What to expect with an iron infusion
When I went to my doctor regarding tiredness/exhaustion, random nosebleeds and vertigo spells I figured my iron might be a bit low and he would just tell me to take a supplement after testing it. I do
not like blood tests in the slightest I have tiny veins that bruise easily and no one can get blood out of and lets be honest I hadn't had a blood test in over 5 years because of it. You also know there's an issue when your doctor pokes at your veins quite a few times and he is concerned about getting blood out of you (I guess this means I'm safe against vampires...). Thankfully the pathologist/nurse at the pathology place at my doctors was a miracle worker and got the blood first drawer which was amazing and I had barely any bruising as a result.
Well it turns out my iron was very low and an iron infusion was needed. I waited just over 3 weeks from the blood test to when I did the infusion and during that time I noticed the symptoms a lot more (though thankfully I didn't get any nosebleeds) and found by about 3.00pm each day I just wanted to do nothing. I was also using sugar as a way to get me through the day and give me a much needed boost when my energy levels dipped.
Once you get told you will need an iron infusion you need to get a script filled with the infusion liquid (I picked up two vials of brown liquid), I ended up going to my pharmacy a few days before to fill in my script just in case they didn't have it in stock but thankfully they did. You then take that when you go to the doctors to have the infusion. I was told quite a few times to make sure my doctor was the one giving it to me and I wasn't going to do it myself and I assured them that I had an appointment on Friday booked to get it done. When I mentioned this to my doctor he laughed as he had never had a patient get told so many times not to do it themselves and he is wondering if there is a market for DIY iron infusions or something.
My appointment was at 2.30pm and I was told to keep my fluids up and eat a decent lunch beforehand. I drank around 3 glasses of water a hour or so before my appointment and a chicken and salad roll for lunch (and a bag of chocolate covered pretzels too, I needed a sugar fix ok?). My sister came with me and she drove me home afterwards as I feeling wiped, my doctors is actually 25-30 minutes away but had it been closer I would've been fine to drive myself.
Normally they try to do the infusion in your non dominate arm but after 2 attempts it was decided to try to my right arm which was thankfully successful. They did a flush of saline and then hooked me up to a bag of saline, once that is flowing they then fill the bag with the infusion liquid which takes about 30 minutes to empty. Throughout it, my blood pressure and pulse were checked, about halfway through I started to feel wiped and kinda faint, I also experienced some dizzy spells but honestly I have been experiencing them for a while so I don't think it was directly related to it and I had a metallic taste in my mouth which is completely normal. I thought I would feel the liquid going in but a part from a bit of coldness at the start I didn't feel anything. While it was happening I just played around on my phone and chatted to the nurse, I was just trying not to focus on what was going on and get through it all.
After it was complete I then had to stay in the doctors surgery to make sure I had no major side effects and was allowed to go after 30 minutes. I was at the doctors for 1.5 hours which wasn't too bad. I was given a page of possible side effects to keep an eye out for within the next 48 hours and getting told I will probably feel worse and then eventually get better over 2 weeks.
Since coming home I have been trying to take it easy and just being aware of how I am feeling, of course the possible side effects are also what I have experienced over the past few weeks so honestly I have no idea what is a side effect and what isn't!
I have to go for a blood test in 4 weeks but as I am seeing my doctor in 2.5 weeks to get a script I will pick up the referral then and book in an appointment to get my follow up results too. Here's hoping that it works!
***this is my own experience with having an iron infusion I am not a medical professional nor will I ever be one (though I do watch a lot of medical drama shows).
Update 13/11/2019: I have found that I am still dealing with side affects almost a week later and this has included a sore arm where the infusion site was. I was told that the side affects I was experiencing would go away with 48 hours but they are lasting a lot longer. I ended up ringing my doctors surgery on Tuesday and speaking to the nurse who advised that due to the site of the infusion being sore I needed to come in. Thankfully my doctor managed to fit me in and he said the site was looking fine and nothing seemed to be causing the issues, but that for some people they last longer. He gave me a script for anti nausea meds and told me to take it easy, which is what I have been doing. For me personally I have been experiencing the following after the infusion:
not like blood tests in the slightest I have tiny veins that bruise easily and no one can get blood out of and lets be honest I hadn't had a blood test in over 5 years because of it. You also know there's an issue when your doctor pokes at your veins quite a few times and he is concerned about getting blood out of you (I guess this means I'm safe against vampires...). Thankfully the pathologist/nurse at the pathology place at my doctors was a miracle worker and got the blood first drawer which was amazing and I had barely any bruising as a result.Well it turns out my iron was very low and an iron infusion was needed. I waited just over 3 weeks from the blood test to when I did the infusion and during that time I noticed the symptoms a lot more (though thankfully I didn't get any nosebleeds) and found by about 3.00pm each day I just wanted to do nothing. I was also using sugar as a way to get me through the day and give me a much needed boost when my energy levels dipped.
