iron infusion, here I come

That's good Eva. I hope it has you feeling like a superhero! I've always wanted to get an iron infusion because my levels are low and I am fatigued but since they aren't drastically low, my doctor has never offered.

I'm so jealous! :) My ferritin was at 15 in April and my hematologist absolutely refused iron infusions. He said anything above 10 is okay. In fact, he only prescribed me an oral iron Rx after I reminded him again that I had already been taking OTC iron and that wasn't helping. I have my yearly physical in a couple weeks, so I'll request a ferritin test then and see if it increased. Maybe I'll find another hematologist.

Let us know how the infusion goes!

Thanks everyone! I'm cracking up bookworm- "I'm so jealous!". Where else in the world would I hear that aside from this forum?!?! The doctor did say that the infusion can cause constipation- not usually a problem for me! And joint pain too, short-term. Whatever... one infusion is the same as the next, right??? I'm a pro by now. Ha!

Haha, well, I am jealous--I want one! Did you get the infusion yet?

My infusions were Feraheme, which is a 2-min IV push of 510mg instead of a drip for several hours. They are done in batched of 2 spread about 3-5 days apart. I was very anemic because of so much daily bleeding. My Hemoglobin was 8 on a scale when the low-end of normal is 13. Each infusion (as measured 3-4 weeks later) raised my Hemoglobin about 1 unit. So after 2 batches (4 infusions) I had only come up to about 11. I had a 3rd batch and blood work, but am waiting for the results. I imaging I am at 12 or close enough to 13 that they will not do another right away. But it is very expensive, even after insurance my copay is about $250 per infusion. I still bleed daily and do not tolerate the oral iron very well, so I will get blood work in late summer and early fall to check. If I am low I want more infusions this year (not early next year), because I have now reached my copay cap.

I did feel more energy - especially after the 5th and 6th. It only lasted a couple of weeks, and it was more of relief form body ache and fatigue and not actual energy. No superman, sadly.

Not sure where you heard they could last 1-2 years. If you are bleeding, nothing will last - not even transfusions.

Best of luck

The major cost of mine was the pharmacy charge. It was done in the hospital's treatments and procedures center. The IV push was billed at $99, the IV kit at $25, the venipucnture plus lidocain was $45, the drug was $1675 (yikes) and the required 1-hour of recovery/observation afterwards was $330. It all gets discounted by about 45% when it gets to Blue Cross, and I don't have coinsurance on every item, but it worked out to $250 out of pocket per infusion (after I met my deductible.)

The Iron Dextran may be a lot cheaper because Feraheme is new and name brand. Not as expensive as Remicade, but still pricey at almost $1700 for 510mg. If you are in the States, I would be surprised if they were not billing for the actual supplies, procedures, and drugs. You might ask.

I got my blood results just after my last posting, and unfortunately after getting up to Hemoglobin of 10.3in early May, I slipped to 9.8 in late June. The two results might actually be all that different - but I did not improve this time. So, I am back on Friday and Monday for two more infusions. At least now that I've met my $300 deductible and my $1400 coinsurance-cap, it is all free for the rest of the year. Too bad I can't store it up in a pouch or something while its free. I swear I would be like a little hamster with as much Feraheme as I could get stuffed in my cheeks.

I think I am going to have to try a higher dose of Prednisone to get the bleeding to stop.

I had an iron infusion and I found it fantasic. I had it done after a c-scope, it took an extra few hours in hospital. They start really slow to check for a bad reaction, but I had no worries. It took about a week before I felt an different - but by 3 weeks it was a dramatic change. It is now actually possible to wake myself up in morning and get moving, as opposed to being so exhaused I can hardly move. Blood results show my iron is up across the board!

If you've got low iron, I'd recommend one. My doc says iron pills are almost uselss, and the over the counter ones are awful for my gut. This is much more effective - and faster too. Being exhausted all the time is, well, exausting.

I had an iron infusion every day for about 10 days whilst in hospital in August, (Red liquid) didn't do anything I could notice. I take Iron tabs every day now, I wish they would make me high