If someone has to get a B12 shot from their doctor, does one normally have2get these often?

Question

If someone has to get a B12 shot from their doctor, does one normally have2get these often?

Answer 1

When I worked for a Dr. many years ago, a lot of the older ladies would come in once a month for a B-12 shot.   Now that I am an older lady, I have an RX for B-12 that I give myself with an insulin needle, twice a month.  Okayed by my Dr.

Hope that info helps.

Answer 2

It depends on the underlying reason for the Vitamin B 12 shots? Usually Pernicious anemia (also known as Biermer's anaemia or Addison's anaemia or Addison-Biermer anaemia) is a form of megaloblastic anemia due to vitamin B-12 (vitamin B12) deficiency, caused by impaired absorption of vitamin B-12 due to the absence of intrinsic factor in the setting of atrophic gastritis, and more specifically of loss of gastric parietal cells. While the term "pernicious anemia" is sometimes also incorrectly used to indicate megaloblastic anemia due to any cause of vitamin B-12 deficiency, its proper usage refers to that caused by atrophic gastritis and parietal cell loss only.

Being a manifestation of vitamin B-12 deficiency, pernicious anemia is treated by administering vitamin B-12 supplements. Oral tablets are sometimes used, though if this approach is used, much higher doses are given than normally required in order to overcome the impaired absorption that characterizes pernicious anemia.

If oral tablets are not desired, vitamin B-12 can also be administered via injection, which is usually given once a month. Often the patient can learn to do this at home with the same syringes and needles used for insulin treatment of diabetes.

Hope that helps.