Once you get told you will need an iron infusion you need to get a script filled with the infusion liquid (I picked up two vials of brown liquid), I ended up going to my pharmacy a few days before to fill in my script just in case they didn't have it in stock but thankfully they did. You then take that when you go to the doctors to have the infusion. I was told quite a few times to make sure my doctor was the one giving it to me and I wasn't going to do it myself and I assured them that I had an appointment on Friday booked to get it done. When I mentioned this to my doctor he laughed as he had never had a patient get told so many times not to do it themselves and he is wondering if there is a market for DIY iron infusions or something.
My appointment was at 2.30pm and I was told to keep my fluids up and eat a decent lunch beforehand. I drank around 3 glasses of water a hour or so before my appointment and a chicken and salad roll for lunch (and a bag of chocolate covered pretzels too, I needed a sugar fix ok?). My sister came with me and she drove me home afterwards as I feeling wiped, my doctors is actually 25-30 minutes away but had it been closer I would've been fine to drive myself.
Normally they try to do the infusion in your non dominate arm but after 2 attempts it was decided to try to my right arm which was thankfully successful. They did a flush of saline and then hooked me up to a bag of saline, once that is flowing they then fill the bag with the infusion liquid which takes about 30 minutes to empty. Throughout it, my blood pressure and pulse were checked, about halfway through I started to feel wiped and kinda faint, I also experienced some dizzy spells but honestly I have been experiencing them for a while so I don't think it was directly related to it and I had a metallic taste in my mouth which is completely normal. I thought I would feel the liquid going in but a part from a bit of coldness at the start I didn't feel anything. While it was happening I just played around on my phone and chatted to the nurse, I was just trying not to focus on what was going on and get through it all.
After it was complete I then had to stay in the doctors surgery to make sure I had no major side effects and was allowed to go after 30 minutes. I was at the doctors for 1.5 hours which wasn't too bad. I was given a page of possible side effects to keep an eye out for within the next 48 hours and getting told I will probably feel worse and then eventually get better over 2 weeks.
Since coming home I have been trying to take it easy and just being aware of how I am feeling, of course the possible side effects are also what I have experienced over the past few weeks so honestly I have no idea what is a side effect and what isn't!
I have to go for a blood test in 4 weeks but as I am seeing my doctor in 2.5 weeks to get a script I will pick up the referral then and book in an appointment to get my follow up results too. Here's hoping that it works!
***this is my own experience with having an iron infusion I am not a medical professional nor will I ever be one (though I do watch a lot of medical drama shows).
Update 13/11/2019: I have found that I am still dealing with side affects almost a week later and this has included a sore arm where the infusion site was. I was told that the side affects I was experiencing would go away with 48 hours but they are lasting a lot longer. I ended up ringing my doctors surgery on Tuesday and speaking to the nurse who advised that due to the site of the infusion being sore I needed to come in. Thankfully my doctor managed to fit me in and he said the site was looking fine and nothing seemed to be causing the issues, but that for some people they last longer. He gave me a script for anti nausea meds and told me to take it easy, which is what I have been doing. For me personally I have been experiencing the following after the infusion:
- Metallic taste in mouth - I thought this was go away but is has continued to stay and got quite strong on Monday, but has since started to reduce. Apparently this means that the infusion is working though, I find certain foods can mask but other times it returns stronger than before.
- Nausea - this comes and goes in waves and I never know if it will be severe or not. I have been prescribed some anti nausea medication to take if I need to.
- Dizzy spells - this is like the nausea in that it comes and goes in waves and sometimes it comes with the nausea which is fun.
- Site of the infusion being sore - apparently this is looking great and if anything my left arm should be sorer as that's where I got stabbed a few times. My theory is that the actual veins are bruised due to the trauma and being on the smaller side with liquid getting pumped into them.
- Headaches - not major, but I do find if I push myself too much I get a headache afterwards.
I am praying that these side affects go soon and I am taking it one day at a time. Everyone reacts differently to iron infusions and I have heard of so many who have no reactions to them, unfortunately I seem to be in the few that get them and in the fewer where the side affects last longer than 48 hours.
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