I feel tired. My doctor has suggested I have iron transfusions for my low serum ferritin which is 4. My hemoglobin is fine and 115. I'm not anemic apparently, just low stores.
Has anyone had iron transfusions and noticed an immediate difference?
I have not the iron infusions but if you look through a few threads here, you will see that many people have.
Like you, my ferritin was 5 and I was just borderline anemic (my lab indicates that anything below at 12 is anemic and I was at 11.7).
My doctor is trying oral iron first, since I'm not terribly anemic. During my last check my hematocrit had gone up to about 13.7 and my ferritin had gone up to 12. I hoping that the upward trend continues.
Hi! I just wanted to let you know that my ferritin level was 4 and my iron stores were 10%. I was on oral iron for 2 months but my body did not absorb the iron and eventually had 4 iron infusions completed last April. It took about a month to start getting my energy back but all summer I felt very good. I'm now starting to feel sick again but my doctor told me I would eventually need more infusions. Did you look at your TIBC level also? The higher that number is the more anemic you are also... mine was 650 or something like that pre-iron infusions and dropped down in the 400 range after the infusions. Good luck! I know how life-altering anemia can be.
I get a bit confused with what 'infusions' actually are and whether they are the same as injections?
I had a series of 5 injections, one per week, which took all of 30 seconds to administer and then i was out of there. It was only after the 4th visit that i began to feel better. My dr told me that there is a natural process within the body which the iron has to follow, certain organs/areas of the body get it first eg: bone marrow and muscles, while things like your energy and hair/skin/nails get what's left over so that is why people will rarely start firing on all four cylinder straight after a first treatment.
I don't know how long this will last, but it has tremendously helped my tiredness and my eyes dont feel as swollen and they dont hurt or burn anymore (i was told the eye issue is as a result of the low iron affecting the thyroid). I actually get the desire to go running and to be energetic and feel like a kid. Just hope this lasts, as i got sick of taking a multitude of things everyday!!
I would say go with it if the dr is offering it. It is still beneficial to find out what is causing your low levels, but it doesnt hurt to get a boost of iron either.
Infusions are different than injections. You are just getting a shot. People getting infusions are hooked up to an IV, sit in a chair for awhile with a "bag of iron" and get major doses. It goes directly to the blood stream while yours probably goes into the muscle.
I would guess that the infusion gives a much higher dose than the injections. I'm not sure if they use injections in the U.S. much anymore. There used to be a high incidence of iron discoloration at the site of the injection and apparently it was permanent.
My Serum Ferritin is 4 
Linear Mode
