Avoid bacteria from growing in your mixture

[billmarg]

For those of you who need to take very small doses of methylfolate and methylB12, or any other supplement, how do you proceed ?

I personally crush my tabs and dissolve them in water, so that I can take the right dose using a pipette. Then I keep the bottle in the fridge.

However, after a few days, i noticed there are bacteria or fungus growing inside the bottle, so I have to get rid of the whole thing. What can I do to avoid this ?

 

[Gingergrrl]

I have the same question as someone who must get injections and meds to be dye and preservative free b/c of MCAS.

I have been told by doctors and pharmacists that once you puncture the vial, it is single use and you must throw the rest out even if in fridge b/c bacteria or mold could grow. There was an injection I was considering which is on hold for now but I would have had to throw out 99% of bottle making each shot over $30 which was insane.

On the flip side, I ordered glutathione which I now realize does have a preservative in it that is considered very high on the histamine list so I can't take it either.

It seems like there is no solution either way for me!

 

[AndyPandy]

I crush my tablets, divide into the required dose and then put them in new empty capsule cases. No liquids involved.

 

[South]

Although what I'm using this for isn't B vitamins, I swear by freezing tiny amount of liquids:

Cover a plate with clear plastic wrap, then drip your liquid in scattered drops on it. Carefully place plate in freezer without tilting it, to avoid drops running together.

Later to use one frozen droplet, the plastic wrap is flexible enough to bend, to make removing one frozen droplet pretty easy.

This works better with slightly thicker liquids, but thin liquids can be done fairly well too.

Bonus: the frozen droplet makes a nice little lozenge in your mouth on hot days!

 

[Gingergrrl]

Any thoughts if the med is an injection and is a single use vial (so must be discarded once punctured by needle) but is a HUGE bottle and you would only need a tiny fraction each time? In my case it must be preservative free due to MCAS.

Doing it as prescribed would make it over $30 per injection plus would be very wasteful. Am not doing it now but if I decided to in future, I can't figure out how to make it work!

 

[Sushi]

Any thoughts if the med is an injection and is a single use vial (so must be discarded once punctured by needle) but is a HUGE bottle and you would only need a tiny fraction each time? In my case it must be preservative free due to MCAS.

Why not get it in tiny vials if it is single use or delivered in single use syringes rather than a vial? I used to get a med prepared in syringes. I have always been told that there is a risk of infection in using a preservative free vial, multiple times.

 

[Gingergrrl]

Why not get it in tiny vials if it is single use or delivered in single use syringes rather than a vial? I used to get a med prepared in syringes. I have always been told that there is a risk of infection in using a preservative free vial, multiple times.

It doesn't seem to be available in single use vials or syringes at least not at any pharmacy that me or my doctor contacted. The two compounding pharms that I use locally can't get it at all and the places who can only have the big vials. I can't use anything with dyes or preservatives and if I try this, it would be at tiny dose to see how I tolerate it.

 

[Sushi]

The two compounding pharms that I use locally can't get it at all and the places who can only have the big vials. I can't use anything with dyes or preservatives and if I try this, it would be at tiny dose to see how I tolerate it.

Can it be frozen? I have one med that, when I first use the vial I divide it up into syringes and freeze the syringes until needed. Or, maybe it could be divided into syringes and just refrigerated. You'd need to check on the sterility issue.

 

[Gingergrrl]

Can it be frozen? I have one med that, when I first use the vial I divide it up into syringes and freeze the syringes until needed. Or, maybe it could be divided into syringes and just refrigerated. You'd need to check on the sterility issue.

Good questions that I do not know the answers to. I know once in fridge it loses sterility very quickly but no clue re: freezing it. If I decide to try it in future, this is a good question to ask pharmacist. Thanks!

 

[billmarg]

I crush my tablets, divide into the required dose and then put them in new empty capsule cases. No liquids involved.

I tried to do that already, unfortunately it involves such tiny amounts I'm afraid I cannot be precise enough with the doses. I have to divide the tab into 12 pieces, and the tab is very small. Using a milligram scale could be one solution though.

Although what I'm using this for isn't B vitamins, I swear by freezing tiny amount of liquids:

Cover a plate with clear plastic wrap, then drip your liquid in scattered drops on it. Carefully place plate in freezer without tilting it, to avoid drops running together.

Later to use one frozen droplet, the plastic wrap is flexible enough to bend, to make removing one frozen droplet pretty easy.

This works better with slightly thicker liquids, but thin liquids can be done fairly well too.

Bonus: the frozen droplet makes a nice little lozenge in your mouth on hot days!

I like the idea, especially during summer But I'm looking for a slightly simpler and more convenient way to do this.

 

[billmarg]

I was thinking about adding a little amount of alcohol as well. I'm highly histamine intolerant so that's not the best way to do it, but I think this could do the trick.

 

[Gingergrrl]

I was thinking about adding a little amount of alcohol as well. I'm highly histamine intolerant so that's not the best way to do it, but I think this could do the trick.

I wouldn't add alcohol if you are highly histamine intolerant especially with a new supplement b/c you wouldn't know if reacting to supp or the alcohol. But you may be less intolerant of it than I am so you know your body best.