Iron Infusions

Every patient will need a minimum for 2 appointments with Dr Wong on separate days. The first is to assess the patient, provide information and a prescription. The second appointment is for the infusion, and will be for at least 1 hour, some patients may need longer. Some patients may need additional appointments prior to an infusion, depending on their circumstances

The iron infusion medicine is a prescription only medicine that can be purchased from a pharmacy once a patient has been properly assessed and determined to be iron deficient

• You do not have to fast or stop any medication for the procedure
  
• Please wear comfortable clothing with sleeves no longer than elbow length
  
• Bring along something to keep you occupied. ie; book, iPad, iPhone, portable speakers
  
• Fill your prescription and bring it to your infusion appointment. Bulimba Pharmacy carries the infusion in stock, other pharmacies will need to order and it may take a few working days. Call Bulimba Pharmacy to have it set aside for you on the day if you can’t collect prior to the appointment on 07 3399 3930.
  
• You will have an intravenous cannula inserted, please advise us of needle phobias at initial consultation
  
• A Registered Nurse will monitor your blood pressure, heart rate, temperature and how well you are breathing for the length of the infusion
  
• You can drive home after the infusion and resume normal activities, unless there is an unexpected reaction

Iron infusions are also available for pregnant women. Babies born to mother suffering from iron deficiency are at risk of:

• low birth weight
  
• premature delivery
  
• not having enough iron to sustain them throughout their early rapid stages of growth and brain development

You should talk to your obstetrician or GP about what's best for you. Bear in mind that if you are already pregnant, there will be a 6-9 month time lag with oral iron to get your own stores up...and there's only 9 months in a pregnancy!

Dr Wendy is also happy to talk to you about her own experiences with iron infusions, pregnancy and iron deficiency

How long will it take before I feel better?
It may take about 6-12 weeks after you complete your iron infusion to feel better. The improvement will be gradual, but many people report feeling more energetic, sleeping better and improvement in mood and memory

If you decide to replenish with oral iron supplements, bear in mind it will take about 6-9 months to get the same effects. Other side effects such as constipation and nausea will make it difficult for many people to take their oral iron supplements consistently

Iron infusions are generally well tolerated and routinely administered outside of a hospital setting. A total iron dose of 1000mg may be given at a single administration. Dr Wendy will decide what dose you require based on your weight and blood test results. If a second infusion is required, it can be repeated as soon as 7 days after your last infusion. Usually only a total of 2 infusions are required

Are there any side effects?
Since Dr Wong has switched to the current ferric carboxymaltose formulation, there have been fewer adverse reactions reported by patients. This infusion is routinely administered outside of a hospital setting and in adherence to the product information administration guidelines

Common side effects include headache, dizziness, hypertension, flushing, nausea and injection/infusion site reactions. For a full list of reported side effects, please view the PDF below