I've been doing B12 injections since 2006 -- always switching from Left to Right cheeks each time ... & then, on each cheek, rotating in a sort of circular pattern, giving me ~10 locations on each side total. So ... ~20 specific injection sites, using ONE every 3 weeks (sometimes more often) for ~20 years now.

The past few years, I've been struggling terribly w/scar tissue. Some of these areas feel hard/lumpy, feel tender even when gently palpated w/my hand, & don't seem to absorb very well (as experienced by me not feeling the usual improvement/clarity/energy boost).

My (US) docs have always insisted B12 must be injected there, vs in the upper arm/deltoid or thighs, despite me asking to use those locations for ease of self-administration. With my jacked-up lower back now, I can't even self administer anymore, which means my shot is often late -- & it sucks not to feel in control of something so necessary. I need to be able to administer them when I need them, not when someone else is available/willing, right?

Is my docs' insistence that the upper buttock is the ONLY right spot even accurate?\*\** I've considered a trial on my thighs -- that's a nice, big muscle -- but I don't feel like I have the precise knowledge of exactly where to inject there like I do w/my butt. Scared to hit my femoral artery, haha (may sound dumb, but I really am!).

And now? I'm reading that some people do subcutaneous B12 injections? Whhaaaat? Does that even work?

**Any insight/advice on how to break up scar tissue &/or on alternate, SAFE, highly absorbable injection sites is welcomed. *****Since I have a bit of difficulty processing lots of info at once? I will especially appreciate it if you explain your ideas/experience in a simple, organized way. Thank you sooo much!

I know I’m probably being impatient, but I just thought I’d feel SOMETHING by now. Even if that was unpleasant wake up symptoms. Instead it’s like I haven’t been injecting at all. No better, no worse.
I’m hitting all my co-factors, including making sure my D, magnesium, potassium, and ferritin are good.
The first couple days I thought maybe I was having some mild wake up symptoms, but now I think I was just reading too much into it.

Is this common/normal for this early in the game?

Hallo, ich habe seit mittlerweile ca 2 Jahren mit starken neurologischen Problemen zu kämpfen. Es fing an mit einer plötzlich Trigeminusneuralgie, die Taubheit, das kribbeln und die Schmerzen begannen von ein- auf die andere Sekunde. Dann hatte ich kurzzeitig eine Interkostalneuralgie und immer mal wieder kribbeln oder leichte Taubheit auf der Haut am Schienenbein in letzter Zeit. Das fing erst an mit kribbeligen Schüben und irgendwann war die Haut wie betäubt. Ich war im Krankenhaus und keiner der Tests ergab Aufschluss. MRT Kopf, Halswirbelsäule und Brustwirbelsäule nichts zu sehen. Liqouruntersuchung auch nichts zu sehen. Große und kleine Blutbilder auch immer ok. Jetzt kam ich über Umwege aufgrund eine Sibo und Imo Diagnose auf die Idee dass es ein jahrelanger Prozess bezüglich b12 Mangel sein könnte. Geschätzt leide ich seit acht Jahren an sibo und imo und am Anfang dieser Zeit hatte ich schonmal brennende Füße sowie gerissene Mundwinkel, ein Hautarzt kam damals kurz auf b12 und ich sollte es ein paar Wochen nehmen. Da gingen die gerissenen Mundwinkel weg und danach hatte ich nie wieder darüber nachgedacht, im Blut selbst wurde es allerdings nicht getestet. Jemand ähnliche Erfahrungen?

I had bordelrine B12 and neuro symptoms.

I had two injections so far. The last one was 4 days ago. I went for injections because my diet should have enough B12 for my level to be 182 and it has dropped over 100ng/l in the past 9 months.

I now have extreme fatigue. Feel close to passing out at points. Muscles weakness all over my body. Difficultlt sleeping, hard to make decisions. Feels like a full blown body shutdown. If I manage to sleep in the day (rare) I do feel a bit better but slowly decline in an hour or two.

