Vitamin B12 Injection

Generic name: Cyanocobalamin (injection)
Drug class: Vitamins

Usage of Vitamin B12 Injection

Vitamin B12 is a man-made form of vitamin B12.

Vitamin B12 is important for growth, cell reproduction, blood formation, and protein and tissue synthesis.

Vitamin B12 is used to treat vitamin B12 deficiency in people with pernicious anemia and other conditions.

Vitamin B12 Injection side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Vitamin B12: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have:

heart problems - swelling, rapid weight gain, feeling short of breath;

fluid build-up in or around the lungs - pain when you breathe, feeling short of breath while lying down, wheezing, gasping for breath, cough with foamy mucus, cold and clammy skin, anxiety, rapid heartbeats; or

low potassium level - leg cramps, constipation, irregular heartbeats, fluttering in your chest, increased thirst or urination, numbness or tingling, muscle weakness or limp feeling.

Common Vitamin B12 side effects may include:

diarrhea; or

swelling anywhere in your body.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Vitamin B12 Injection

You should not use Vitamin B12 if you are allergic to cyanocobalamin or cobalt, or if you have Leber's disease (an inherited form of vision loss). Cyanocobalamin can lead to optic nerve damage (and possibly blindness) in people with Leber's disease.

To make sure this medicine is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

eye problems or Leber's disease (in you or a family member);

kidney or liver disease;

iron or folic acid deficiency;

any type of infection; or

if you are receiving any medication or treatment that affects bone marrow.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy or while you are nursing.

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How to use Vitamin B12 Injection

Usual Adult Dose for Pernicious Anemia:

Initial dose: 100 mcg intramuscularly or deep suBCutaneous once a day for 6 to 7 days If clinical improvement and reticulocyte response is seen from the above dosing: -100 mcg every other day for 7 doses, then: -100 mcg every 3 to 4 days for 2 to 3 weeks, then: Maintenance dose: 100 to 1000 mcg monthly Duration of therapy: Life Comments: -Administer concomitant folic acid if needed. -Chronic treatment should be done with an oral preparation in patients with normal intestinal absorption.

Usual Adult Dose for B12 Nutritional Deficiency:

25 to 2000 mcg orally daily

Usual Adult Dose for Schilling Test:

1000 mcg intramuscularly is the flushing dose

Usual Pediatric Dose for B12 Nutritional Deficiency:

0.5 to 3 mcg daily

Warnings

You should not use Vitamin B12 injection if you are allergic to cobalt, or if you have Leber's disease.

What other drugs will affect Vitamin B12 Injection

Other drugs may interact with cyanocobalamin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using.

Disclaimer

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