Oral Iron and Iron Infusions

[Sheanie]

For those of you who have had iron infusions, I'm curious. Have you kept taking oral iron? I ask because a curious thing happened to me. After my infusions, my hematologist told me to keep on taking my Proferrin Forte 3 times a day. At my one year follow up (I had other appointments in between, all with labs) he was surprised that my ferritin and iron markers were ALL trending up on oral iron alone. I had never been able to absorb ANY iron before DS, and have always been low. My hematologist is very young, I like him a lot because he says "we don't know" when he doesn't know something. He said they do not know exactly where the body absorbs iron, but they **think** it's all the way through the digestive system.

My question is this: For those of you who have started on infusions, have you taken oral iron as well? If so, has anyone experienced my results? Or do your hematologists just figure you cannot absorb oral iron? Maybe that's something that needs to be revisited? My numbers continue to climb, and I'm thrilled to death.

Also, I have found that for me, there is a direct link between my depression and my anemia. When my iron markers are high, I'm happy. When they dip, I get depressed. My doctor agrees.

 

[joanlaptods]

I didn't take oral iron once I began infusions, but my last series of iron infusions was over a year ago with normal labs at testing in November. I don't know if I am getting iron from food or the infusions are lasting that long.

 

[smokinstella]

My hema and I tried me on proferrin to see if it would help keep my numbers up and it was a big fat no. So I don't take oral iron any more.

 

[Spiky Bugger]

No...no oral iron. (And my deficiency is a genetic thing, pre DS, as well...although it took the DS to put it into a "treatable" status.)

Besides...the When and With What of taking iron just complicates my life even more.

 

[SHales]

Mine stayed up for 8 years. I got lazy and cheap and it went down. After the infusions, I went back on the Proferrin and it has actually improved. I am without insurance right now so I hope it continues to work.

 

[Kate]

I had a series of infusions before my surgery (5 if I remember correctly, 4 as an outpatient and one in the hospital) and then have been on oral iron ever since. My iron numbers have been fine on the oral iron so far but I am keeping an eye on them.

 

[Elizabeth N.]

I don't, but that's because every oral iron I've tried tears up my gut.

 

[cajungirl]

Sheanie I was still taking oral iron. My last ferritin check (8 months after the infusion) was over 1200. I will be calling my heme on Monday. I'm confused how this happened. Doing online research it could be from inflammation or various other reasons including a bad test.

 

[bboop]

I had iron infusions over six years ago and I'm fine...my iron levels are great. No oral iron at all.

 

[MsVee]

After my first infusions I continued to take the oral iron. My first visit with the hematologist I showed her the iron I was taking (Vitalady plan) she told me that I was not absorbing any oral iron based on my labs and told me it was a waste of my money to take it in her opinion.

MsVee

 

[clpeltz]

I have had three iron infusions over the past three years. I started taking proferrin forte after my last infusion. My numbers are still trending down, but not as quickly. Maybe I'll be able to spread out the time between infusions...they get expensive.

 

[Sheanie]

Very interesting. Thank you everyone for your input. I was taking Proferrin 3 times daily. I'm down to twice a day now and numbers are still trending upwards. Man, I wish I had gotten iron infusions when I was younger. It would have made such a huge difference in my life.