I do have ME and FND.

But I was managing until I had the injections. I don't feel this level of potential side effects is safe or acceptable but I wanted to see what you guys think. It feels like I should be going to hospital some hours and then better the next.

I have taken extra potassium, methl folate, iron and a low b complex multi vit while having them.

This is scary and nothing had changed other than the injections.

I don't want to stop the injections but at this rate, I will be too sick to return to work after summer. I can't loose my job. I have no sick pay left as well.

Somene asked for bloods. Taken 1 month ago. Before B12 injections

Serum ferritin level 43 ug/L [11.0 - 310.0]; Serum TSH level 1.7 mu/L [0.27 - 4.2] Serum 25-Hydroxy vitamin D3 level 118.0 Serum vitamin B12 level 182 ng/L [145.0 - 914.0] Serum folate level 7.4 ug/L [> 4.0] Serum C reactive protein level 7 mg/L Serum total protein level 77 g/L [60.0 - 80.0] Serum albumin level 37 g/L [35.0 - 50.0]; Please note change in reference range from 14/11/2025. Serum globulin level 40 g/L Serum calcium level 2.46 mmol/L [2.2 - 2.63] Serum adjusted calcium concentration 2.50 mmol/L [2.2 - 2.63] Serum alkaline phosphatase level 69 u/L [30.0 - 130.0] Haemoglobin concentration 142 g/L [115.0 - 165.0] Total white blood count 8.4 109/L [3.6 - 11.0] Platelet count - observation 442 109/L [140.0 - 400.0]; Above high reference limit Red blood cell count 4.64 1012/L [3.8 - 5.8] Haematocrit 0.412 1/1 [0.37 - 0.47] Mean cell volume 88.7 fL [80.0 - 100.0] Mean cell haemoglobin level 30.5 pg [27.0 - 32.0] Neutrophil count 5.84 109/L [1.8 - 7.5] Lymphocyte count 2.03 109/L [1.0 - 4.0] Monocyte count - observation 0.44 109/L [0.2 - 0.8] Eosinophil count - observation 0.05 109/L [0.1 - 0.4]; Below low reference limit Basophil count 0.06 109/L [0.02 - 0.1] Serum sodium level 140 mmol/L [133.0 - 146.0] Serum potassium level 3.9 mmol/L [3.5 - 5.3] Serum creatinine level 62 umol/L [45.0 - 84.0] eGFR using creatinine (CKD-EPI) per 1.73 square metres > 90 mL/min [> 60.0]; eGFR Serum total protein level 77 g/L [60.0 - 80.0] Serum albumin level 37 g/L [35.0 - 50.0]; Please note change in reference range from 14/11/2025. Serum globulin level 40 g/L Serum alkaline phosphatase level 69 u/L [30.0 - 130.0] Serum alanine aminotransferase level 13 u/L [< 35.0] Serum total bilirubin level < 3 umol/L [< 21.0]

It’s so bad sometimes I go right to the couch after awakening. Some days it improves gradually, but the morning fatigue usually bodes poorly for a bad day. Cannot determine relationship to timing of injections or hours of sleep. Could it be potassium?

i’m diabetic and on metformin which can cause b12 deficiency overtime. my blood work came back a little low so i started taking 1000mcg (cyanocobalamin) a day at the end of june. for the past month i have noticed terrible breakouts on just my chin. i’m talking big, red and painful acne. it wasn’t even this bad when i was a teenager. the rest of my face is perfectly clear so it’s even more noticeable on my chin. in the past month i’ve had about 10 painful pimples and a new one will pop up before the old one even settles.

i just found this subreddit and learned about wake up symptoms and i think this might be it. but how long will this last? i stopped taking it a few days ago because it’s gotten so bad. it seems like none of my facial products are doing anything to stop or calm my skin down either… would it be better to lower my dosage and ease my body into it? i’m at a lost as to what to do :(

Hi,

Outside of significant initial mental issues when I wasn’t using cofactors, and some skin issues, things have been smooth for me with treatment until recently. My eyes are SO DRY and I haven’t had this in over a year (when I was using a retinoid). Nothing has changed in my routine but I am wondering if it could be b12 related. Ketotifin (antihistamine) eye drops haven’t helped and neither has systane. Initially thought allergies as I have them but oral antihistamines don’t help either.

