Is iron infusion safe/ comfortable?

[activelazy]

My wife's blood results have shown a a hb of 10. She used to have 12 ish. There is some lethargy she says and a while ago a GP suggested that if she struggles to take iron tablets (which she does - but still have completed few courses) then she might benefit from an iron infusion. Recently, she spoke to a GP again referring to previous conversation and she referred her to hospital for infusion.

The consultant rang her and told her that rarely there can be some skin patch/ pigmintation, etc. Another GP said that its very uncomfortable.

Ideally, she should be asking this question herself but ....she can't be bothered

Personally, I dont think she is very lethargic or anything. She is able to go to work as normal and do most chores just in the normal way.

I wonder if anybody knows or had iron infusion and what are their thoughts.

thank you

[Nackapan]

Has your wife hot b12 deficiency,? Or PASometimes low iron and folate ect csn be low as unable to absorb enough from food .

Has she trued solar gentle iron.Or ferrous fumarate.

Or spartone a few through the dsy ?

Alternating them.

Liver with vit c

Ect

Anything has a risk factor.

An iron infusion

wouldn't be offered unless deemed as safe as possible.

And her overall iron Low

Only she knows if needed. Sounds as though she is coping fine if working ect ??

Hope she gets on okay

[activelazy in reply to Nackapan]

Thank you I will show her your reply.

[Littlelodge123]

I have had an iron infusion. It was NOT AT ALL uncomfortable. Like your wife I couldn’t manage with the tablets. Spatone is fine once you are replete and it is very gentle but I only ever use that to keep my levels up. With a low hb it will take a long time to get levels up - the amount of iron in it is very low.

[activelazy in reply to Littlelodge123]

Thank you. That's helpful but what is spatone

[jointpain]

My wife has had a number of iron infusions over the past four years, the nurses in the infusion suite are very good and flush the tube correctly with saline water after the iron. She did have iron while in the ward and they didn't flush the tube afterwards. She had an iron stain under her skin, luckily it disappeared after a few weeks.

[activelazy in reply to jointpain]

Thank you ☺️

[Littlelodge123]

It is what Nackapan was referring to. It is a liquid iron drink. People who find iron tablets too strong sometimes take it as an alternative but the amount of iron in it is tiny. Fine for keeping topped up. With such a low level of iron your wife will find quicker symptomatic relief with an infusion. Hospital staff are well used to doing. Very simple snd straightforward.

[LadyBothwell]

I’ve had a number of iron infusions and they are totally safe and not uncomfortable. The advantage if you are anaemic far outweighs any inconvenience. My iron level never gets above 10 and sometimes drops to 6 and I get a monofer infusion at the hospital. This involves monofer iron in saline solution being administered by a drip. It should take about an hour, the most uncomfortable thing is putting the needle in which depends on who does it. You can read a book or have a nap while it goes in. Monofer is dark brown and does stain if it gets on your clothes or skin but in my experience the nurses are very careful. I wouldn’t wear a white shirt to a treatment though. The first infusion they will monitor carefully for any reaction and every time your blood pressure is taken before during and after, You can drive home yourself, Afterwards I personally have a metallic taste and some foods taste weird for about 48 hours and I usually have diahorrea for the same period, after 3 days I start feeling much better, my hair stops falling out, my nails grow back, the pain in my chest and heavy breathing disappears and I actually can work and “do chores” instead of just function.

[activelazy in reply to LadyBothwell]

Thank you for such a detailed reply 🙂. Very helpful

[FlipperTD]

Scientist, not medic.

Please remember that iron deficiency is a symptom of another problem, and whilst iron therapy can resolve the anaemia, providing it's an iron deficiency anaemia, the underlying problem will still be there.

Iron therapy will only work in iron deficiency. 'Too much' is worse than 'not enough'!

Tread carefully.

[activelazy in reply to FlipperTD]

Thank you 😊

[Hidden]

Hi..I had an iron infusion over 20 years ago. I remember I went to the hospital on my lunch hour to have it done and about 45 minutes after the injection... I was back at the office at that time... I had a severe reaction to it. Welts appeared on my arms and hands and my breathing became a bit labored. An office friend rushed me back to the hospital as I wasn't able to drive. ER provided me with intravenous antihistamines. Anyway, I never had the rest of the prescribed course completed. It must have been something in the mix with the iron that caused this to happen because I am able to take iron pills fairly well (bothers my stomach a bit and that's why they were doing the infusion). As far as how I felt during the actual infusion before the reaction, I was comfortable and not in any discomfort.

[activelazy in reply to Hidden]

Omg. Hope you are doing well. I know it's long time but you can never forget such an event. Thx for sharing your story. Appreciated.🤗

[Hidden in reply to activelazy]

You're welcome. I'm doing pretty well in that area.. thanks.

[Showgem]

I’ve had an iron infusion and the only discomfort was that my veins kept collapsing and so they had to find one in the back of my hand which ended up being a bit sore for a couple of days. The infusion itself was fine, having had iron injections previously I found the boost the infusion gave my iron levels meant that I can now keep my iron levels in range with occasional supplements.

[activelazy in reply to Showgem]

That's reassuring. Thank you for sharing your experience