N12 should be B12 in my paragraph above. Call the urgent care place and ask for a copy of your lab report. They should give you the report for free. Are you going to follow up with your regular doctor?

I have an appointment with an endocrinologist November first because I’ve been told I likely have PCOS. I’m gonna ask then.

So I am assuming this other doc was a GP or internist. Yeah, I would not assume anything. You were sent to a regular endo for PCOS, or a reproductive endocrinologist? I can tell you my regular endo isn’t really up on PCOS testing, but some might be.

I’m not sure, but when they asked me why I needed an appointment I specifically said that I wanted to be tested for PCOS, so I assume I’m going to the right person. I wasn’t sent there… it was suggested I get tested for it.