I’ve got slightly low ferritin, but the iron tablets I’ve tried have caused diarrhea and general upset. I suspect that my next blood test will show levels a little lower.
Are iron infusions gentler?
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Yes, very much so.
When I receive my yearly infusions, i experience no GI/pouch issues.
@New577 posted:Yes, very much so.
When I receive my yearly infusions, i experience no GI/pouch issues.
That’s good to hear. I will discuss this option with my docs if my next blood test comes back low again.
I take ferralet. It is a prescription iron supplement and is easy on the gi system. You may want to try that before you get infusions.
As the iron goes nowhere near the GI tract it should cause no issues. I get an infusion yearly and have done for about the past 6 years. The only problem I sometimes have is nausea at the beginning of the infusion which is a normal side effect. I generally take 50mg of Dimenhydrinate (Gravol) and it's absolutely fine.
@Maverick Plus posted:I take ferralet. It is a prescription iron supplement and is easy on the gi system. You may want to try that before you get infusions.
I have tried to find gentler options, but I live in Australia and none of the formulations that people recommend are available here. I checked the one you mentioned, Ferralet, and it isn’t available here either, darn it!
I have considered ordering from the US, but the postage is expensive and I can’t really afford it for something that I would need to be taking for a long time or even indefinitely.
@Jaypea posted:As the iron goes nowhere near the GI tract it should cause no issues. I get an infusion yearly and have done for about the past 6 years. The only problem I sometimes have is nausea at the beginning of the infusion which is a normal side effect. I generally take 50mg of Dimenhydrinate (Gravol) and it's absolutely fine.
That’s good to know. I will be prepared for possible nausea, thanks for the tip.
@Kushami posted:I have tried to find gentler options, but I live in Australia and none of the formulations that people recommend are available here. I checked the one you mentioned, Ferralet, and it isn’t available here either, darn it!
I have considered ordering from the US, but the postage is expensive and I can’t really afford it for something that I would need to be taking for a long time or even indefinitely.
I'm sorry to hear that. I wish everyone could get ferralet. I guess you will have to get the infusions. I hope it is not too inconvenient. Well wishes to you for the future!
Have you checked Ferinject? An infusion holds a good amount of iron (500 mg) and it may be subsided in Australia (see https://www.healthdirect.gov.a...1000036102/ferinject).
For minor deficiencies there are also injection meds available with a smaller dosage.
After being low on iron 11 years, I got an infusion a week ago. After 4 days I started peeing a lot and getting an upset stomach in the afternoon. The worst though is pains in that arm I got the iv in, but… and there is a larger BUT: I don’t know if it is related to the infusion or if it could be just a virus.
Now I just hope it works
As the intravenous iron is not absorbed in the gut, it should not have any effect on the GI tract. I get them regularly and have never noticed a thing.
It's the same principal as Ketorolac (intravenous Advil type drug) does not cause GI upset because it goes nowhere near the GI tract.
Thanks everyone for the comments and suggestions. Sorry I haven’t responded to them all. I am reading them all.
Still working on the iron levels. I have a lot of things wrong with me at the moment and it’s hard to get them all sorted.
I am late to the thread, but I saw this and had to comment. I have suffered from iron deficiency anemia the last few years of my j-pouch life, and iron pills crush my stomach, so that is not an option to resolve it. I also attempted to eat chicken livers daily, as well as an assortment of other iron rich foods, but unfortunately, my body does not absorb iron as well as it used to. A couple of years ago I received my first iron infusion (Feraheme) and it most definitely improved my situation. The worst symptom for me is getting winded easily when my Hemoglobin is low. The infusions have me feeling better a couple of weeks after they are complete. I get no stomach issues as a result of the treatment, but everyone is different. Best of luck to you!
A note on intravenous NSAIDS, including Ketorolac. They can indeed cause G.I. ulcers.