Iron Infusions - What to expect??

NeverGivesUp

I will soon be getting iron infusions but even my doctor doesn't know what I should expect since I live in a place with socialized medicine and the hospital is now taking over this process. Wondering if any of you out there are getting iron infusions for anemia? I cannot and will not ever be able to absorb iron from my food. How long does the infusion take and how often do you have infusions? How long did it take before you started feeling energy?. Thanks in advance!!

NeverGivesUp

anyone out there have any idea?? I have been reading they are 3-5 hours and could be weekly.

sunshinel397

My mother recieves them. They are not painful, just time consuming. You should start to feel better shortly after beginning them.
They really helped her with fatigue that was from lack of iron. Best of luck!

NeverGivesUp

Thanks for the response. How often does she get them? I read that the first time they do a test to make sure you do not go into anaphalactic shock. I just hope they are good at finding veins because I have had problems with that in the past. Once they get on a schedule it should be much better. I am really looking forward to having more energy and patience

NomadicKris

Just wondering how you found them? I have one on the 6th June - really hoping it makes a difference as I can't absorb iron from tablets or food either and the last few months have been a real struggle. (Though, just quietly, I am really looking forward to sitting and doing nothing for a few hours with no toddlers at my feet).

NomadicKris

I just thought I would update this with my experience incase anyone else goes searching

I had an iron infusion on Friday (4 days ago). Felt great Friday / Saturday. Sunday woke up feeling pretty rough, just run down. By lunchtime I had a headache, by afternoon my entire body ached. Iron infusions can give you flu like symptoms as a side effect - and I copped it. I had to get someone to look after my two children for the night (which was huge as my daughter had never had a night away from me!!), which says a lot about just how bad I felt. I basically lay down from 4.30 Sunday afternoon through to 9.30 Monday morning, I slept well but in fits as my body was just sore, all my joints ached and after checking it is more than likely the iron getting into my bones and the marrow. I have been told that the joint pain will likely continue for another few days (wrists, lower legs, hips and ankles are by far the worst). Headaches have gone though and I feel fine apart from the pain.

Apparently it will take a week or two before the iron kicks in completely and I start to feel more energised (my iron levels were 10, but I was not anemic - two don't always go together I found out).

dot4toto

Hi I just finished 5 iron infusion treatments...one every other day for 5 times 200mg( I think) each time. It has now been 2 weeks since the 1st one. After the first 24 hours I felt like I was lifted out of a hole. Meaning I didn't feel like a zombie any longer. But I'm far from "normal" yet. I just read that after 1 month my levels will be at half of what they should be and by 2 months I should be where I need to be. So, it took a while for my numbers (iron levels) to drop so low and it takes some time to be back up to normal. I can't wait!! I sick of feeling like a zombie/lazy/dead fish!! I just want my energy back and live life as a normal 40ish woman!! Wishing you all the best and to your health improving greatly!!!

NeverGivesUp

I get my blood taken tomorrow. I haven't had an infusion since May. I have remained borderline ever since. I believe my body couldn't recover from having my children. Looking forward to getting the results next week to see if I need more iron or now. I have been drinking a lot of beet and spinach juice and eating a lot of eggs. Hopefully all that I have been doing is keeping me from being anemic. Wish me luck tomorrow. Thanks for all your updates. It took me a while to feel the effects of the iron too. I was so run down for so long that my body just adjusted to it.

NeverGivesUp

Didn't get the final results but my blood percent is up .2 percent due to all the juicing of iron rich foods and egg eating that I have been doing. I was pleasantly surprised. Looks like I will be avoiding another iron infusion and I am not taking supplements. Just eating and drinking real food and fruit/veggie juice.

mynewbug

My body also doesn't absorb iron. (Which is due to my gastric bypass.) When I went for infusions I was at the medical center for about an hour. My infusion would last about 45 minutes. I had to go for around two months. The last time I needed the infusions was in 2005 and 2009. My doctor said that I would probably need them every few years. After I finished my infusions I felt great.

I wish you the very best!

NeverGivesUp

now that is interesting, maybe getting an infusion every few years is what it will be for me too. I hadn't thought it could take so long to go down. Thanks for sharing your story. I figure if I continue juicing things high in iron, it will continue to stay up for me. I had gastic bypass too 11 years ago and that is also responsible for my mal abrorbtion problem.

nancy077

I also do not absorb iron, so I get anemic easily. (I have Lupus and my hematologist said that, because of my digestion difficulties I don't absorb iron, so eating iron rich foods and taking iron pills does nothing for me.) However, I do have infusions and they are very easy, don't hurt any more than a blood test, and definitely keep me feeling good. I get one unit each time, so it takes about 4-5 hours. I watch TV, read, or even sleep! LOL! I started off having an infusion every 6 months, but now I do it about once a year. It's a very small price to pay for me to stay healthy, energized and strong. Hope that helps. (please don't be afraid. after your first time, you'll wonder why you even worried about it.)

rgugs13

I know you your bodies can't really absorb it well, but if you still want to eat high iron foods to support your infusions, try seafood. Molloscks are usually really high in iron. I always get anemic during my period and treat myself to a lot of sushi. I'm in Kansas visiting family, and the sushi isn't great here, so I'm going to try canned clams.

