Vitamin B12 is essential for red blood cell formation, DNA synthesis and neurological functioning. Your doctor may prescribe vitamin B12 shots for certain medical conditions, such as pernicious anemia. Many people have B12 injected at a doctor's office. However, if you are comfortable self-injecting, your doctor can provide you with proper training. The shots are usually intramuscular injections, meaning you will need to inject into a muscle. Request a lesson where you actually inject the B12 to see if you are comfortable with the procedure.
Prepare the Injection
Step 1
Prepare a clean area of your bathroom counter at home. Use disposable sterile cotton pads on the counter to create a work area. Wash your hands using soap and warm water. Follow the proper hand washing technique that your health care provider will have showed you to prevent infection.
Step 2
Open the sterile syringe wrapper. If your syringe and needle come in separate wrappers, remove the needle and screw it on to the top of the syringe. Remove the cap from the needle by pulling it straight off.
Step 3
Remove the metal or plastic cap from the B12 vial. Do not try to take off the rubber top. Pull back the plunger of the syringe to fill it with an amount of air equal to the amount of B12 you will be injecting. For example, if your doctor has told you to take 1 ml of B12, pull the plunger back to the 1 ml position.
Step 4
Pierce the top of the B12 vial with the needle of the syringe and push the plunger to the top of the syringe. This will inject air into the vial and make it easier to withdraw the B12.
Step 5
Hold the vial upside down, and make sure the tip of the needle is within the B12 solution. Withdraw the plunger to pull in the B12 until the black top of the plunger is level with the amount you need to inject. For example, if you need 1 ml of B12, the black top of the plunger should be level with this reading on the syringe.
Step 6
Remove the needle from the vial, and hold the syringe needle up. Tap the side of the syringe so that any trapped air floats to the top of the syringe. Gently press the plunger to eject the air out of the syringe.
Inject the B12
Step 1
Locate the vastus lateralis muscle in your thigh. Place your thumb in the middle of your upper thigh with the fingers along the side. The muscle between your thumb and fingers is the vastus lateralis. This is where you will inject the B12.
Step 2
Wipe the area of skin where you are going to inject the B12 with an alcohol swab. Allow it to dry and then put the needle straight into the muscle at a 90-degree angle as if you are shooting a dart. The needle will go in easily.
Step 3
Pull back slightly on the plunger to make sure you are not in a blood vessel. If you do see blood in the syringe, remove the needle and dispose of the syringe. Start again with a new syringe and a new dose of vitamin B12.
Step 4
Push down on the plunger in a slow and steady motion. Do not force the medicine to go in too quickly as it may hurt. When the syringe is empty, pull the needle out and press a clean gauze pad on the site.
Step 5
Dispose of the used syringe and needle in a puncture-proof sharps container. Once this container is full, return it to your pharmacist for proper disposal.
Tips and Warnings
- Sharps containers can be purchased at your local pharmacy. The thigh muscle is just one location you can use. Other locations include the hip muscle, the buttocks and the muscle of the upper arm. Use the location that your doctor recommends.
- Before using the B12 from a vial, double-check the name of the medication and the expiration date. Do not use any B12 that is past its expiration date.
Things You'll Need
- Hand soap
- Syringe with needle
- Vitamin B12 vial
- Alcohol swab
- Sterile cotton pad
- 2-by-2 inch cotton gauze
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