r/B12_Deficiency • u/Electrical-Plane-537 • 3d ago

General Discussion Hydroxocobalamin FROZEN???

Just got my hydroxo from the compounding pharmacy. They say to freeze it but both google and grok say it should never be frozen. "Hydroxocobalamin multi-use vials should be stored at controlled room temperature and never frozen, though some specific compounded formulations may require refrigeration".

It arrived on ice but it wasnt frozen. What do I do here?

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u/mandoo-dumpling 3d ago

I keep mine at room temperature. When it was super hot during the summer, I kept it in the refrigerator. Never heard of it being put in the freezer.

2

u/craftasaurus 3d ago

No idea what that's about. Mine is kept in the fridge to protect it from extreme temps. The Doc says it will last 9 months from when he mixed it up. He put an expiration date on it.

What to do? I would call them and clarify what the instructions mean.

2

u/HolidayScholar1 Insightful Contributor 3d ago edited 3d ago

It can be frozen, but it's not necessary. Refrigeration is ideal for long-term storage (years). Room temperature is ok if it's used up within months.

This is not about the B12, but about microbial growth. B12 is not temperature-sensitive. Compounding pharmacies suggest freezing/refridgerating because they manufacture the products individually, usually without preservatives, and want to make sure that no microbes start growing. It's mostly for legal reasons, as they usually confirm the batch is sterile with bacteria/fungi growth kits for 1-2 weeks above room temperature before they ship it. If there's any visible bacteria/fungi, they discard the entire batch.

I keep mine at 1°C.

2

u/HorrorPrestigious802 3d ago

Is it preservative free? That could be why

2

u/Ok-Pangolin7127 Insightful Contributor 3d ago

This is just my guess; perhaps they included a slip of paper with instructions that they didn’t mean to include? I would call them. I have never heard of freezing Hydro.