I can’t believe it’s already June. Over the last few months I’ve been feeling okay; the biggest health update is that I received an iron infusion at the end of May. This came about because of lab work that was done to explore possible reasons for my fatigue and some other issues. It turns out that my iron and ferritin (iron storage) levels were really low!
See the Iron Deficiency Anemia page by the Mayo Clinic for a list of signs and symptoms.
I’ve been experiencing a number of the symptoms listed but it’s hard to know what health issue is causing what symptom. For example, fatigue can go along with my adrenal insufficiency. My feet are always cold likely because of poor circulation. My heart rate is always on the higher side and shortness of breath is just my normal because of my respiratory issues. My PCP initially suggested I take an iron supplement but after messaging with her we decided to go the infusion route instead. This was appealing to me because it would reduce the likelihood of GI side effects and I wouldn’t need to add another pill to my daily routine. Thankfully my doctor understood and sent the order over.
The infusion appointment was actually kind of fun. My appointment was in the infusion center at one of the Michigan Medicine outpatient locations. After checking in and getting my hospital band I was taken to a curtained off area with a big reclining chair, tv, big windows and a comfy chair for a companion. My mom was impressed with the chair because it could rock a little bit. She was like this is a big improvement from what I had back in the day! After getting my vitals taken the nurse had to place an IV. This was the hardest part of the whole appointment. It took her 2 pokes even with using a vein finder but she got it. After the IV access was secured the nurse hooked up the iron medication. The nurse was so sweet; she brought me a warm blanket and also really encouraged me to take advantage of the beverages and snacks they could offer. I got some chocolate ice cream and mom had vanilla. 🙂 Then we watched Murder She Wrote on the tv and mom played on her iPad. The infusion itself took an hour and then there was a half hour observation period. I tolerated the infusion well; I was a little tired by the end but that could also have been my adrenaline wearing off. After the observation period ended the nurse removed my IV and we headed home! I’ll have my levels rechecked in a few weeks to determine if another infusion is needed. We’ll see!
