Anyone have Iron Infusion while Pregnant

Melanie S.
on 1/6/11 10:27 pm - Midlothian, TX
 Hi everyone.  I had my gastric bypass almost 8 years ago and for the last 4 years I have been getting iron infusions every February.  I always go to the cancer center, get hooked up and then go home when it is done.  Last year I had it but my DD was 2 months old and the year before that I had not gotten pregnant yet.  For last year, I was breastfeeding but it was not affected by having the infusion.  
I am currently 19 weeks pregnant and have my appointment with the doctor at the beginning of February (will be almost 24 weeks) to have my labs drawn but I have no doubt that my iron levels are in the tanker as they were really low when I had them checked in October at the beginning of this pregnancy.  
So my questions are about the infusion for those of you who have had one or more during pregnancy:
Did they do things differently?
 Did you have to go to the hospital rather than the cancer center?
Did they keep you longer to monitor for reactions?
Did they still give you Benadryl to counter reactions?
Did you have any issues with your pregnancy due to this?

I have always had 1-4 infusions over a 1-6 week period depending on my need at the time.  I have always gotten IV Benadryl and Tylenol followed by keeping up with Benadryl for several hours after the procedure.

Of course, I plan to ask the doctor these questions when I see her and before I agree to any procedure but I believe that forewarned is forearmed.

Thanks in advance for any information.

    

jgirlatlaw
on 1/7/11 7:46 pm - Traverse City, MI
I had iron infusions with both of my pregnancies.   With my twins I was about 15 or 16 weeks pregnant.   I had a series of 3 infusions both times.  My my singleton I was only about 6 weeks along.  

I have to get IV Benadryl with my infusions and yes, they still gave it to me while pregnant.   I was able to have all infusions at the infusion clinic (same as yours where they do all the cancer treatments) and I had no issues with either pregnancy because of my infusions.  

I have terrible veins, terrible reactions to the iron, and feel like crap after every infusion.  My infusions ALWAYS took longer, not because of the pregnancy or because they wanted to monitor me, but because they always had to restart my IV due to my craptastic veins.  

 Lilypie - (aHMk) Lilypie - (jhN1)
Melanie S.
on 1/8/11 12:33 am - Midlothian, TX
 Thanks for the info.  I have the same issues with you regarding the veins, the reactions, and the feeling afterwards.  Actually, I used to drive myself to and from until last year because the year before, I had a really bad reaction that started halfway home and my husband didn't like the fact that I could not remember driving home.  I guess that is a bad thing.

    

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