People may need a B12 supplement for a number of reasons. I need to use a supplement because I had gastric bypass surgery, and people that have other types of weight loss surgery may also need to use B12 supplements. Vegans (vegetarians that eat no animal products, including dairy products, need to take B12 supplements. Elderly people often require supplements, as well. People may need B12 supplements for other reasons, too.
The Healthy Habits B12 patch provides 1000 mcg methylcobalamin over a 24 hour period. There are two types of B12, methylcoblamain and cyanocobalamin, and people absorb methylcobalamin better. The suggested dose is one or two patches per week, or as directed by your physician.
I began using another brand of B12 patch shortly after having gastric bypass surgery, but then switched to the patches offered by Healthy Habits because the other brand I had used contained cyanocobalamin and was also more expensive than Healthy Habits patch. Initially I used the B12 patch once weekly.
I liked using the B12 patch because I found it very convenient. Other options for gastric bypass patients include sublingual tablets that dissolve under the tongue, usually taken daily; a prescription nasal spray, usually taken once per week; and injections, usually taken once per month. Before I began using B12 patches, I used sublingual tablets but did not like the taste or smell. They made me feel nauseous. I thought the nasal spray would be expensive and I did not like the idea of giving myself injections. The patch was easy to apply, caused no skin irritation, and I only needed to think about it once a week.
When I had my B12 level checked about six months after my surgery, my level was around 700. That’s not bad but the optimal level is around 900 or 1000. Three months after that, though, my B12 level had dropped to about 550. That’s too low; research shows people often begin experiencing symptoms of deficiency like fatigue, depression and short-term memory problems when their B12 levels drop below 550.
Because my B12 level had dropped so much while using the patch once each week, I increased my dosage to twice per week. Unfortunately, three months after that, even using double the dose, my B12 level had dropped even more to about 470. That’s getting rather serious because if it gets below 400, people sometimes develop permanent nerve damage in their hands and feet.
At that time, I decided to stop using the B12 patch. For some reason it just was not working for me; it seemed I was not absorbing enough B12 from it. I do know other people that have used it successfully after gastric bypass surgery, both the Health Habits brand and another brand, but it did not work for me and I developed a B12 deficiency while using it that could have become quite serious. I don’t wish to discourage others from trying the Health Habits patch, but do suggest you monitor your B12 level closely if you rely on the patch to make sure it works for you.
