Vitamin B12 Deficiency, Treatment in Bath at Pulteney Pharmacy
- Jul 20
- 4 min read
Vitamin B12 is important for healthy red blood cells, normal nerve function and releasing energy from food. A deficiency can cause tiredness, weakness, pins and needles, memory problems and other symptoms.
At Pulteney Pharmacy in Bath, we provide private vitamin B12 injection appointments for suitable patients with an established diagnosis or treatment plan.
We do not currently carry out vitamin B12 blood testing. Please arrange your test through your GP or a suitable private provider and bring your result to your appointment.
What Are the Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency?
Possible symptoms include:
Unexplained tiredness or weakness
Shortness of breath
Headaches
Pale or yellow-looking skin
A sore or red tongue
Pins and needles or numbness
Muscle weakness
Problems with balance or walking
Difficulty concentrating or “brain fog”
Memory or mood changes
These symptoms can also be caused by other conditions, so a blood test and clinical assessment are important.
What B12 Blood Level Is Considered Low?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides the following guide for people aged 16 and over:
Total Vitamin B12
Blood-test result | NICE interpretation |
Above 350 ng/L or 258 pmol/L | Deficiency is unlikely |
180–350 ng/L or 133–258 pmol/L | Indeterminate—deficiency is possible |
Below 180 ng/L or 133 pmol/L | Confirmed vitamin B12 deficiency |
Some laboratories use pg/mL instead of ng/L. The numbers are the same, so 180 ng/L is equal to 180 pg/mL.
Your result should be considered alongside your symptoms, medicines, medical history and the laboratory’s own reference range. A borderline result may require a further test called a methylmalonic acid, or MMA, test.
Does a Low Result Mean I Need an Injection?
Not always. There is no single result at which everyone automatically needs an injection.
Tablets may be suitable when the deficiency is caused by diet or certain medicines. Injections are more likely to be recommended when the body cannot absorb B12 properly.
What Are the Benefits of getting the injection?
For someone with a genuine B12 deficiency, appropriate treatment may:
Improve deficiency-related tiredness and weakness
Help the body produce healthy red blood cells
Improve anaemia caused by B12 deficiency
Support normal nerve function
Help with pins and needles, numbness or concentration problems
Prevent symptoms from becoming worse
Bypass the digestive system when absorption is impaired
B12 injections are not a general energy booster for people with normal levels and are not a weight-loss treatment.
How Often Are Injections Given?
When B12 deficiency anaemia is treated with injections, initial treatment is commonly given every other day for two weeks, or until symptoms begin to improve.
After the initial course:
Non-diet-related deficiency is usually treated every two to three months
Neurological symptoms may require injections every two months following specialist advice
Diet-related deficiency is often treated with daily tablets
Some irreversible causes require lifelong treatment
Patients who need an initial loading course or specialist monitoring may need treatment through their GP or hospital team.
What Should I Expect at My Appointment?
Please bring:
Your recent B12 blood-test result
Evidence of your diagnosis or treatment plan
A list of your medicines and supplements
Details of previous B12 injections
Information about allergies, including cobalt allergy
The pharmacist will review your information, check your suitability, explain the treatment and ask for your consent.
Hydroxocobalamin is administered as an injection into a muscle. Most patients can continue their normal activities afterwards.
Pulteney Pharmacy currently lists the appointment as lasting approximately 10 minutes and costing £39.99. Treatment remains subject to a pharmacist’s suitability assessment.
Possible Side Effects
Possible side effects include:
Pain, swelling or itching around the injection site
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhoea
Headache
Dizziness
Hot flushes
Hydroxocobalamin contains cobalt. Tell the pharmacist if you have a known cobalt allergy, as skin reactions can begin immediately or up to three days after treatment.
Contact NHS 111 for an irregular heartbeat, palpitations, hives or an allergic rash. Call 999 for swelling of the mouth, tongue or throat, difficulty breathing, severe wheezing, fainting or collapse.
How Quickly Might I Feel Better?
Some symptoms may begin to improve within two weeks, although improvement can take up to three months. Nerve-related symptoms may take longer.
Seek medical advice if your symptoms become worse, do not improve or if you develop new symptoms.
Book an Appointment at Pulteney Pharmacy
Pulteney Pharmacy provides private appointments for patients with suitable evidence of an established vitamin B12 deficiency diagnosis or treatment plan.
Pulteney Pharmacy35 Great Pulteney Street, BathBA2 4BY
Appointment: £39.99
Call 01225 466454 or book a vitamin B12 consultation online.
We do not provide B12 blood testing. Please contact us before booking if you are unsure whether your result or treatment documents are suitable.
Treatment is subject to clinical suitability. Booking does not guarantee that an injection will be provided.
Medical Disclaimer
This article provides general information and is not a diagnosis, individual prescription or self-injection guide. Blood results and treatment schedules must be interpreted by an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.
Seek urgent medical help for severe or rapidly worsening weakness, numbness, balance problems, walking difficulties or other neurological symptoms.
Information reviewed: July 2026
Sources:
NHS, "Vitamin B12 or folate deficiency anaemia", reviewed 2023, https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/vitamin-b12-or-folate-deficiency-anaemia/
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, NICE guideline NG239, "Vitamin B12 deficiency in over 16s: diagnosis and management", reviewed 2024, https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng239
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