clueless

[trixieboo1]

does anyone know what an iron infusion is my docter says it should boost my iron levels for a year

[Gambit62 Administrator]

hope this explains

file:///home/chronos/u-2f12ea067ea186cb5f2cc23f323c45987e106287/Downloads/Patient-Information-For-Intravenous--IV--Iron-Therapy-21.0.5%20(1).pdf

[palmtop]

When your iron and ferritin levels are very low you get that to increase them, the B12 itself is not able to overcome your situation. Diet and other supplements are also useless. If you really need it and don't, then the next step would be a blood transfusion (I was near that once).

I've had the iron perfusion because the B12 injections were not working: my fault, I felt ok and skipped a few (I did not understand then what PA really was). I injected B12 weekly for 2 months and that did absolutely NOTHING.

The perfusion worked, but it did not last a year! Very far from it, about 3 months, and I've had to keep the monthly injections anyway, it is not a substitute, it is an aid for when you have gone too low. The perfusion was very expensive and done in the hospital in 2 different days, because I got the maximum amount.

Good luck!

[fbirder in reply to palmtop]

An iron infusion (perfusion is something different) would do nothing at all for a B12 deficiency.

If an iron perfusion makes you feel better, then you probably have an iron deficiency anaemia - which would be indicated by a low level of iron in your blood.

If B12 makes you feel better then you probably have a B12 deficiency.

If both make you feel better then you probably have both.

Autoimmune Metaplastic Gastric Atrophy (AMGA) can cause both an iron and a B12 deficiency. It kills off Gastric Parietal Cells, which have the jobs of making Intrinsic Factor (IF) and stomach acid (HCl).

IF is required for absorption of B12.

HCl is required to liberate B12 from the proteins it is bound to in food, and to get iron into solution (which is where it needs to be for absorption).

AMGA hinders both processes.

Iron in a chelated format (fumarate, bisglycinate and others) will dissolve more easily and will, therefore, be more easily absorbed.

[palmtop in reply to fbirder]

thanks for your answer, I'll look into it

[palmtop in reply to palmtop]

Well, the answer I got is that infusion is drinkable and perfusion is injected. A very low B12 during some months finishes up the iron reserves (ferritin level test). In my case, I now only need B12 and no iron if I keep up with my cyanocobalamin shots.