Content

• Steps
• What you need

Vitamin B12 is an important component in cell regeneration, blood production, brain and bone development. People with vitamin B12 deficiency (anemia) will have symptoms such as depression, exhaustion, poor memory, you should see your doctor for advice on injecting vitamin B12 supplements. Your doctor will take blood to measure blood levels with vitamin B12 throughout the body, if the concentration is too low, you should take a supplement. Vitamin B12 injections are injections that contain an artificial B12 called cyanocobalamin. Talk to your doctor about allergies or health conditions that may cause adverse reactions to vitamin B12. Although you can inject vitamin B12 on your own, it is safest to have it done by a qualified doctor.

Steps

Part 1 of 2: Preparing Before The Injection

1. 

   
   
   Talk to your doctor about vitamin B12 injections. Present the reasons for injecting vitamin B12 supplements. Your doctor will do a test for B12 levels in your blood and a few other tests. If your doctor feels you are suitable for a B12 injection, they will prescribe the appropriate dosage. They teach you or the nurse how to give the correct injection. You should not self-inject without the proper training.
   • You will need to buy it at your local pharmacy. Do not buy more than a dose of vitamin B12 your doctor has prescribed.
   • When taking vitamin B12, your doctor will probably order regular blood tests to check your body's response after the injection.

2. 

   
   
   Discuss the complications of vitamin B12 injection with your doctor. Talk to your doctor about allergies and health conditions that may prevent you from getting B12 injections. Since vitamin B12 injections contain cyanocobalamin, you should not use this medicine if you are allergic to cyanocobalamin or cobalt, or you have Leber's atrophy. You should not get an injection if you have the following symptoms:
   • Symptoms of an allergy or cold affecting the nose, such as sinusitis or sneezing.
   • Kidney or liver disease.
   • Lack of iron or folic acid.
   • Symptoms of infection.
   • Are taking medication or treatment related to bone marrow.
   • Are pregnant or planning to become pregnant while taking vitamin B12. Cyanocobalamin passed through breast milk can harm a baby.

3. 

   
   
   Be aware of the benefits of vitamin B12 injections. If you have anemia or vitamin B12 deficiency, you need treatment with a B12 supplement. Many people have difficulty absorbing B12 in food or orally, so it is necessary to choose an injection. Vegetarians do not eat animal meat, so they can supplement vitamin B12 to ensure their health.
   • However, keep in mind that vitamin B12 injections are not medically proven to help with weight loss.

4. 

   Choose an injection site. The ideal injection site depends on the age and comfort level of the person being injected. A health care professional needs a trial injection to monitor drug reactions and check for side effects. Here are the 4 common injection sites:
   • Biceps: this is the injection site for an adult, young person or middle aged person.Older people can still inject in this site if the muscles in the biceps, delta muscles are still well developed. However, if the dose is higher than 1ml, it cannot be injected through the biceps.
   • Thighs: this is the most common injection site for people who inject themselves, or give it to babies and young children. The thighs are a good fit because there is a lot of fat and muscle under the skin. You should inject into the muscle, large thigh muscle between the groin and knee, 15-20cm up from the knee.
   • Hips: injection site is located on the hip, under the pelvis suitable for both young people and adults. Experts often recommend injecting at this site so that it doesn't affect the blood vessels or nerves during the injection.
   • Butt: The top, outer surface of the buttocks, or Dorsogluteals on the side of the body are also common injection sites. Only a healthcare professional can administer an injection in this site as it is located near the blood vessels and hip nerves, and they can be affected if given incorrectly.

5. 

   Choose an injection method. The injection process seems simple, but there are 2 ways to inject vitamin B12 as follows:
   • Intramuscular injection: These injections are more common because they usually give better results. The needle is inserted deep into the muscle tissue at a 90 degree angle. Once the needle is inserted into the muscle area, you need to pull back on the plunger slightly to make sure the needle does not penetrate the blood vessel; If you do not see the blood being sucked again, then slowly push the plunger to pump in. When vitamin B12 is pushed through a needle, it is immediately absorbed into the surrounding muscle area. This ensures that all of the vitamin B12 will be absorbed into the body.
   • Subcutaneous injection: this type of injection is less common. The needle tip is inserted under the skin at a 45 degree angle, as opposed to inserting the needle deep into the muscle area. The outer skin can be pulled away from the muscle tissue to make sure the injection doesn't go into the muscle area. The most suitable injection site for this method is the biceps injection.
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Part 2 of 2: Conducting Injections

1. 

   Preparing instruments. Arrange the home treatment area to be a clean desk or location. You need to prepare the following:
   • Vitamin B12 by prescription.
   • Clean needle.
   • Absorbent cotton.
   • Alcohol sanitizer.
   • Small gauze bandages.
   • Safety box for used needles.

2. 

   Disinfect the area to be injected. Pull the dress up to reveal the injection site and skin. Then, soak a cotton pad in disinfectant alcohol. Clean the skin to be injected with a cotton pad in a circular motion.
   • Let dry the area just sterilized.

3. 

   Clean the surface of B12 solution. Using a new cotton pad, soak in disinfectant alcohol and wipe the surface of the B12 tube.
   • Let dry.

4. 

   Shake the medicine tube. Remove the clean needle from the package and remove the needle button.

5. 

   Pull back on the syringe with the correct amount of medicine. Then, insert the needle into the vial. Push the air out of the syringe by pushing the plunger, and then slowly pull back on the plunger until you get the desired amount of medicine.
   • Flick the syringe gently to remove air bubbles in the syringe.

6. 

   Remove the needle from the vial. Gently push the plunger for an overflow of vitamin B12 to remove all the air in the syringe.

7. 

   Proceed with injection. Use the thumb and index finger of the other hand to immobilize the skin of the injection site. Whatever injection site you choose on your body, you should hold the area tightly to make the injection easier.
   • Tell the person to be injected when you are about to inject. Then, you insert the needle under the skin at the correct angle. Hold the needle firmly and slowly push the plunger until all the medicine is in your body.
   • After inserting the needle, pull back on the plunger a little to check if you are puncturing the blood vessel. If no blood is found, proceed with a pump.
   • Try to inject into the relaxing muscle area. If the person being vaccinated is anxious or stressed, tell them to keep the weight in your leg or leg without the injection. This will help relax the muscle area where the injection was given.
   • If you inject vitamin B12 yourself, use your other hand to hold the skin of the injection site. Relax your muscles and insert the needle at the correct angle. Check for blood in the needle, then pump all of the medicine into your body.

8. 

   Remove the needle from the skin and discard the used needle. You must pull out the needle at the same angle when inserting. Use cotton to stop bleeding and disinfect the injection site.
   • Clean the injection site using a circular motion.
   • Attach the gauze bandage to this site to protect the injection site.

9. 

   Dispose of needles properly. Used needles should not be thrown in the regular trash. You can ask your doctor or pharmacist to buy a safe for sharp objects or design your own.
   • Use a coffee can with a lid. Cut out the cap large enough to fit the needle. Once the can is full, take it to your doctor's office for proper disposal, or seek out hazardous bio-waste disposal.
   • You can use a thick detergent bottle to hold used needles (be sure to label that the bottle contains the needle, not the detergent).

10. 

    Use the needle only once. Do not reuse needles as this could lead to infection or illness.
    • You can store vitamin B12 at room temperature away from heat, moisture, and light.
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What you need

• Vitamin B12 solution according to the prescription.
• Clean needle.
• Alcohol sanitizer.
• Cotton is clean.
• Dressings.
• Safety box for used needles