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B12 Injection Side Effects

Posted , 11 users are following.

Jen0609
Jen0609

Hi All,

I have recently been diagnosed with B12 deficiency and commenced my loading dose injections yesterday. After 9 months of feeling completely not myself, test for all sorts of different things plus fighting the " your symptoms are anxiety" card I was finally diagnosed with Coelliac disease and the the B12.

My symptoms are headaches, sensitive eyes, strange smells, metalic taste in my mouth, severe neck ache, a hard to discribe numb feeling in my chest, pins and needs in my hands (mainly left) numbness in my 4th toe (also left sided), weak heavy leg feeling like I'm about to faint,difficulty stringing a sentance together, forgetting memorable words, losing track of what I'm saying mid conversation, clumsy hands and poor spacial awareness (always hiting my hands on things) cold hands and feet, dizziness and ppor balance...the list goes on..

I had my first B12 jab yesterday and today I am feeling terrible. I feel dizzy, sick, really cold hands, numbness in my hands and a very spaced out almost migrainey type feeling. I can't concentrate and keep forgetting what I am talking about. Basically by pervious B12 deifciency symptoms just mych more intense. I'm currently struggling through a day at work and could really do with some peice of mind that this is normal and other people have felt like this?

I'm hoping it wears off soon and I dont experience it every time after my next 5 injections sad

Thank you for any comments smile Jen

0 likes, 22 replies

22 Replies

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  • RainyHas
    RainyHas Jen0609

    Posted

    Hi Jen (all)

    Sorry you had side effects, but I'm glad I wasn't the only one as my GP & nurse were surprised when I told them.

    My B12 level was 48 (rather than the 200-900 expected level). The hospital phoned my blood results through to start treatment the next day. After my first injection on a Thu morning, I felt terrible until the Sunday. I was dizzy, felt sick, upset tummy and I had migraines.

    My next doses were on the following Mon, Wed & Fri. I'm pleased to say I didn't get the above side effects anymore, but I did fine the injection hurt in my right arm but it didn't hurt at all in my left arm (alternate arms).

    I've had my emergency 6 doses now and I have a different side effect; I suddenly have lots of spots! They came after dose 4 and haven't gone. I'm in my late 30's and I have more spots now than I did as a teenager! Has anyone else experienced this random side-effect?

    I'm hoping my next blood test result will show a dramatic improvement. My pins & needles in my hand has come back already (2 weeks after my 6th dose) and I'm feeling tired, but not exhausted yet...

    Thanks for any feedback

    Rain

    • jenaust1985
      jenaust1985 RainyHas

      Posted

      Hi Rainyhas,

      I have now gone to weekly injections- so havnt had 1 since last friday and due this friday.

      I felt better the more I had and side effects eased now, starting to feel a bit tired now but proberely due to a busy week at work!!

      I read on the nhs web site it can cause spots!!!

      Oh the joys eh x I hope you feel better soon x

    • Jen0609
      Jen0609 RainyHas

      Posted

      I'm so glad you said that aboit your GP as mine also looked at me like an Alien when I said how it was making me feel. Severeal doctors seem shocked really and didnt seem to know mich about side effects but when I read stories on here it seemed like lots of people had similar reactions!!

      The injections also hurt really bad in one arm but not the other for me too!! Maybe one arm is more muscular than the other I thought lol

      I didnt have the spots myself but I read so many stories of people saying theh did!! Hopefully they settle soon for you.

      When i had my first test my B12 was 25 and after 5 doses it was up to 1000 so fingers crossed for your blood results. My pins and needles did take about 4 weeks to disapear as well, it was about that long before I felt any improvement really. I hope you feel better soon!!!

    • RainyHas
      RainyHas jenaust1985

      Posted

      Thanks for the reply and I'm glad you're feeling a bit better. I don't envy the weekly injections. I'm hoping to now switch to the 3 monthly,

      I felt exhausted and "wrong", I couldn't explain my symptoms, for months.

      I don't feel as bad now, but I'm still not back to normal.

      Good luck with everything.

    • RainyHas
      RainyHas Jen0609

      Posted

      Wow 25 was very low. Did they find the cause? My folate & sugar levels were normal so I'm having some antibody tests and a test for coeliac disease.

      Most sites I read about the side effects state they are rare, lucky all of us! I guess our bodies were reacting to the mega doses of B12.

      Tea tree & witch hazel from Boots is my new best friend for the spot treatment!

      Thanks all, it's nice to know we're not alone with this x

    • Jen0609
      Jen0609 RainyHas

      Posted

      Yep I have coelic disease, diagnosed in march and then they looked at all my vitamins and found the b12 which was what was making me feel the worst i think. I didnt really have any classic coeliac symptoms oddly but when they tested me my levels where through the roof!!

      Knowing I wasnt alone was the only thing that got me through the worst!! Lets hope we are all back to feeling amazing soon smile x

    • RainyHas
      RainyHas Jen0609

      Posted

      Have you had to change your diet a lot due to the coeliac?

      I've been trying gluten free for a few weeks to see if that helped. Thank goodness for Sainsbury's as they have the best "Malaysian butternut squash curry" which is gluten, wheat & dairy free and absolutely delicious! I really should try making it.

      Hopefully we'll all feel better soon. Take care

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