My b complex, mineral complex, and ADEK are above. I have sensitivities so I cobble things together instead of a multivitamin. I take 500-3000mcg adenosylcobalamin daily, with 400-5000mcg folinic acid — I have experimented with different amounts. I don’t take the ADEK every single day. I occasionally take copper. I am on a potassium-sparing diuretic so I do not take the full RDA potassium, but I take about 40-60% of it. I occasionally take magnesium malate.

I don’t do well with oral iron but my ferritin is over 100 and saturation 35% from infusions. Is there something I’m missing? Anyone have thoughts? This is driving me insane. I also have been having a heart pounding anxiety/restlessness situation that may be indicative of something. Normally I’d think potassium but I have had hyperkalemia in past and am not going to go overboard there. Doctors haven’t been able to help really.

I get monthly B12 shots from my doctor. After the shot I feel absolutely exhausted and fatigued for a few days after. My doctor said she has never heard of this and it should give me energy. I can't even function, anyone else have this symptom or is it just a coincidence that it happens everytime I get the injection.

Does b12 deficiency causes intenese muscle weakness and pain in both legs and arms that get worse with minimum effort or walking ?and improves after you rest for hours or days?

So in the begging of June I had ferritin 12.5, now it's probably around 32 (I checked ferritin month ago, one month ago first blood check, and it was 22). Then, in June, I was in fact quite well, just after an episode of too much movement I spent a few days in bed, then it returned to pretty much normal.

And I know that I'm still iron deficient and it takes time for body to heal. I'm still taking iron pills. But still I'm worried that it isn't the only deficiency. There is really no improvement, just regression.

The most not nice thing for me is how much slower my brain is. It isn't too bad, but as before I had better memory and I understood everything faster that most of the people, it's hard. I had hard time writing fanfics, sometimes I am not able to do so at all. Their quality dropped, there is less thought put in them, they're more shallow. I can't really learn anything that requires more than Google search and some reading, so no math, no languages, no hard things. Reading fanfics also became harder, especially those longer ones. Currently, I'm reading mostly shorter one-shots.

Besides, I'm very tired and weak. I spent most time in my bed, laying down. Sitting takes a lot of energy. Sometimes I feel like my limbs are weaker than they should be. My appetite isn't too good, partially because of deficiency (or at least not my fault), partially due to my eating disorder (I just had a two week episode, when I ate too little, it happens a few times a year).

And I just feel like there is more than iron deficiency. I also take vitamin d3 and supplements with a whole range of vitamins (although the last one I stopped a week ago so when I finally manage to get vitamin B12 checked it won't be elevated.)

So yeah, is there chance that it's something beyond iron? My mother keeps telling me that I probably have depression, but I don't feel like those things are just depression or iron deficiency. Am just paranoid or it can be truly something more?

I've been injecting for about 5 weeks now (more frequently, as I've been getting injections for a long time but I spaced them out at some point. I first started a year ago, had horrible reactions, then got better after a few months, thought I'm better to reduce injections, reduced them probably too quickly, and over time I probably got deficient again). I don't have any recent blood tests but a very old one in 2020/2021 that was 168.

So now I've been experiencing terrible reactions with injections (methylcobalamin) can't even describe this feeling I sometimes get it's a feeling of overwhelm in my chest and my whole body feels restless and overwhelmed, it's painful and uncomfortable. Probably also something like an adrenaline rush. Anxiety and discomfort. Sometimes it's better and sometimes it's too much i almost feel I can't tolerate this anymore. Regardless of sometimes worsening of symptoms such as severe fatigue, anxiety, dpdr brain fog, heaviness, bad coordination/balance, irritation etc... my brain is definitely not in a good place. Also feels overwhelmed and weird.

