administering B-12

MichaelFloridaRN · May 22, 2008

I give myself and my wife IM one month, then SC the next. How did the HCP order it to be given ?

imanedrn · May 22, 2008

I thought B12 was always IM?

Schnickerdoodle · May 22, 2008

I thought B12 was always IM?

I do mine SC only. It does say SC/IM on the label.

Levin · May 22, 2008

Hydroxy-Cobalamin Chloride is IM Only(with rare exceptions).

There is another variant called Cyanocobalamin.

I don't know if you can give that SC. Do you know which variant you use SD?

IV B-12 can cause some quite nasty reactions.

To the best of my knowledge it is only used IV in rare emergent circumstances. (e.g. The Hydroxy variant IIRC can be used for Cyanide poisoning.)

Levin

Schnickerdoodle · May 22, 2008

Cyanocobalamine from American Reagent, INC 1mL vial, says for IM or SC use

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · May 22, 2008

I administered vitamin B12 injections to 3 of my elderly residents earlier today, since they receive them once monthly. They all received IM injections to the deltoid muscle.

epiphany · May 22, 2008

SC works just as well as it hurts less.

Fiona59 · May 22, 2008

I've seen it ordered in IV fluids for etoh withdrawal. Mixed and hung over 8 hours.

MichaelFloridaRN · May 23, 2008

I've seen it ordered in IV fluids for etoh withdrawal. Mixed and hung over 8 hours.

Are you sure that it was B-12 and not B-1 ? because it is normally B-1 aka Thiamine that must be given to ETOH abusers before re-hydrating them.

Levin · May 23, 2008

RE: SC/IM

I was thinking about this earlier.

In light of what SD said, I think it's probably because Hydroxy-cobalamin would not be very lipid soluable. So giving it SC wouldn't seem to make much sense.

Wheras Cyano-cobalamin probably is more lipid soluable(I haven't checked this so I'mnot sure).

But yeah 2 different forms of B-12 with signifigant differences in how they can be used and administered.

Good to know. :)

Levin

Spritenurse1210, BSN, RN · May 23, 2008

I was wondering, I saw an IV tech give it IV push and the woman screamed in pain, I had no chance to look at the chart to see what the route of administration ordered was.