Op here. I just stumbled upon my post from awhile back. As suspected, my iron was back down at my physical. I have found the cvs slow release iron daily supplements are okay for me so far. They’re 45 mg and my doctor has me taking them twice a day. That got my stored iron up a bit, but I have to keep going. My doctor also ordered a uterine ultrasound to see if we could get to the source of my heavy periods. A polyp was detected, so I’m going to get that removed and see if that helps. My gp and gyn both feel my diet is good enough that if we can stop the heavy periods I should be able to get my iron levels back up.

I have MS and have been receiving Rituxan infusions for the past year. A recent side effect of the medication is severe anemia. My hemoglobin was 9.5 a few weeks ago.

Initially, my neurologist told me to take Vitamin C. However, past experience with Vitron C caused significant constipation, so I recommended infusions, and the hematologist agreed with the treatment plan.

I received the second of five infusions today, and I feel much better. The ice cravings stopped a few days after the first infusion, and I am sleeping much better; I had severe insomnia, but I assumed it was a side effect of perimenopause. I now connect the insomnia to the anemia.

I had no idea how sluggish I was feeling until I realized how good I feel now. I assume I will be able to fly by the fifth and final treatment, lol.

I have no side effects besides minor bruising from blown veins. I go to work after the treatments and notice slight fatigue that passes, but other than that, I prefer this mode of treatment and highly recommend it.

Anonymous wrote:Following because I am at a point where iron supplements (have tried 3 kinds) will probably make it so I need hemorrhoid surgery... One would think an iron infusion is not as bad as that surgery.

Same. Iron supplements ruined my pelvic floor. I did the infusions due to heavy perimenopause bleeding. Although the hematologist office cut me loose after the last set stating I needed to fix the bleeding with a hysterectomy. I'm just waiting on menopause at this point.

Following because I am at a point where iron supplements (have tried 3 kinds) will probably make it so I need hemorrhoid surgery... One would think an iron infusion is not as bad as that surgery.

Does anyone tolerate an iron supplement well? I am currently taking ferrous sulfate and it sometimes gives me nausea on an empty stomach. I have been taking this supplement for about a year. Getting follow-up bloodwork soon and am hoping to reduce the supplement to 3X a week (hoping this works out).

While my sister was undergoing chemo, she needed an iron infusion. From what I remember, it was time consuming —a few hours for just the infusion.

Thanks all. I have 3 friends / colleagues who told me they had low iron, didn’t tolerate supplements well, and “just went in and got infusions”. All three said it was so much better without side effects so it’s helpful to know that there are such side effects.
Yes, I don’t know my current levels but having recently been to GYN and hearing the options i wanted to be prepared for the conversation with my doctor at my next physical that’s coming up. If the response here were “it’s easy to get them, insurance covers them, and there aren’t really side effects” then I wanted to be prepared to ask my doctor about it.

Anonymous wrote: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.

My heavy periods resolved with a Mirena IUD. It was much better for me than BCP.

You don’t even know if your levels are low now. Try increasing through diet first. I’ve been vegetarian for 30+ years and have never been anemic, not during pregnancy, not when I was underweight. Use a cast iron pan to cook, eat lentils and other beans, add molasses to your yogurt, etc. Or try eating meat.

Jumping to infusions, when you’re not following doctors advice already, is not helping your situation.

Anonymous wrote:

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

I agree. Try to eat iron rich foods like liver, red meat ( good quality- grass fed bison, steak etc.). That should have help.

I’m PP. If iron levels are really low, I was told it would take over 1 1/2 years for my iron levels to return to normal through diet. It’s not that easy to raise iron levels through diet when they are so low to consider iron infusions

I got iron infusions from my hematologist after a year of taking Vitron C did nothing. I am a vegetarian. My ferritin was down to 6 after very heavy perimenopause periods. Insurance covered it.

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

I agree. Try to eat iron rich foods like liver, red meat ( good quality- grass fed bison, steak etc.). That should have help.