iron infusions

I recently completed 18 iron infusions over the last 18 weeks.  My Hematologist still says my iron is still low and I am like a bucket with a hole.  He wants me to take birth control to stop my periods to see if this helps.  Should I dismiss all this over bad periods or investigate if something else could be going on?  My B12 is very low and my insurance wont pay for injections and this seems to be something he is demanding I get under control too.  Any ideals or suggestions anyone???   

You can buy B12 without insurance at Costco (do not need to be a member)for ultra cheap. We all get our syringes online at vet or medical places.

If you do not have rx, we get our B complex at vet places (or even your local feed store) OR from Canada.

B12 is just OH SO CHEAP, no matter how you buy it.

Something like $20/yr for weekly shots

Just saw your post, I used to be like you a few years ago and got the Mirena IUD to slow down my periods and then finally my iron started to get better.... if I had it to do over again, I would just get the birth control to stop the periods I think...
The advice you got below on the b12 is great, I would do that too... it does take time but once you aren't losing it every month with your period it will get better! Good luck to you, after 5 years I am now on 1 infusion every 3 mos.

I had severe malabsorbtion many years ago and had to get iron infusions.  At the same time, my Gynecologist put me on birth control to stop my periods which really helped.  I used pills at first but due to my malabsorbtion, I wasn't absorbing the pills very well, so she put me on the patch called OrthoEvra which worked great.  Normally you wear one a week for 3 weeks and you take a week off and that is when you get your period. Well, I just got a prescription for extra patches and wore them continually and never got my period.  Some doctors have you never get them and others have you get one every 3 months.  It depends on your gynecologist and hematologist.  There really is no need to get one unless you want to get pregnant which I doubt is your case at this point if you are talking about stopping your periods.  I really recommend OrthoEvra - it works great for malabsorbtion patients since it goes directly into the skin and into the bloodstream, avoiding the digestive tract.

I also recommend B12 shots - you can give them to yourself at home.  They are very cheap and so are the syringes. The syringes might be covered since you can use insulin syringes but even if not, they are really cheap too.  I know the B12 is like $12 for 3 months.  I dont' know how much the syringes are - my insurance pays for them, so I have never seen a bill for them.  If your level is really low, you want to do the injections weekly to get your levels up fast.  You could be at risk for permanent nerve damage which isn't good.  Until you get the injections, get some sublinguals - get 2500mcg - that is pretty high dose and take them daily until you can start the injections.

Thank you for the suggestions.  I am going to schedule a doctors appointment for the OrthoEvra right away.  No wonder these pills aren't working.  Duh the malabsorbtion!  Thank you thank you thank you!