I wanted to get B12 shots ,but my doctor said that she could only give it to me if I had a deficiency. She did blood work to check my B12 level, but it was fine, I didn't get the B12 shots. I started to take the tablets but it doesn't help. I would love to have some energy:)

I have had b12 shots. It's like a lot of things. You hope it's doing something, but not more than that.

I have taken the b12 shots too. didnt notice much difference.

I've tried B-12 shots and B-12 in liquid form that you can purchase at a health food store. Made no difference in my energy levels. It is very tough existing without much energy day after day...I begin to feel weak during the brief times I can go out, and have to drive home. Hate it.

I did get shots for a while but onky because my doc tested it and it was in low normal range. No burst of energy. That was in 2007. Now i take the liquid kind by Nature Made. It's $5-$7 at walmart or walgreens. It helps some but not much.

You can try an oral supp (Nature Made is good) and see, b/c B12 shots are more expensive--- and ohonestly, not always more effective unless you have an absorption issue. (GI issues can affect absorption, and a blood test shows deficiency.)

I've always had great B12 levels and still had zero energy some adys. Energy and nerves and so on are affected by *so* much---

But give it a try (using a nice inexpensive supp!) and see. SOme people get results, some don't. FM is weird that way. And we're each of us an individual biochemistry "experiment" when it comes to what does and doesn't work.

Healing wishes,
Leo

PS A general B-vitamin supp with B12 in it is also an idea to try. When I was getting over some Epstein-Barr VIrus stuff when I first had it? I was on one of those and it *d8id* help.

I told my doc that I could not stay awake at work and it was going to cost me my job. So she started me on provigil. It has been a real life saver.

B12 is best absorbed if you use it with folic acid. Get some sublingual B12 with folic acid. They dissolve under your tongue. Don't eat, drink, smoke or brush your teeth for a half hour before and after using them. I keep some on my nightstand and pop some before trying to get up.

I tried B12 shots. I felt more energy for about two days and that was it. You could also try a supplement called D Ribose for energy. I like the brand Corvalen. You can read about it using Google and order it online. I only use it if I have to get through something really important like a funeral. For me, the backlash when it wears off makes me worse than I was prior to using it. You'll just have to experiment and see how it works for you. Take care.

My Naturopath prescribed a weekly injection of 2000mcg, and made it a point that it had to be "Methylcobalmin."

She told me that unless I insisted on Methylcobalmin, I would get a different form of B12 that is commonly used for injections, and this would not have the desired effect. Also, the dosage she prescribed was double the dose commonly administered when one gets a B12 injection.

Ok. That being said, I do get a weekly B12, and it has made a difference for me. In the beginning the difference was huge. I enjoyed a wonderful bust of energy, for about 5 days, and then it would tapper down. By the seventh day I was ready for my next injection.

Now, the injection is still helpful, but my energy level does not consistently remain higher for that "5 days." In truth, sometimes I can skip a couple of weeks, whereas other times, my low energy struggles are back in a couple of days.

So, it is much better than before I started the injections, but it is the "cure" I wish it was.

As for the pain from the injection. That too is not consistent. I take my injection in the arm. Sometimes there is really no pain at all, whereas other times, (like last week) I bruised me and left me feeling as if I'd gotten a charlie horse in my arm.

I get my injection at a place called "AnyLab." You might have this chain of injection clinics in your area. They give a great deal. Each injection works out to cost about $20.00, but if you buy a series of 5 the price drops to I think $15.00 bucks a shot.

I have tried the oral form of Methylcobalmin B12. I'd read that it is supposed to be unnecessary to get B12 injections. That taking it orally would be just as effective. Well, that did not prove to be the case for me. The oral form had absolutely no effect on me.

I had a blood test done during this period, and it showed that I had a higher than normal B12 count, so my primary care doc told me that although it would not hurt me in any way, I could stop taking the extra B12. And since the oral form does nothing for me I have stopped taking it. But I will continue the injections because it most often means the difference between feeling the closest to "normal" energy wise than I have ever felt since I have been ill.

One more thing. Before being prescribe the Methylcobalmin B12, my Naturopath and I tried treatments targeting Adrenal Fatigue. So I was taking several supplements to increase Adrenal function. I had no improvement with these treatments.

She then suspected that my body might be having issues B12. Not a deficiency, but rather a problem with using it correctly. She thought I might have MTHFR.

Here is a link to some info on MTHFR in case you are interested:
http://doccarnahan.blogspot.com/2013/05/mthfr-gene-mutation-whats-big-deal.html

So, rather than have me take a very expensive test to find out, she decide since the treatment for MTHFR would do me no harm, we might be treating the root cause of my crushing fatigue with this simple treatment.

Ok. In my quest to be as thorough as possible I have gone on wayyyyy too long. Sorry. I have a tendency to do that. But I do hope you find something helpful to you here.

Take care. Sonya

Thanks for all your input guys. I think I am going to hold off for right now with the injections and see if a vitamin supplement helps any. Lately I have just been in a real lull. I get up late and go to sleep early and I still need a nap in between.

Leo - Also makes me wonder how many if us had Epstein Barr Virus when we were younger. There is evidence that infection with EBV is associated with a higher risk of certain autoimmune diseases, I mean if they are still thinking about calling FM autoimmune.

I was injecting it every other day, Methylcobalmin and hydrocobalmin along with glutathione. It helped with energy but not with pain management.

Same her Jonsparky,

It really had little, if any effect on my pain as well.

I'm taking B12complex and it helps with my menstrual pains. The pains from my body it to soon to say. I was anemic so I also take iron.