A condition medically known as pernicious anemia has been treated with vitamin B12 injections for several years now. Pernicious anemia is a serious blood disorder, the consequence of which is a decreased red blood cell production. A low number of red blood cells can result in fatigue, but a person may also experience shortness of breath if they fail to act rapidly and treat pernicious anemia with vitamin B12 injections. These injections are easily obtainable at pharmacy stores, but have to be given to patients by professionals, preferably at the doctor’s office. Nowadays, these anemia-treating injections can also be given at home by a trained caregiver, for which you need to make a special request at your physician’s. STEP 1 – Once you have obtained all the necessary equipment and supplies for injection application, you have to wash your hands carefully with hot water and antibacterial soap. Make sure that the washing lasts more than 20 seconds so that you can remove all the unclean particles from your nails, fingers and palms.
Always check the label on the vial, as well as the dosage. It can happen that the dosage is higher than you have been prescribed, in which case you should check with the physician. Also, check whether the liquid inside the vial has any crystals or flowing clumps. If it does, it means that the injection has to be replaced with a new one. STEP 2 – Double-check the expiration date on the vial label. Under no circumstances should the medicine be injected if the expiration has expired. If the expiration date is fine, the vial should be opened by simply removing the metal lid. Next, clean the top of the vial with an alcohol wipe. Be careful not to touch the top of the vial once you have swiped and sterilized it with alcohol. STEP 3 – Measure the appropriate dosage on the syringe, remove the cap over the syringe needle and pierce it through the rubber vial top. While the needle is in the B12 vial, pull the plunger back until you reach the prescribed dosage. STEP 4 – Giving the injection is what ensues.
Protect your hands with gloves and advise the patient to place himself/herself on the stomach and expose one side of the buttocks. Imagine a cross on the part of the buttock cheek where you want to inject the medicine, and try to do it in the upper corner of the gluteus muscle. Wipe the area of skin where you want to apply the injection with alcohol and then let the skin dry. STEP 5 – Take the syringe, bring it closer to the alcohol-wiped area of the buttock cheek and pierce the skin quickly. Make sure that the syringe is placed perpendicular to the skin. When the needle is approximately half-way in the buttock, pull back on the plunger very gently. The syringe should be stable at all times and you can control the stability with your dominant hand. No blood should enter the syringe, so you have to be careful about that, as well. The blood should never mix with the medication inside of the syringe. If it does, that is a clear sign that you have injected the needle into the blood vessel and not the muscle.
In such cases, the syringe should be pulled out immediately, and the process should be repeated all over again. STEP 6 (Final Step) – Inject the medicine slowly by pushing down the plunger towards the dorsogluteal muscle. Do not ever push the plunger rapidly as it may bring about uncomfortable pain. When you are finished with the insertion of the medicine, remove the needle carefully from the buttock cheek and apply a bandage over the pierced spot.YOU ARE HERE: LAT HomeCollectionsFeatures Question: I have to give myself medically necessary injections. I carry a note from my doctor stating that the injections are prescribed. What would happen if the Transportation Security Administration opened my luggage, checked or carry-on, and found needles inside?Richard ShowstackNewport BeachAnswer: Assuming the syringes are for a legitimate medical purpose -- and in Showstack's case, they are -- probably nothing, says Suzanne Treviño, a spokeswoman for the TSA."We come across this every day with passengers who have special needs," she says.
"They just need to package them [the syringes] with their medications so it's obvious they're needed for a medical reason."Your journey through security also is going to be easier if you give the screener a heads-up that you have medical supplies with you, as a sort of preemptive move.The American Diabetes Assn., whose website has an entire section devoted to diabetic travelers, and the TSA recommend that a doctor's note accompany your medications."The letter should explain what you need to do for your diabetes, such as take diabetes pills or insulin shots," the ADA website says. "It should list insulin, syringes and any other medications or devices you use." (Even if your condition is not diabetes, substitute the correct noun and supplies and the advice still makes sense.)Just to be sure, take half your supplies in your carry-on bag and half in your checked luggage. And, as with all things medical, make sure you have more than you need, the recent East Coast weather being a good reminder of how necessary it is to be prepared.
You should also make sure you have prescriptions with you as well, for your medication and for your syringes. Not all states sell syringes without a prescription, and those that do sometimes limit the number you can buy.How do you ensure that you're not going to run afoul of local laws about syringes, which can vary widely? "Call the airport police in the state you're flying into and ask," says Kevin Coffey, a police detective and president of Corporate Travel Safety, which advises travelers on best safety practices. "If you don't get the answer you're looking for, keep asking for supervisors until you get the information you need."The TSA's website notes that you can take an unlimited number of unused syringes (best to keep them in their original packaging, Treviño says, to keep from injuring inspectors) and an unlimited number of used syringes if they are in an approved "sharps" disposal container, which needs to be sturdy enough to ensure that needles do not penetrate it.When it comes to all things airports, keep in mind you may need to allow more time because of explanations you may need to proffer, meds you may want examined by hand (there is some suggestion that insulin, for example, may not be stable if it is subjected to repeated X-rays) and the need to reduce your angst about missing your plane.