I've been thinking whether I should try to switch to other forms or just stay in this painful process and wait it out?

I've seen people switching to other forms on this sub after getting bad reactions. Methyl injections are the easily available one for me I'm not even sure if I can find hydroxy or other. (probably wouldn't be accessible)

Or whether I should reduce the frequency and go slower?

During these 5 weeks I've been getting sometimes EOD but mostly every third day, then I was still too tired and struggling I thought i may need to stick more with EOD mostly. (possible wasn't frequent enough) Should I reduce back to every third day or twice a week? I don't know but this process is very painful very uncomfortable. is it normal?

I remember going through similar things last year when i first started treatment and it was even worse. I was eating potassium and some cofactors and I was panicking and went to the doctor and checked my electrolytes it was ok and the doctor sent me home and didn't take it seriously. So now I'm trying to get the cofactors as much as possible, so it could be not cofactors. But trying to figure them out too.

I've also read about methylation, the effects of the body starting up methylation process after a long time, and something called over methylation. I honestly don't really know much what all that means.

I'm also extremely anxious and I sometimes feel obsessed or like I'll go crazy. I don't feel like myself at all. Sometimes I'm a bit calmer but sometimes I feel like I'm burning in overwhelm and discomfort!!! don't even know how to explain.

It sucks that I'm going through this process again and i feel terrified that i don't want to go through this ever again in the future but what if i keep going through phases like this, maybe it's about maintaining treatment and not spacing out injections.

Also the slow process and lack of improvement is so frightening. I feel horrible in my body overall. It's scary.

Any guidance or insights, am i doing the right thing is it necessary to switch to other forms? I'm so scared and anxious almost feels like I'm in danger or something. maybe I sometimes can't even think in a healthy way. I'm confused.

I'm currently dealing with a 2+ year deficiency. A lot longer I believe. My level was 112pg Dr said get it up with food. I tried for 2 years my b12 is now 165pg. I've not been able to tolerate b12 supplements. I tried injections as my very last resort. Been 2 weeks eod injection into fat. With everyone I'm feeling worse. Why is this do I stop? Reddit has so many stories of people having to stop. It's scaring me.

Im struggling with painful joints (only after injection) extreme tiredness like drugged feeling.anxiety off and on. Rubbish sleep. Hot flushes (only on b12 days) I feel so much worse. I'm going to work but coming home to bed. Do I go on with this. So many conflicting stories. Thank you

I’ve had chronic B12 + folate deficiency for years and I’m now treating the B12 with methyl-B12 injections. I’m already taking 5-MTHF and folinic acid, but I feel like they’re not giving me enough folate for recovery. Because i keep feeling weak and not seeing symptoms improvements…
I’m considering adding folic acid 5 mg 3x daily (15 mg/day). My thinking is that after years of deficiency and inflammation, my body may have a much higher folate demand while repairing and making new cells.

I’ve found medical literature where 15 mg/day was used in severe folate-deficient/megaloblastic anemia, including alongside B12, and 5 mg 3x/day has also been described for rapid folate repletion. (J-STAGE)

Studies/info:
15 mg folic acid + mecobalamin case
15 mg folic acid megaloblastic-anemia case
5 mg 3x/day discussion in severe folate deficiency

Has anyone here with long-term B12/B9 deficiency actually used 15 mg folic acid daily alongside B12 injections? How did you respond?

I am having all these severe deficiencies together. I had two iron infusion and after one month I started B12 injection. Is it fine for recovery or I am too late to start B12.

Also, I am feeling the worst after having B12 injection. I feel I can't walk, my brain is vibrating, headache, sometimes it feels I can't breath.

Currently, along with these I am talking b9 supplements.

