Iron Infusions???

I have been very tired lately, and I though it might be due to my UTI"s I keep getting. Well, I had my GTT test today,and they did a CBC, and my OBGYN's nurse calls me back as soon as they get the results I guess and tells me my GTT came back good, but my iron is very low. I am already taking 2 prenatal vites so I am getting 56 grams of iron a day. I have been extremely tired, do you think I may need an iron infusion? I dont know what the lab values are, she left a message, and I just got it, so I guess I will call down there tommorrow and talk with the nurse. I just want to make sure I say the right thing. My mom had her bypass in 1988 and hers got so low like to a 9 and they had to do an infusion on her after my sis was born. Im kinda scared :( Does anyone have any experience or knowledge with this?

Don't know about your iron... But have you had your thyroid checked? That was the (surprise) culprit for my tiredness.

You need iron infusions. The iron in your vites is the wrong kind, won't absorb well and is hopelessly inadequate.

Prenatal vites are totally insufficient. You would do a LOT better to take plain old Centrum, two twice a day, than prenatals.

How's your vitamin D? A? E? K? B vites? Protein indicators? How much calcium citrate are you taking?

I'll bet good money that you are way undernourished in several areas.

The reason your iron is low is because you are taking prenatal vitamins.  Prenatals are for pregnant women not postops.  We need adults vitamins with 200% of the daily values and the multi shoud have no iron - then you take a separate iron supplement with carbonyl iron, so you can absorb it properly taking it away from your calcium and thyroid medications.

The iron in prenatals is the wrong iron - it is probably ferrous something which we can't absorb.  IF you go to vitalady.com and get tender irons - they are easy to absorb, easy on your stomach and very cheap - non-constipating.  They are 60mg each with the necessary vitamin C to help you absorb it better.  With a low iron level, you should probably start on 2 per day and then go from there.  But you dont need an iron infusion without trying any of the good oral irons first and you would need really low iron and ferritin levels

I've had several series of iron infusions. Actually more than several - I usually have a series of 5 infusions once or twice every 6 months (I have severe pernicious anemia).

Infusions, as far as I know, must be ordered by a doc. They will order them usually only after they've worked on every thing else, unless you are severely iron deficient.

If you do end up having to get them, don't worry about it. They are actually one of the easiest parts of being post-op for me. I go up to the office, they start the infusion, and I sit and read or watch TV for 30-45 minutes. They don't hurt (at least for me) - it's just like having an IV in. The hardest part is making myself take the time to drive up there and sit still for that long. =)

Anyway, good luck to you whatever turns out to be the issue. Vitamin deficiencies and such can be no fun. Make sure you drop the prenatals immediately and get on some good vitamins and iron, then keep an eagle eye on your labs from here on out.

eta: please don't worry about "saying the right thing". Just tell them what's up and ask your questions - they'll be really good about determining what the right thing really is.

You might want to find out if your ferritin (iron stores) is low.  Mine was down to 10.  I felt lousy.... exhausted, tired, sick.  I've had 5 weekly IV iron infusions so far, and my ferritin is way up now, and I feel SO much better and have color in my face again. 

Man I should have known better than to go on prenates, and off my centrum.  I just had my thyroid checked and it was good, its been the same since i found out i was hypothyroid in 07, and im still on the same dose of synthroid.  I take 1200 mg of calcium citrate every day, and vite d. I think I will switch my vitamin up and im curious to know what the lab values are...

How much D do you take and what are your vitamin D levels? What kind of vitamin D do you use?

I am 7 years out and I have had to get 2 iron infusions. I get very tired when my B 12 is low also. Drink lots of water, dehydration will make you tired as well. Just keep a close eye on your blood work and take, vitamins, calcium. The B 12 shots work best for me. Best of luck to you.

 Iron infusions aren't a big deal.

You may feel a little woozy while having them done -- or flu-like for the day -- but overall -- it's not bad.  And, worth it.