reniegroumousas

I will be starting my third round of infusions. 2008, 2010 and now. Mine too is from gastric bypass and my blood doctor told me I will always need infusions because we have little to no acid in our pouches. He also said no amount of iron foods or pills will increase our ferritin levels. He said gastric bypass patients have to always be monitored so the dr. Can catch the low ferritin before it gets too low. I am at 8 right now. And after this round I WILL go and get checked regularly so I don't feel this way again.

lollie4281

My iron level was 6, so I had no choice but to get the infusion. I can not absorb most vitamins and minerals. I just had my 3rd infusion. So far I'm not feeling any better at all, instead I feel like I'm dying. It feels like the worse flu ever. The infusion itself takes me about 1.5-2 hours, it has a burning ache feeling, but it's tolerable. I get slightly nauseated but am fine by the time I go home. When I wake up the next day I feel about the same, but by that evening I start feeling achy. By the end of day 2 up to day 4 I feel terrible, and once the achy sick feeling starts to subside, it's time for another infusion. My DR ordered 2X a week for five weeks. He did say I will likely have to do it at least twice a yr, my cousin said she has to do it about 3 times a year.

HeidiCooksSupper

Here's a site with good information: http://www.anemia.org/patients/feature-articles/content.php?contentid=000403

Miss_1999

My iron level was 6, so I had no choice but to get the infusion. I can not absorb most vitamins and minerals. I just had my 3rd infusion. So far I'm not feeling any better at all, instead I feel like I'm dying. It feels like the worse flu ever. The infusion itself takes me about 1.5-2 hours, it has a burning ache feeling, but it's tolerable. I get slightly nauseated but am fine by the time I go home. When I wake up the next day I feel about the same, but by that evening I start feeling achy. By the end of day 2 up to day 4 I feel terrible, and once the achy sick feeling starts to subside, it's time for another infusion. My DR ordered 2X a week for five weeks. He did say I will likely have to do it at least twice a yr, my cousin said she has to do it about 3 times a year.

I am SO sorry you're having such a rough time with it! :0( Do they give you anything before you take your infusion? OR have you eat/drink before/while you're taking your infusion? This helps a LOT! My iron level was 4 a month after I gave birth to my daughter. We're not exactly sure what caused it. If it was blood loss from the birth, then more blood loss from a surgery 3 weeks post-partum? (At one point my hematologist took *literally* 16 vials of blood out of me trying to find out what was causing the anemia, but we were never able to pin point a diagnosis).

I really miss getting my infusions. I loved them. I always felt really good after I got them. Went in, We weren't the only ones in the room, there were people who were taking chemo, getting Boniva, iron, and other medications/treatments that had to be given via IV in the infusion room(s). We got to sit in pretty comfy recliners and were given two pillows, one for our head, and one for our arm. It was usually pretty cold in the room, and I always liked when I got a blanket from the blanket warmer. They'd ask us what we wanted to drink. We got the choice of a soft drink of juice. We had to have one or the other, or if we chose water, we had to eat a snack. They wanted to make sure we didn't get sick from the infusion. We all were also given a Tylenol and a Benadryl before the infusion.

Typically, the infusion would last for about an hour, and by the time it was over, I would be ready to pass out. I always had to have someone to take me home, because I was exhausted. My husband often would have to help me out of the car and into the house. I would sleep for roughly 3 hours after I got home, but when I woke up, I felt WONDERFUL! I had energy, and felt amazing! That's what I loved most about getting my infusion, was after I got home and woke up, that for about a week, I had a lot of energy. I could tell when they were "wearing off" so to speak, I'd start to feel sluggish again.

lollie4281

Wow, I glad you had great results. I too feel exhausted afterward but it doesn't go away. They give me nothing before or after and no special instructions.

notworthstalking

Quack Quack!

Quack quack!

http://www.sciencebasedmedicine.org/a-closer-look-at-vitamin-injections/

Only thing is even that article suggest that some people need iron and vitamin b injections such as these ladies have had. So not quite quack in this particular thread....

Miss_1999

Wow, I glad you had great results. I too feel exhausted afterward but it doesn't go away. They give me nothing before or after and no special instructions.

Bless your heart! I can't believe they're putting you in there with nothing! No Tylenol, no Benadryl, offering you nothing to eat or drink! It's not a wonder you feel like crap! If you don't mind me asking, where (generality- doctor's office, Blood and Cancer Clinic, hospital, ect) are you taking your iron infusions, and who is administering them to you?(Nurse, FNP, doctor?) The nurses always gave us our IV's, and there were certain nurse I preferred to "stick" me more so than others, as some couldn't hit my vein very well. Before your next infusion, ask your doctor or nurse about taking a Tylenol and Benadryl right before you take your infusion (we were given ours while we were in the chair BEFORE the IV was put in our arm. Just one Benadryl capsule, and two Tylenol Tablets.) I'd also encourage you, if they are not giving you anything to eat or drink, to take something with you- either a small bottle of orange juice, apple juice, or even a soft drink. I know this isn't the most *health* friendly advice, but when you are having these infusions, it makes a huge difference in the nausea, keeping blood sugar levels stable, and has often kept many, including myself from throwing up and/or passing out.

