B12 Injections - Petition for Change

[MissGalaxy]

Just received this link from a friend whose niece suffers from pernicious anaemia.

www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/ian-hudson-please-make-our-life-saving-injectable-vitamin-b12-hydroxocobalamin-available-over-the-counter

She really struggles with the 3 month gap between injections but GP will not increase her dose, even though she has the symptoms recurring after about 6-7 weeks. This means she has to struggle on for another 5-6 weeks till her next injection. By that point she is absolutely floored and can barely function. She’s only in her twenties and it’s having a real negative impact on her life.

Luckily, they have family in mainland Europe who are able to buy this in pharmacies and bring it over for her to administer herself. Really shouldn’t be like this though, and Britain is one of the few countries that don’t allow this to be sold over the counter.

Hoping everyone on here can read the link (it's such a horrible illness to live with) and sign/share to support this.

Thank you

[Stuffofawesome]

Has she tried sublingual tablets... might be an alternative as some find it better than jabs

[MissGalaxy]

Thanks stuffofawesome

Not sure if she's tried them. I thought with pernicious anaemia you couldn't absorb b12 orally through food and thats why you had to have the injections, not sure if tablets could work then? Will pass that on though.

[Stuffofawesome]

I think it is the fact it is absorbed without going into the intestines means it does not need the enzyme or whatever it is that people with PA dont have. It is easily available here and cheap

[RockinD]

www.amazon.co.uk/Jarrow-Formulas-Methyl-B12-1000mcg-Lozenges/dp/B001F0R6I8/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1406142578&sr=8-3-fkmr0&keywords=jarrow%20b12%20sublingual&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

Absorbed through the mucous membranes in the mouth, so bypass the stomach completely and the lack of intrinsic factor doesn't matter. A lot of people in your niece's situation use them to bridge the gap between injections.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

See another GP many are more sympathetic. I am allowed to self inject when my symptoms start to recur that can be 8 weeks sometimes it can be 14 weeks. As long as I don't go over my 10 vials a year they don't query it so I could be injecting every 5 weeks.
The right GP really will help.