Do I Need B12 Injections After an Ileostomy?

Does anyone out there need vitamin B12 injections following their ileostomy? A fellow ostomate has told me that I do, I had a panproctocolectomy in 2001 and believe that I still retain most of the ileum.

I have been told by my doctor that I am "a little bit anaemic" but didn't refer to stoma!Had no idea why, and not really interested. I do feel fatigued and could sometimes sleep for Britain,would love to hear from anyone who has these B12 boosters and yet still retain their ileum!

Would love to get some "bounce" back!

Thanks to you all for being there, I love reading your posts. This is my first, a virgin!!

Tippitop

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You should not need B12 injections for bowel removal.  People that need B12 injections are those who have had part of  their stomach removed.

eddie

thanks Eddie, maybe I should just eat more greens!

Tippitop

Hi!  

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  Well, everyone's situation is different, but actually I do know of some ileostomates, including myself, who do require the B12 boost from time to time....our bodies many times cannot maintain what it used to, nor in the same way.  I don't get stuck with the needle anymore I have found B12 in liquid by use of an eyedropper for under the tongue....squirt the liquid B12  under your tongue and hold it there for 30 seconds and it absorbs into you wonderfully and I feel so much better....in my personal situation this is my experience and knowing the same of others.   I don't have much small intestine left so I have trouble absorbing what I need and need a bit of help now and again

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~Love from your Doe

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Hi Doe and thank you!!

At least I feel now that this is not psychosomatic!!

Will visit my doc again.

By the way, have read a lot of your posts and am moved by them, think you are a wonderful, strong person, sure am not the first to say this.

You are a great support to others and this has not gone unnoticed by me,

Thank you Doe for being there and am sure I say this for everyone,

Much love

Tippitopxx

Living with Your Ostomy | Hollister

Hi Tippitop, just to muddy the waters further, I do have to have 3 monthly Vit B12 injections, I do not have a bowel problem so have had nothing removed - my ileum is intact but not absorbing (?).



However I am still sleeping for Britain at the moment, (last few days have been sleeping up to 18 hours!) have no energy whatsoever and feel like death, and am not due my injection yet, so dunno what is going on?



Rach - Confused of Wiltshire, zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

xx

Hi there, i have an ileostomy and i have vitamin B12 INJECTIONS EVERY 3MONTHS. Still get tired though. Rochelle.X

I never needed B-12. But I had to get get iron infusions almost weekly. I don't know if it was my Crohn's Disease. But it was while I was undergoing Remicade injections. Are your iron levels ok?

Hi Rach

Your experience so mirrors my own, but I think from reading your posts that you have had a much tougher time than I have.

Whatever, will consult Doc again, I recognise that B12 deficiency usually occus in those who have lost part of Ileum, but who can be sure what happened to our innards when out for the count??

I just know, that like yourself, I feel ridiculously drained of energy since surgery,Even though I work long and busy shifts, doesn't account for this fatigue, was always so full of energy before, and surgeon told me that there was no reason why this shouldn't return when recovered!!

Am fully recovered in every sense, especially psychologically and with dealing with stoma on a daily basis, but am unusually tired. This is so easily dismissed by doc's, T.A.T.T.'s (tired all the time), only regarded as psychological!! But am psychologically very sound thank you very much.

Just so inhibited by this unexplained fatigue,

Thank you Rach!!!

Much love,

Tippitopx

hi Roch,

Thanks for your reply, even more confused now!! But reassured by your experience, will contact Doc soon,

Lovely to hear from you

Much love

Tippitopxx

Hi J pouchman

Thanks for your reply, need to ask my doc yet again, so few are aware of needs of ostomates!

Think my levels are probably a bit on the low side,will pester him again of course!! Armed with the info that you great site members have given me.

Hope you are O.K. yourself, please keep in touch if liked, this site is amazing.

Much love,

Tippitopx

Had my proctocolectomy in 1996.

I had all of my most ileum and all of my colon removed.

However, my doctor said that SOMETIMES the remaining intestinal tract will adjust and absorb B12.

At first I had severe B12 deficiency and gave myself B12 shots every week for about 2 years. Then every month for about another 3.

Now I give them to myself about 3 times a year.

I was also severely anemic but all is very well there!

Tippitopp



what Ed said is generally correct.  Most of the B-12 is absorbed in the lower part of the stomach.  Notice I said most.  My lower stomach was removed in the 90's.

The body does not store B-12 well.

A B-12 deficiency will feel in most people about the same as an iron or ferrin deficiency.

If the fatique is B-12, injections will bring you out very fast.  For me I can't the B series injections, i get to wound up.  I take it under the tongue.



The ferrin, iron can take months to build up.   I am off the iron right now, i was taking 1000 Mg's per day in 3 doses.  I am sure it will drop off again.



I don't know how the system works in England.  Just as a precation (sp) a person with an illo should get a blood work up done every 6 months.  It will keep any small problems from getting out of hand.



You have to remember  a surgery is a terrible shock to the system. Its not so much what they do, its the anastesea(sp) you body inturpets it as a shut down.  It can  take months to normalize.



Don't be bashful with your doctor, tell him of your concerns.  Most doctors are not good listeners.  They tend to categorize all of us.



Good luck



Rick.....