Now, if you take the Benadryl, you WILL have to have someone drive you to and from your appointment. You will NOT be able to drive home. You will be impaired. I got B-12 injections, too, once a week. I'd forgotten about that. It's been almost 6 years ago, now, so it's been awhile, but I think that helped as well.

Van79Era

March 4th, 2014, I visited the ER, because I was having severe chest pains and difficulty breathing. I was hospitalized for almost a week, because my hemoglobin was 7.2. I had a nuclear dye stress test, due to having an abnormal EKG. I have a history of premature ventricular contractions (PVC's) due to an allergic reaction to a blacklisted medication given in a different ER back in 2011. I received a blood transfusion, to which the blood had no change in my hemoglobin count. I had an esophangogastroduodenoscopy (EDG) done to see if I had any bleeding in my stomach, I did not. But, they did find several mini ulcers, so they prescribed me protonix and sent me on my way. I decided to make a lifestyle change and started a diet and exercising, losing 20lbs and 30+in in the first month by cutting out all junk food, sodas and just walking. July 7, 2014, I was in the ER again due to rapid heart rate (sinus tachycardia) causing extreme pressure and discomfort in my chest and difficulty breathing. Again, my hemoglobin was in the 7's. I was released with no further action. July 8, 2014, my mother and I were researching primary care physicians and making phone calls, when my smoke detector upstairs in my loft started chirping. So, I went upstairs to remove the battery, due to making phone calls to doctors offices and as I was standing up, from being bent over climbing up I passed out and fell 5ft to the floor. I landed on my left side, hit my head, tore the MSL in my right knee, tore my left rotator cuff, injured my left hip and my lower back. So, back to the ER I went. So, I was on bed rest, unable to exercise and on crutches for over a month. Let's not talk about all the medications I was on from July to now, it's unreal. I saw my new PCM on July 9, 2014. I was referred to an Orthopedist, Cardiologist and Hematologist. I was placed on an event monitor for my heart for 30 days, just ending September 19th. I've started physical therapy for my knee, rotator cuff and back. With all the medications I was on, I was having problems sleeping on top of everything. And, they have been extra careful with what they're prescribing me, because of the issues with my heart, but I was prescribed ambien on September 8, 2014. It had absolutely no effect on me that night and I felt so bad the next morning that I walked into the clinic without an appointment and said I was going to pass out (I was extremely weak, dizzy and nauseated). They transferred me straight to the hospital for a blood transfusion on September 9, 2014. I had a scheduled appointment with my hematologist the next day, September 10, 2014 for an iron iv infusion, but it had to be rescheduled due to my condition and just getting a blood transfusion. At that time, I was taking 10grams of iron and 1000mg of vitamin C a day for a month, per my hematologist's instructions (after the transfusion, my hemoglobin went up to 9.9, the highest it has been since March). September 22, 2014, I had my follow up appointment with my hematologist, my hemoglobin went back down to 7.8. I had to get the iron infusion. With the test dose, I had minimal reaction, but I had a reaction. My body became very flushed and I felt tightness and pressure in my chest, but from all my other experiences, I learned how to keep calm and breathe through it. I slept most the whole time of the infusion (5hrs). I came home and slept, until the next morning. I had flu like symptoms that evening and the day after the infusion, but the next three days after I was like she-woman!!! I was catching up on laundry that I hadn't been able to do, because of my injuries from the fall. The first month and a half after the fall, I slept downstairs on my couch. So, I was able to go up and down the stairs a couple of times a day, after the infusion, but I am always winded and have a hard time catching my breath anytime I am physically active, (I am about 40lbs overweight). I am not able to breathe, because my hemoglobin is always low. I'm always functioning on 40% of oxygen and blood throughout my whole body because my red blood cells are very small, so my heart and lungs aren't getting enough oxygen. Sunday, September 28, 2014, I spent all day in bed with a migraine that continued into Monday and that was after taking Fioricet, tramadol, pheneregan, and Benadryl. So, my appointment yesterday, September 29, 2014 revealed that my hemoglobin is back down to 7.6 and I am being referred to a neurologist and need an MRI. My hematologist along with 2 of the other specialist think I have a blood disorder that runs in the family with sickle cell anemia, called Thalassemia. I am originally from the Republic of Panama, Panama. They've ruled out other diseases and disorders, but Thalassemia, because with my iron being 20 and hemoglobin being in the 7's, they're not able to get an accurate result. If I do have it, it will have been passed down from my father's side of the family. My PCM told me yesterday that I am going to have to get more iron, my follow up appointment with my hematologist is next week, along with my cardiology appointment and physical therapy, three times a week. I never have any energy to do anything!! It did feel good to actual feel good about getting my house back in order, but the crash after is horrid. I also have problems regulating my body temperature. It can be 90° outside and I'm wearing jogging pants and a tshirt and I'll be cold. Our next move is the bone marrow biopsy. I'll know more about that next week.

Van79Era

Thank you!