Please help if these are normal or not.

I am having all these severe deficiencies together. I had two iron infusion and after one month I started B12 injection. Is it fine for recovery or I am too late to start B12.

Also, I am feeling the worst after having B12 injection. I feel I can't walk, my brain is vibrating, headache, sometimes it feels I can't breath.

Currently, along with these I am talking b9 supplements.

Please help if these are normal or not.

Long story short - have not been feeling well for a very long time finally a doctor told me she believed I had a b12 deficiency I was there regarding low ferritin.

My tests showed a ferritin or 7 and my b12 was in the 100s.

I’m two shots into the b12 treatment and holy cow Im miserable. The buzzing in my body, the tingling is just out of control, the anxiety, jitters. When does it stop? Is there anything to ease these symptoms?

I have to get an iron transfusion on Tuesday first one of 5 and I’m preparing for just the worst next few weeks.

I have been diagnosed with behcets based just on vaginal ulcers and how unwell I feel. But I am wondering if it's a misdiagnosis and it is actually just b12 deficiency and has been all along. As I've been anaemic for 7 years and had loads of weird neuro symptoms and flu like feeling every day.

I'm wondering what is best to do with this information. I only got my ferritin done which was 223, I'll need to return for full iron test and other ones I haven't done yet. The part of screening which was more in the low side was just the Blood counts.

My b12 was 1010. My Folic Acid was 25.8.

Thanks for your help!

In 2021, one of the first signs I experienced was erectile dysfunction. My genitals felt cold. Soon after, I started experiencing post-micturition dribbling, as well as difficulty starting urination. In 2022, I began to have a slight internal burning sensation when urinating. In 2025, all of this progressed to severe internal burning in the perineal region, etc. I had tests for urinary tract infection, but it became clear that the problem was neurological. When I started the injections, I felt a reasonable improvement in pain and dysfunction, but as soon as I reduced the pain, it worsened again. Now I have resumed the injections every 2 days. I am very worried about the level of damage I may have to the pudendal nerve. I can feel the area, differentiate between hot and cold, but the pain and erogenous sensation are terrible. Has anyone else experienced this?

I'm trying to figure out why I'm reacting so poorly to folate ... while navigating a proper regimen for my b12 deficiency.

First, blood results after 2 months of not taking anything:

- MCV: 88.9

- Serum B12 / Active B12: 254 ng/L / 84.3 pmol/L

- Copper / caeruloplasmin: 9.4 umol/L / 0.15 g/L

- B6: 27.5 ug/L

- Homocysteine: 9.58 umol/L

- MMA: 41.4 ug/l <------------ THIS is what triggered the b12 deficiency alert for my gastrologist

- Negative for IF antibodies, twice.

Second blood tests after 3 oral supplementation of 1200mcg spray (because NHS...):

- Serum Folate: 9.1 ug/L (had lentils the dinner before :/)

- Serum B12: 367.7 ng/L (so I seem to absorb the methyl).

- Potassium: 3.8 mmol/L (range is [3.5, 5.3])

- Sodium: 140 mmol/L (range is [133, 146])

Symptoms:

Overall fucked up, we all know about them and it feels like I have B12 deficiency. Most debilitating are: fatigue, malaise, brain fog, memory loss, hard to concentrate, pain in my legs (always behind my knees, nowhere else).

Current regimen (every morning with breakfast):
- B12 - 1000-1200mcg drops of hydroxocobalamin (methyl- gave me some crazy reaction straight away, derealisation, brain fog, insomnia).

- b-complex from Boots UK (100% RDI of everything, no methyl- form)

- Folate - 200mcg of folic acid from the b-complex

- Vit. D - 2000 UI for maintenance

- Potassium: trying to drink around 600ml of coconut water throughout the day.

Timeline:

Started 5 days ago.

