Can’t you just eat a couple bites of liver daily

Talk to your doctor. I am a vegetarian and no issues with my iron and been tested many times (other health issues). You can always add more meat, but that may not be the cause.

I’m 51 and eat no red meat. My iron stores were really low this time last year. Tried iron rich foods and pills but that didn’t raise it enough. I’ve also had WL surgery so stomach is smaller too . Doc said it’s for normal people to absorb enough iron thru diet it’s even harder for you if you’ve had WL surgery.
Anyway, he recommended an infusion so went to a Hematologist who concurred and I had one this past spring. Insurance covered it for me.
I don’t feel any different but my periods got heavy again. They had been light and I thought menopause was coming but no such luck lol.

Iron infusions were easy to get even when a doctor prescribed. I got infusions due to heavy period and blood loss. My levels were dangerously low and I had to go on Short Term Disability. Got an IUD, which stopped the heavy periods. IV Iron get blood levels back to normal. When I did get the infusions the clinic was very clear there could be reactions and side effects, more so than with other things I’ve had in the past. Doubt a doctor would suggest for borderline levels.

During pregnancy doctor recommended Vitron C. It’s iron and vitamin C combined to help with absorption.

Insurance (and your doctor) likely won't approve infusions INSTEAD of supplements. The infusions are to boost levels more quickly than the supplements. You keep taking the pills *while* getting the infusions (and after).

I had no side effects from infusions except a little fatigue, just to balance a PP's experience.

Get an actual iron panel (bloodwork) so you know what your numbers are.

Also, "birth control" is not a single thing. There are dozens of brands of oral contraceptives, and they can have very different effects (in terms of mood, skin, flow, weight gain/loss...)

OP try using a lucky iron fish.

I just got iron infusions. They were not fun, OP. I had explosive diarrhea IN MY PANTS on my way home from one of them, I was dizzy after each, had a low fever and was achy after each, and my face is bright red and burning hot still a couple of days later. And all these symptoms are normal. They actually pre-treat you with IV steroids because anaphylactic allergies are pretty common, and they give everyone a dose of Tylenol for body aches while they are there at the infusion center. It’s not something to enter into lightly.

You need to stop the blood loss and try to find an iron supplement you can stomach.

You would have to go to a hematologist and they are likely going to be pretty conservative about doing an iron infusion. They will tell you to try different supplements and eat iron rich foods. Iron infusions are really for severe anemia.

The real treatment is to reduce blood loss so you have to address the heavy periods. BCP is not the only option.

If f while doing that you have something significant iron deficiency anemia and cannot tolerate oral iron, you may be a candidate for iron infusions but they are not an ongoing solution to heavy periods.

proferrin iron supplement--it is heme iron

does not upset the stomach and better absorbed

No. If your numbers were low enough to warrant an infusion, it would have already been suggested by your doctor. You're going to be one of those people who has to take supplements forever.

iron infusions have lots of side effects op, lots of them have you tried the iron that easier on your stomach? I have very bad GERD and take the kind that's easy on the stomach, take them mid-day after a large meal and it's ok. Which iron have you tried before jumping to "iron infusions are best for me?"

My mother had heavy periods and anemia for many years (without being vegetarian in the least!). She had infusions and pills. The pills gave her stomach aches, the infusions were a hassle. I myself only had the pills, and apart from making my BMs black and needing to increase fiber in my diet... it didn't cause any discomfort.

My husband got iron infusions for absorption issues after cancer and they were pretty straightforward. There are different brands/types that have different infusion protocols (e.g., one 3 hour infusion vs. 3 daily 30 minute infusions) - your insurance may pay for one vs. the other. All in all, it was pretty simple, but side effects for him included some nausea and tiredness the day of an a couple days after infusion.

My older daughter is vegetarian. Two years ago at my physical my iron was too low (specifically my stored iron) for the first time and I assume it’s because we eat a lot of vegetarian meals. I started iron regularly for about 6 months and my stored iron levels were good. However, it really hurt my stomach. About once a week I’d throw up after taking it. They told me I could take it every few days instead and then eventually I just stopped. Last year my levels were still okay but I hadn’t stopped that long before.

My periods are really heavy and my OB told me I should get my iron levels checked and heavy periods are only a problem if iron is low. If it is low, she’d recommend I take iron or start birth control. I really didn’t like being on birth control. I know some people who do iron infusions instead of taking pills. I’ll ask my doctor about this but does insurance generally cover it? Are doctors generally open to it? It sounds more appealing to me than the alternatives.