IV Iron Infusion...Part II

Tomorrow I have the second iron infusion at Virginia Baptist and I have to say that I'm a little nervous.

I should feel better by now and I really don't. Occasionally I have "jolts" of energy but it goes away very quickly and then I'm completely drained. I have entire days when I feel like a zombie. I just really want to get my life back and at this point, having any energy at all would be a plus.

Not only am I nervous about how I will be wiped out for at least the week following tomorrow's infusion, but the area of my hand and wrist where I had the last infusion still hurts very much. I usually have a very high threshold for pain but this is almost like an ache, like a bone deep strain or something. My folks say I should mention it tomorrow when they go to put in the IV and I guess I really should. We'll see how it all plays out.

I'll have at least 6 hours to sit there during the infusion. This time I'm packing snacks and bringing my iPod. Maybe I can get a nap and catch up on my sleep.

Say some prayers.

IV Iron Infusion...Say What?!

Today was my first IV iron infusion at Virginia Baptist. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't really how I would prefer to spend a warm August afternoon.

I've had low iron for several years now and because of my ongoing stomach issues, I don't digest iron pills very well and it doesn't stay in my system long enough to do any good.

When I saw my doctor this past week for my annual physical we reviewed all my blood work results and he immediately had this look of shock on his face. I must admit I was extremely nervous. He then proceeded to tell me that the results from my iron labs were too low to register. This is not the first time I've heard this. After they retested my iron level in the office, it registered somewhere in the 4 range. "Normal" people's iron level is somewhere between 13 & 15. Needless to say, a lot of the side effects of low iron were starting to make sense for me personally. My doctor proceeded to ask me how I was functioning. Truly, honestly, not well but how do you really know how not well you are functioning until you have something to compare it to?

He recommended getting 2 high doses of iron via infusion and I initially thought he was joking. Say what?! Then the more I thought about it the more I liked the idea. I mean really, who doesn't want to feel better? I definitely do. I would love to have more energy and focus.

So today I finished my first round. I will do another IV iron infusion in 2 weeks and will spend another Monday afternoon at Virginia Baptist Hospital for at least 6 hours. All of this in the name of feeling better...bring it on.