Iron Injections

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

A friend of mine has to get them and is very nervous -- worried about how long she will have to take them, are they daily, do they have to be given my a nurse, and do they hurt?

Has anyone out there had to have them?

She has anemia -- and the oral iron isn't helping.

Thanks so much

 

[Judy from Boise]

I hate to be negative....but they do hurt. The injection will need to go into a deep muscle (usually in the hip/buttock) because otherwise it can actually "tatoo" the skin. The nurse will also have to use a special technique called "Z Track" to try and lock the iron into the muscle.

 

[TinkerBess_SnowTori]

OH MY - well she will be excited to hear that

Do you happen to know how long a series of them is - a few days or a week?

Thanks

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Does she take a pill form? Some of those are not easily absorbed into the system.

If I don't take iron I get very anemic. I take an all natural liquid iron supplement called Floradix (iron+herbs). It has calcium in it to help with absorbtion. I was taking 4 TBs./day when I was PG (normally 2 Tbs.) You can buy it from a natural food store or online (I have ordered from The Vitamin Shoppe.) Just something to look into if she needs to continue taking a supplement after the shots.

 

[bettyann29]

I havent had the actual iron shots, but I have anemia and had to go thru 2 rounds of IV infusion therapy and have the iron stuff put directly in me thru iv.. I had to go to the drs office every day for a week for each round and it took about 2 hours or so... they left the iv in me and just capped it off and bandaged it up.. so they wouldnt have to restick me every day.. it fell out a few times and they did have to and it hurts..

I go back tomorrow to have my iron levels checked and Im really scared that they are down again cause I am back to feeling rundown and tired all the time.. I feel like I could just lay in bed and not get up some days.. Ive been taking my iron pills and I dont know if they're just not enough milligrams or what.. My fingers are crossed for tomorrow..

I hope your friend gets well as I know how it feels to have anemia..

 

[Jenn Lynn]

I have also found that significantly cutting my dairy intake helps me feel so much better.

 

[Honu]

I've had an Iron IV, but not injections. It looks like dark red blood, but there was no pain. Maybe she can ask for it instead.

 

[bsnyder]

I also had the transfusions, not the shots. I was feeling a bit sorry for myself until I got to the infusion center and saw all the other people there were getting chemotherapy. That definitely put things in perspective!

Good luck to your friend!

 

[Aimeedyan]

Does she take a pill form? Some of those are not easily absorbed into the system.

If I don't take iron I get very anemic. I take an all natural liquid iron supplement called Floradix (iron+herbs). It has calcium in it to help with absorbtion. I was taking 4 TBs./day when I was PG (normally 2 Tbs.) You can buy it from a natural food store or online (I have ordered from The Vitamin Shoppe.) Just something to look into if she needs to continue taking a supplement after the shots.

I have the Floradix stuff, too, Jenn. I'm hoping to avoid injections or infusions, though I should had had them done a long time ago. My new doc is intent on being more proactive then docs in the past.