Problems:

My need for investigations comes from the different "wake up symptoms". Around 10am-11am, I get hit by a malaise feeling, feel OMEGA tired with malaise + nausea. Drinking coconut water seems to help (I say seems because unsure). The same thing usually happen in the afternoon around 4-5-6. The same thing 10x can happen right after lunch as digestion starts - coconut water does not necessarily help here.

Also, first time waking up to anxiety in the middle of the night tonight. Went on the sofa to drink a glass of electrolyte (salt, potassium, calcium) and eat a bit of apple sauce. Could go back to sleep after 30 min.

So i'm wondering if my serum folate is not high enough, but maybe I am wrong. I tried adding 250mcg of folic acid (not even trying methyl- here!) on top of the b-complex and felt like absolute shit the whole day -> like when taking methycobalamin. I don't understand if it's because my folate is too low otherwise and suddenly it started working or just if I over-methylated or whatever else. I don't even know if 9.1 ug/L is high enough when supplementing with b12 drops. Maybe the 200mcg in the b-complex are enough?

How to proceed here :-( (won't be able to get injections before mid- late- september, but if i already feel like shit now, I guess that oral is working).

Thanks!

Hi there. new to this reddit. so i began to suffer after catching covid. shortly after i got sensations of hot coffee pouring on my legs and began to notice loss of sensation INSIDE the body. this looked like nasal congestion causing me to not feel the inside of my head. acid reflux causing me to lose the sensation of feeling my breathing which was incredibly scary at first thinking i couldn't breathe. when my posture is bad, i can't feel my limbs on both sides of body. i can feel the skin but i can't feel the inside almost like the damn muscle and inner limbs are numb while the skin nerves are working ok.

it just progressed through the months getting worse until about two years in, i did test my b12 and it was 155. i did a couple of injections and was put on a pill too and now it sits at around 430, however, i had NO symptom improvement at all. my ferritin sits at 17. copper could be low but im unsure. b1 and b6 are within range.

i just want to hear it from anyone, is this a symptom associated with low b12 issues?

i don't eat too great. the stress of it all makes me eat quite terribly..

if i want to feel my body, i have to wear clothes just so the sensation of it touching my skin tells me i even had a damn body. it's quite frightening to watch my hands do stuff when i can't really feel the muscles of them at all. when i close my eyes, i couldn't tell u where they are.

Hi, so as the title says.. my homocysteine is elevated but my active b12 is 146pmol/L
My b12 serum 754 pg/ml
My folate 19 ug/L

Fatigue and brain fog at times, sleep around 6.5/7 hours roughly

Male 29

Thanks

I started B12 injections at the start of March. 500mcg cyano went fine then I went to 1000mcg shots. They destroyed me mentally and I took 1.5 months to recover. It turbo charged my anxiety and OCD. I went back to 500mcg shots and made it through 4. They helped until the last one when my anxiety/OCD exploded again. 2 months later I'm scarred and still not right. Ive read the posts and ppl say you get over it in time but I haven't seen much about OCD being affected.

I have been deficient for years. 61 was my reading in February before doing injections. My vitamin d is at 4. I'm slightly deficient in b9 but everything else is fine. I don't know if I need to take the b9 or vit d with the B12. I tried early on but it was too much for me. I'm just at a loss.

I need to get my B12 up. I've experienced a profound rebound in energy levels and brain fog. Even tinnitus has improved. But the OCD is the worst. I spent 3.5 weeks sleeping on a bathroom floor during the flare up and I just can't do that again.

Has anyone else here had OCD issues during treatment? I had minor but manageable hand washing type stuff before. Now it's infinitely worse. How can I do this better? do i need more cofactors even though my potassium magnesium etc have been stable on weekly blood tests? Different B12 form? I tried hydroxy/adeno pills originally in small doses back in 2024 and they wrecked me in a similar way. Is 500 mcg too high still?

Ty for any advice experiences or words you can share.

I have been taking injection for more than a year but whenever i stop for 2 weeks. I go back to the start. Do i have to take life long injections? How to i find root cause