Book a vitamin B12 injection appointment
This appointment is for people who already know they need vitamin B12 injections, usually a diagnosed deficiency or an established maintenance schedule. The pharmacist checks your history and your current schedule before anything is given. If you have symptoms but no diagnosis, see your GP for blood tests first.
Who this appointment is for
- People with a diagnosed B12 deficiency who are on maintenance injections
- People whose GP has started them on injections and who want them done locally
- People who can show a recent diagnosis, a current schedule or recent blood results
If you have never been tested, start with your GP practice rather than here. Tiredness has many causes, and blood results are harder to interpret once B12 treatment has already begun.
What happens at the appointment
Suitability check
The pharmacist asks what you were diagnosed with and when, what dose and interval you are on, and about allergies, other medicines, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Evidence of your diagnosis
Bring something that shows the diagnosis or your current schedule: a GP letter, a repeat slip, a screenshot of your record in the NHS App, or recent blood results.
The injection
It is given into the muscle of the upper arm by a trained pharmacy professional and takes moments.
Afterwards
You wait a short while in the pharmacy before leaving, and you are told when the next one is due and what to look out for in the meantime.
Where you can get this
Questions people ask
Do I need a blood test first?
You need a diagnosis, and that comes from a blood test arranged by your GP practice. This appointment is for people who already have one. The pharmacist asks to see evidence of it, because injecting B12 into someone who has not been assessed can delay finding what is actually wrong.
How often will I need one?
That depends on why you are deficient, and it is set by the clinician who diagnosed you rather than by the pharmacy. The pharmacist follows the schedule you were given and will not change the interval, though they can tell you when your next one falls due.
What if my GP practice already does my injections?
Then keep that arrangement if it works, because it costs you nothing. People book privately when the practice cannot fit them in on time, when the interval has slipped, or when a pharmacy appointment is simply easier to get to.
Can I have this if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
Tell the pharmacist at the start of the appointment. B12 is used in pregnancy where it is needed, but that decision sits with the clinician looking after you, and the pharmacist may ask you to confirm it with your GP or midwife before going ahead.
What should I bring?
Something that shows your diagnosis or current schedule, a list of the medicines you take, and details of any allergies. Recent blood results are useful if you have them. Wear a top with a sleeve that rolls up above the shoulder.
Does it hurt?
Most people describe a brief sting as the needle goes in and an ache in the arm for a short while afterwards. It is over quickly. Tell the pharmacist if you are anxious about needles, since there are ways to make the appointment easier.
Where this information comes from
Other services
Book at a participating pharmacy
Your care is delivered by the pharmacy, not by WalkInClinics. The pharmacy team checks your eligibility before the appointment goes ahead.