IV Iron Infusion for Anemia

lekker · February 2013

I've seen several postings about receiving IV iron, but the vast majority are in the chemo forum and I don't want to intrude there (OncotypeDX of 13 and grade 1 = no chemo for me). I've been experiencing very heavy periods for over a year now and my ferritin has really taken a hit. It went from 23 in December to 16 last week. Rather than trying oral supplements that could take months to help (even if they could keep up with the monthly blood loss, which my onc thinks is unlikely) I will have 5 IV infusions over two weeks starting Monday. I've been debating whether or not to have a hyst/ooph since I was diagnosed this summer, but the docs want me to wait until I'm done with reconstruction so I'm hoping the infusions will at least be a short term solution. I'm really looking forward to possibly feeling better - the fatigue, cold hands and feet, cognitive issues and yes, even the hair loss are getting pretty old - but I'm a little nervous too. Anyone willing to share their experiences?

midnight1327 · February 2013

Hi there, I did not have chemo, but i had blood tests just month ago and they came back as having an extremely low iron count and the heamoglobin was at the bottom end of normal, i am having a complete Blood count end of this week and they are looking at the ferritin, and whether the blood cells are normal, platlets, they also did a stool test to show if any bleeding in the bowel, but that was negative. but i am very run down, bad cough, tired, feel like the flu is on me all the time, dizzy and general i can't be stuffed doing much. i dont like this feeling and i was tewlling somebody on here that speaking on the phone to organise things is hard to do for me at the moment.

We have transport bussiness and i used to organise the interviews for the new drivers. etc so i know how you feel. lol I wont bore you with too much. But iron certainly makes a difference and the other thing is, i have been on iron tabs. Hugs

RebzAmy · February 2013

Hi

My ferritin level is 9 - I'm now taking iron supplements. My periods are pretty non existent now since chemo (I was warned this could happen) so it's not due to blood loss from my periods however I recently had a reconstruction and it could be due to that. The doctor said I'd pick up infections easily and also not have a lot of stamina and tire easily - that's certainly true! I'm trying to eat iron rich foods and I've been told to drink fresh orange juice with it as the citric acid helps release the iron. If you're low in iron, it can also make you feel very low as well (which I was feeling). Hope you manage to get it sorted and feel better quickly.

lekker · February 2013

I wanted to post an update now that I've completed the 5 iron sucrose infusions. The process itself was pretty easy - check in to the infusion clinic, get a chair and a saline IV while the pharmacy readied the iron, hook the iron up to the IV and sit for an hour. The newer iron preparations are very well tolerated and don't require test doses or pre-meds like the old iron dextran. In fact, one of the nurses just told me that a new IV push delivery method was just approved and now it will only take a few minutes to receive the full dose. If I need more iron in the future, I hope to receive that protocol. I don't really feel much better yet, but my hands and feet aren't as constantly cold like they were before. I don't know when I'll have my ferritin checked again. All in all, it was an easy process and I wouldn't mind doing it again if it helps me feel better. I will also start Floradix supplementation in the mean time.

sandra4611 · May 2014

I too have anemia and have been receiving iron infusions. Apparently it's not common...or at least those with it aren't posting here. I also have very low Vit. D. These were diagnosed prior to breast cancer and were treated with various drugs over the past 2 years. No amount or type of oral iron has helped so I saw a hematologist who began iron infusions. They last longer sometimes than other times...in other words sometimes my numbers fall quicker than at other times. Doc says I'll do this for the rest of my life. I get dextrose every 3 months. It takes about 4 hours. Easy. Other than getting gassy afterwards for a few hours, there are no side effects. It doesn't hurt or cause any difficulty at all. It's done in the chemo clinic so I have a comfortable recliner and a tv.

Nothing has worked for the Vit. D. The numbers go up and bit and then plummet. I used to take 2,000 units every day but my endocrinologist upped that to 50,000 units twice a week. I'll have blood work in a couple weeks and see if it's back up.

Susie123 · May 2014

Hi Lekker,

I had the same exact problem, extremely heavy periods. In fact my blood count went all the way down to 5. I had to have 2 units of whole blood and a unit of PAC cells and be hospitalized. They did all kinds of tests and then decided it was heavy periods. They wanted to do a hysterectomy but I declined, remembering my moms hysterectomy which was horrible. After about a year of struggling to keep it up, which 11 or 12 was really high for me, I gave in and did the hysterectomy. It was easy. If I knew it was going to be so easy I would have done it so much earlier. I had to do the iron infusions for a month to get my blood count higher before they could do the surgery. A hysterectomy now days is done as an outpatient surgery, a 23 hour stay, no big cut in your tummy. I took 2 weeks off work, but could have returned to desk duty in 3 days, it was that easy, and I had a complete hysterectomy including my ovaries out. I felt so much better after it and have a normal blood count now.

IV Iron Infusion for Anemia

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