Sunday, July 1, 2012

My big fat iron infusion

I've been anemic my entire adult life ... low in both iron and B12.  I take B12 shots twice a month and oral iron.  But, the other day I got an iron infusion for the first time in my life.  It took a LONG time (almost six hours).  But as it turned out, it was well worth the time.

All I can say is, what took me so long??  I feel so much better and more energized and, strangely, my legs feel lighter.  I didn't have any of the horrible side effects that can occur. 

So I'm happy.

10 comments:

  1. I had heard about the infusion thing.It has always scared me.I'm anemic too.I have been for as long as I can remember.My Mom was too.Did it hurt?You seem really happy.I'm glad you are feeling better :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dena, it did not hurt, other than just the IV stick. They first pushed a bag of Benadryl, in case I was allergic, along with glucose, then a small dose of iron, just to see if it would cause an allergic reaction. Once I got through that bag, they did a full size bag and it worked fine. I would encourage you to check this out, if you can't get your iron levels up with oral iron.

      Delete
  2. Glad it made you feel better! When I was 19 (years ago!), I had several iron shots in one week so that I could travel to the Pacific NW for a mission trip. It felt like nails being pounded into my hips but it definitely made me feel better! Right now, I'm getting ready for company on Tuesday (after weeks of having company) and WISH I could have a shot of some energy! ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dianne, I was so afraid I would have that type of side effect, but thankfully I did not. Sounds like you might need a big ol' B12 shot. :-)

      Delete
    2. Patty -
      So glad it went well. Wow, 6 hours! Mine was only 2 hours, but the final result is the most important part! Glad you are feeling better. I've started chewing ice again so I wonder if my iron level is dropping...

      Lin

      Delete
    3. Uh oh ... sounds suspect, Lin. Better go get it checked out. How long has yours lasted? The doc told me mine COULD last as long as two years!

      Delete
    4. Only eight months for me. One of my doctors gave me a script two days ago to have it checked out. I will have to go have it drawn next week.

      Lin

      Delete
  3. You may have had the smaller dose. I think my doc mentioned one type that I could get in a couple of hours but it wasn't as strong as the Infed dose they gave me. Not sure...anyway, hope your level comes back up. We both know it's no fun having low iron levels.

    ReplyDelete
  4. One reason I hate taking oral iron is the inevitable constipation. Is this a side-effect of the infusion, as well?

    ReplyDelete
  5. No, that's one of the best things about it. I had none of the horrible constipation, or any gastric side effects at all. It's now been more than 45 days and I'm still doing really well. The great thing is, I can come home from work and do more than just lie on the couch. I can actually get things accomplished in the evenings.

    ReplyDelete

Please leave me a comment so I know you've been here! Tell me what you think -- I really want to know.