Hi all, I am new to the group. I have been taking B12 supplements but i want to avoid injections. Has anyone heard of Eligen B12. My doctor and a friend of mine recommended it. Can anyone tell me what they think?

I'm 2 years post op never had to have b12 injections. I like the b12 strips that dissolve on your tongue. Jamieson is a brand name...1,000 mcg take every other day according to nutritionist.

After gastric bypass surgery, your body will no longer be able to synthesize some vitamins from the food you eat. Therefore you will need to take supplements for the rest of your life. B12 is an important vitamin. It is important in helping form red blood cells and for maintenance of the central nervous system. B12 is also required for the synthesis of DNA in the body. A deficiency could cause pernicious anemia, causing mood swings, paranoia, irritability, confusion, dementia, hallucinations, or mania, eventually appetite loss, dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, heart palpitations, diarrhea and tingling sensations in the extremities. B12 deficiency has also contributed to anxiety, stress and depression.

After my surgery I was directed to take 500 to 1000 micrograms sublingual B12 daily or 1000 microgram injection once monthly. So I began with the shots. I thought once per month would be easier than taking something daily. There were a couple problems with this approach. First, shots are prescription medicine whereas the sublingual vitamin are not. Now the second problem was the clincher. I had my wife administer the shots to me in the arm. I noticed that just before she put the needle in my arm, she would close her eyes. She hates blood. So I decided to forego the shots in favor of the sublingual vitamins. After I started taking them in this form, I liked them. They tasted good. Also they are not swallowed like other vitamins but rather just placed under your tongue to dissolve.

I was also told that there are also different chemistries of B12. I used the sublingual B12 and was told to use methylcobalamin. You cannot use a time-release version of B12. I never used Eligen B12. It is not sublingual. I would leave the decision to your bariatric surgeon. It may not be absorbed properly and it is his/her job to know if this would be an approved application. Eligen website identifies some limitations with this vitamin.

You should not take Eligen B12™ if you are allergic to vitamin B12, cobalt, or any ingredient of Eligen B12™.

You should not take Eligen B12™ if you have Leber’s disease, which your doctor may refer to as hereditary optic nerve atrophy. Cyanocobalamin can lead to optic nerve damage (and possibly blindness) in people with Leber’s disease.