Cobal

Cyanocobalamin, sold under the trade names of Cobal, Cobolin – M and etc., is a man-made form of Vitamin B12 used for treatment in patients who suffer from low blood levels of this vitamin.

The normal range of Vitamin B12 in the blood is maintained by a healthy diet.

Vitamin B12 is important to maintain the metabolism, blood cells, and nerves, and because of that, a deficiency in Vitamin B12 may result in low level of red blood cells – a condition known as anemia, stomach and intestine problems and permanent nerve damage.

Vitamin B12 deficiency may be caused by stomach and intestine problems, unhealthy or poor diet, cancer, HIV infection, pregnancy and old age.

As always, before you start the treatment using Vitamin B12 you should consider if the benefits of the medicine outweigh the possible risks.

You should consult your doctor and start the treatment only if it is allowed by the doctor.

Before you start the treatment, it is important to inform your doctor about:

Allergies – If you have ever used this medicine before and had any allergic reactions to it. Or if you are allergic to other medicines as well.

Also, make sure you tell the healthcare professional if you are allergic to any food, animals, dye, fabric and etc.

Pediatric – When used in pediatric patients it is very important to follow the doctor’s orders about the dosage of the medicine.

Geriatric – There are not yet any studies that show the benefits and risks from the usage of Vitamin B12 in geriatric patients.

Pregnancy – Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or have any plans about pregnancy in the near future.

There are not yet any studies that show the benefits and risks from the usage of Vitamin B12 in pregnant women.

Breastfeeding – Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. There have been some studies that show that there is a minimal risk when to the infant when Vitamin B12 is used in the time of breastfeeding, because of the extraction of Vitamin B12 in the milk.

Special diet – This is applied to vegetarian and vegan diet. Tell your doctor if you are a vegetarian or vegan, because there is a higher risk of Vitamin B12 deficiency in this group of people.

Drug interactions – Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines. There are possible risks that can occur if this medicine is taken along with other medicines, and for that, you should inform your doctor.

There is a possibility that the effects of Vitamin B12 could be decreased if used along with Chloramphenicol or Colchicine.

Other medical conditions – Tell your doctor if you have other medical conditions, especially if you have an allergy to cobalt or suffer from liver disease or megaloblastic anemia.

Vitamin B12 could be taken orally as a tablet, orally as a liquid or as an injection intramuscularly. It is important to follow your doctor’s directions.

If you take it orally as a tablet do not chew it or crush it, because that way the whole medicine will be released at once, increasing the risk of potential side effects to occur.

You shouldn’t take it with alcohol, only with water. The usual dosage is one tablet a day, with or without food, as directed by your doctor.

If you take it as a liquid form it is important to measure the right dose using a special measuring device.

If an intramuscular injection is prescribed, usually it is inserted by the doctor himself or the healthcare professional, but if you had to do it yourself make sure you follow the instructions given by the doctor.

If it happens to miss a dose take it as soon as you remember, but if it is nearly the time for the next dose, just wait and take it as soon as the time comes.

Do not double the dose. If you suspect an overdose contact your doctor.

Make sure to visit your doctor regularly for your scheduled appointments to inform about the progression of your condition.

Before you start the treatment with Vitamin B12 make sure to inform your doctor if you are allergic to this medicine or any others.

Inform the doctor if you are pregnant or have plans about pregnancy in the near future.

Because this medicine is extracted in the milk, it is essential to inform the doctor if you are breastfeeding so that you get acknowledged of the possible risks to your baby.

Tell your doctor about any other medicine that you are using – prescribed or no prescribed, even herbal tea and other vitamins.

Along with the wanted effects, there is always a possibility that unwanted side effects could occur.

Because of that make sure you are informed of the benefits but of the potential side effects as well, that way you can recognize if they occur and inform your doctor to require help as soon as possible.

The side effects can worsen your condition, but they can fade away as well as time passes when the body gets used to the presence of the medicine.

Make sure you inform your doctor of the healthcare professional if you notice this side effects:

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• Bleeding from the nose or gums
• Chest pain
• Coughing with pink sputum
• Difficult breathing
• Fatigue
• Fever and chills
• Unusual bruising or bleeding
• Irregular heartbeat
• Headache
• Itching or skin rash
• Swelling of the hands, feet, face
• Weight gain
• Decreased appetite
• Diarrhea

If you have any questions about the side effects, contact the healthcare professional.

Also, contact your doctor if these side effects do not pass over time, as well as if you notice any other side effects.