Dextran Infusions Question - Anemia Message Board

laura3377 · 04-24-2007, 10:10 AM

Does any one here have experience with this type of iron infusion? This is what my hematologist uses. My doc is really pushing me to get infusions as I have no iron in my bone marrow and I'm feeling pretty rotten right now. My hemoglobin is around 11 so not terribly low but my RBC's and hematocrit are low as well. I'm scared to death of the infusions as I seem to react to everything. I have been taking an Iron supplement and it doesn't bother me too much. My doc just said it would take so long to build it up in my system with the supplements (if I even absorb them) she would rather do an infusion. I'm not sure of the cause of my anemia but probably a combination of diet and periods. I stopped eating red meat a couple of years ago and was hardly eating other meat for a while. Also, I drink tea all the time so any iron I was getting from diet probably isn't being absorbed.

MMR0719 · 04-24-2007, 10:47 AM

I was worried about the infusions... I've had 6 in the last 2 1/2 weeks. I have one more today, then one on Thursday.

They have been much better than I imagined. Very little side effects...

It sounds scary and the unknown usually does - - but it really has been much easier than expected.

Best of luck to you!

steph4477 · 04-24-2007, 06:48 PM

Do the infusions. I can't believe how great I feel after just two of them. The only side effects were headache (which I already had on a daily basis) and joint pain (which I already had.) The side effects that sound so bad are extremely rare. Don't worry.

fjones1 · 05-06-2007, 09:16 AM

How long did each of your infusions take? So far I've had one dextran infusion that was about 2 hours. My ferritin was also 11 before the infusion. I see the doctor on May 7 to check my iron levels. I think I will probably need more infusions, but I have to ask the doctor about that. From reading this board it seems that most people who have infusions get a lot more iron than I got, even with ferritin at my level, which isn't too low I don't think. I felt a little better after the infusion for a few days but after my period I was feeling very week and dizzy again. I don't know if my levels went back down or if they went up at all. By the way, I didn't have any side effects from the iron except for a little soreness in my right thigh.