Have also never felt so tired and wondered if any vitamins lacking. Haven't the energy to go to the doctor's to find out though! can't stay awake most of the time. Have been putting it down to ghastly British winter -more ghastly than usual, and not much sign of spring yet.

I have Crohns Disease I have to get a B12 shot once a month. I am very enemic. Because B12 is absorbed in your colon is what my doctor told me. And I have had all my colon removed.

I have crohns with a colostomy and have been getting monthly injections for years (had my colostomy since 1991) apparently a lack of B-12 can cause a form of alzeheimers and do funny things to the nervous system tingling in the extremities its a good pick me up

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Hi there:  Yes, I do need B12 injections every 2 weeks.  I have been getting these shots for ever.  Also, I get magnesium by injection every 2 weeks.  For some reason I have no magnesium and that is important for your organs and muscles, etc....

Does anyone else get these injections?  Just wondering as everybodies case is different....

I had my surgery in 2003 but had 10 operations in 1 year.  The doctor screwed me up so badly as I started with a colostomy.  Then 9 operations later I ended up with an ileostomy which is very prolapsed plus I have a peristomal hernia.  The doctor said I could not take another surgery so I have to live with it.



I was reading on here about certain foods that cause blockages.  Well, I do eat nuts (cashews), oranges, etc...no pop though.  I get gas a lot and just wait it out until it passes.  I sometimes use a suppository for the pain as well as morphine.  My weight went from 125 lbs. to 91 lbs.  No reason was given to me except that my intestine is very twisted and sickly.  Well, that is all I have left to work with.  Still have my rectum and get a lot of pain there which I use Proctofoam-HC.  Again the doctor does not know why I get such pain in the ass.  Literally....well I am thankful that I don't have an urostomy as well....

I met a lady who has both and that must be very difficult for her to manage.  My orginal diagnosis was constipation and I ended up with this ileostomy.  You really have to trust your doctor and check him out real good before he puts the knife to your body.  They did tell me that I had a megacolon though which can cause problems.



Just thought I would share with you what is happening....I enjoy reading the posts from everyone as I learn alot from it.  Thank you to all.....



As always, Lisa

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lisam3



My experience shadows yours.  My colon stopped the transit of material.  Idopathic (without know cause).  The surgeon botched the operation big time.  I had 5 more to try and fix what was left.   Although my colon was big it was not to the point of mega-colon.  It was just a matter of time and it would have been.



I eat cashews often, however I chew them to death.



Rick.....

I have to take B-12 injections because I have had so much of my small and large bowel removed I don't absorb nutrients very well. I really should also be getting iron injections since again I don't absorb the pills they basically come out the way they went in. In order for me to get full effect of just ONE pill I would have to take 2-3 of it at time intervals to keep it in my system ling enough to get the benefit.

I have had the same problem with pills going straight on thru  I always take a double dose my doctors says its very common for people with ostomies

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My friends can't get over the high tolerances I have for my meds like percs and ativan...I take double what they would ever take and go into a 3 day coma where I function day to day normally. I sometimes have to wonder is that a good thing?

You are an absolute charm dear....I was very touched by your words, more than I can say  hugs   I'm hoping all is going good for you sweetie!!!  I'm trying to read more of these awesome posts but my computer continues to crash and I can't seem to get anywhere (&@*^Q*&%@$!!   LOL   ...but I'm trying!

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~Love to all from your Doe!

Hi Sweet budd002

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  Hey, I need the occasional iron as well due to great loss of my small intestine and other reasons.....I take those little yucky grey pills but wanted to find out if you ever watch Dr. Oz on television?   lol ...this sounds SO crazy, sort of, but I actually caught one of his shows recently where he was talking about people who need iron ...and he said those pills (like the ones I take) can cause constipation and some nausea ...then he mentioned he felt bad for those who had to be stuck by a needle and proceeded to inform us that if we want a different route to getting our iron intake to simply use cast iron frying pans and cast iron cookware!!  I'm serious!

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  He held up some beauties as examples....at first I thought 'this guy is nuts' but I guess I can understand it not that I have pondered it a bit ....Dr. Oz was so funny about it, cracking jokes about how if you can't find cast iron pans to use, "go steal one from Grandma!"  LMAO!!!!!   He actually said cooking with them every day should do the trick and you won't need pills or injections ....hmmmm....I dunno..... thought it was funny but curious ....  Maybe someone else saw the show  hehee.

~Doe

I have ileostomy yet I need to give myself a monthly inject of B-12s It just takes a second, I had so much damage from Crohns that I have had to just keep these up even after the surgery. You deserve to have all of your questions answered by your Doc. Keep at him until you do. I have learned to read my blood work reports and I suggest you try to also; Then you will have more of an idea about what your body is doing. We are all different and it amazes me how we cope.

I take both B-12 and 5000 IU per day of vitamen D and have found them to help.  I take a 1cc injection every two weeks of B-12.

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It's a portion of the ileum, (section of small intestine) actually.  Colon refers to large intestine.  But, estecially with Crohns, when foods don't digest and/or go through too fast, we don't get a chance to absorb the B12.  If still anemic, may need shots weekly.  Also, have B1 and B6 levels checked.  They can cause pernicious anemia too.  re: Need B1 to hold B6 need B6 to hold B12.