Iron infusion

[-Flo-]

Hi all,
I need some advice about iron infusions. So i currently take 3 proferrin forte a day plus a multi with iron in it but I don't think it is cutting it. Yesterday I went to my pcp because I was having heart palpitations, she currently has me wearing a holter monitor and she suspects that anemia is causing an arrhythmia. I just got my labs back on patient gateway and it said my ferritin is 14. Unfortunately the site went down for maintenance before I could write the rest of the labs. But from my memory my hematocrit and hemoglobin were only slightly low. Does it sound like I need an infusion and if so can my pcp order it or do I need to see a hematologist. Thanks for any help

 

[hilary1617]

I just had an infusion yesterday. My labs were:

Component Value Standard Range
% SATURATION 7.1 % 15.0 - 50.0 %
IRON 28 ug/dL 65 - 165 ug/dL
IRON BINDING CAPACITY 396 ug/dL 261 - 478 ug/dL
FERRITIN 21 ng/mL 11 - 306 ng/mL

WBC 8.8 10*3/uL 4.0 - 10.0 10*3/uL
RBC 4.35 10*6/uL 3.90 - 5.25 10*6/uL
HEMOGLOBIN 12.8 g/dL 12.0 - 15.0 g/dL
HCT 40.1 % 36.0 - 45.0 %
MCV 92.2 CU Microns 81.0 - 99.0 CU Microns
MCH 29.4 pg 27.0 - 33.0 pg
MCHC 31.9 % 32.5 - 36.5 %
RDW 12.4 % 11.6 - 14.8 %
PLATELET COUNT 262 10*3/uL 150 - 400 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE NUCL RBC 0.0 10*3/uL 0.0 - 0.0 10*3/uL
NUCLEATED RBC% 0.0 % 0.0 - 0.0 %
ABSOLUTE NEUT 6.5 10*3/uL 1.5 - 8.0 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE LYMPH 1.8 10*3/uL 1.0 - 4.0 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE MONO 0.5 10*3/uL 0.1 - 0.7 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE EOS 0.1 10*3/uL 0.0 - 0.6 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE BASO 0.0 10*3/uL 0.0 - 0.2 10*3/uL
ABSOLUTE IMM GRAN 0.0 10*3/uL 0.0 - 0.0 10*3/uL
NEUT% 73.4 % 40.0 - 74.0 %
LYMPH% 19.8 % 12.0 - 40.0 %
MONO% 5.1 % 4.0 - 12.0 %
EOSIN% 1.0 % 0.0 - 8.0 %
BASO% 0.5 % 0.0 - 2.0 %
IMM GRAN% 0.2 % 0.0 - 0.0 %

 

[southernlady]

@-Flo- while your ferritin is not technically low, it is worthy of infusion low. DSers need to stay in triple digits (above 100) as we don't absorb oral iron very well. The diagram posted here http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/vitamins-minerals.54/#post-21117 shows what is absorbed where. Notice that where we absorb iron is mostly bypassed. And if it's bypassed, it is not absorb.

Ferritin is your savings account of iron for your body. When you get below 50, your body is writing "checks" your body is unable to honor.

And this thread might help: http://bariatricfacts.org/threads/low-iron-or-what-to-take-to-a-hematologist.1498/ Its what I used in the argument with a hematologist.

 

[-Flo-]

Thanks @southernlady. I talked with my PCP, she agreed that I need an infusion. So she did a doc to doc with a hematologist. I will be getting an infusion within the next 2 weeks.

 

[southernlady]

Thanks @southernlady. I talked with my PCP, she agreed that I need an infusion. So she did a doc to doc with a hematologist. I will be getting an infusion within the next 2 weeks.

Glad to hear your PCP is in your corner.

 

[KathrynK]

You might want to check with your insurance company about how iron infusion is covered and where it has to be given. I had to have the first one in an outpatient infusion clinic at a hospital, in case there was a reaction, and the hematologist had to write that oral iron wasn't tolerated. Things have probably changed since 2010 (I think) in coverage after bariatric surgery. Sometimes they cover it in the doctors office, and some cover home infusion with a visiting nurse for the second and subsequent infusions. For the second one in 2014, I was in a clinical trial for a new type of infusion, Monofer, which was outpatient, without a copay, and was a more rapid infusion. Otherwise, the co-pay depends on your policy. Your hematologist will probably know what hoops you have to go through for your policy. Thankfully, I haven't needed a third one, yet.