iron

[hurlock1]

I'm sorry that I keep making new topics. I just have so many questions that only seem to be readily answered by you.  Lately, they have been putting large syringes of this black tarry stuff into my treatment. Every treatment. I asked them what it was and they said Iron. I did a search on the internet about what foods I can eat that will increase my iron content and most of them are foods that aren't good on renal diets. The syringe that they put the iron in with is fairly large and they put some in, stop, leave the syringe hooked up to the machine, come back, put some more in, and so on. Should I try and find something to eat that is high in iron content, like a car, (Hah!) or something, or should I just take the shot of iron every treatment and be glad?

[cherpep]

Please don't apologize for asking questions - ask as many as you want!!!  That's the beauty of this website - a place where you can actually ask all those questions and get some real answers. 

Have you looked into Iron Supplements?  My neph suggested I get some and since I've been taking them, extra iron treatments have not been necessary.  She also suggested I take the supplements with some Vitamin C - it helps the system absorb the iron better.  You can get them in the vitamin aisle at any drugstore. 

[David13]

We love questions!  Keep asking! 

Almost all dialysis patients are deficient in iron.  You can try iron supplements, but iron is generally not very well absorbed by the body when taken orally and it can cause a lot of side effects like nausea and upset stomach.  The iron they are giving you with your dialysis treatments is intravenous iron and it is much better absorbed into your system than a pill would be. The reason they give it a little at a time is that it can make you sick or even cause a reaction if given too quickly.  They should be monitoring your iron levels regularly, and they should stop giving it when the levels are high enough.

[Savemeimdtba]

Make sure to ask your nurse/dr about taking iron supplements first.. we asked and they said it wasn't a good idea (can't remember why, sorry about that).  I did the iron infusions for 3 weeks and it made a HUGE difference .. iron helps you get oxygen and therefor energy so any help with that is always welcome. 

[hurlock1]

Make sure to ask your nurse/dr about taking iron supplements first.. we asked and they said it wasn't a good idea (can't remember why, sorry about that).  I did the iron infusions for 3 weeks and it made a HUGE difference .. iron helps you get oxygen and therefor energy so any help with that is always welcome.

I think that that was the answer I was looking for. It seems to me that at one time I knew that about supplements, That they can do more harm than good. I don't know about the iron infusions, but I hope that they do make a difference. I don't think that they would give me anything that would do me harm. (unless I make myself believe they would) I have been deep down cold lately and don't think that IT has been cold. My wife has been warm, and I have been cold. Quite a turn-a-round from the way it's been in the past, so I know that it's not cold. I'm cold.

[willowtreewren]

That cold feeling is partly due to the anemia that goes with kidney failure. You will probably be getting a 1-2 punch to deal with this. One is the iron infusion (since we do the beg D at home, my husband has to go in-center to get his when needed) and the other is Epogen shots. From what I understand each center has its own protocols for when to administer either of these. In our center the red blood count has to fall below 13.4 (I think) for the Epogen. Since my husband still has some kidney function, he can often go a couple months without Epogen.

When he is not on Epogen they check his blood every two weeks, just to keep on top of it.

I'm sure there are other practices in other centers. Ask them about it Hurlock. You deserve to be informed about what they are doing at your center.

Aleta

[Savemeimdtba]

Ever since my kidneys failed my temperature has been running between 95-97, so it has definitely been lower than it should be and that tends to make me cold.  The Dr's and nurses don't seem to think it's a problem though - I just get some blankets and eventually I'll warm up a little.

[rookiegirl]

I had to do the IV Iron treatment which took 3 hours.  After the infusion, it was a small monthly maintenance dose through my veins.  I rather have this than taking iron pills.  Those made my stomach ache and gave me constipation.

[paris]

Like Rookiegirl, I have had the iron infusions.  Also epogen for hemoglobin.   Serum ferritin measures iron levels and hemoglobin measures red blood count.  Two types of anemia, both common with kidney failure.    ( I have learned soooo much in three years!  )

Hurlock, I hope you doctor comes up with a good solution for you.

[cherpep]

I've never had any problem with the supplements.  They don't affect me at all, I guess I'm lucky.  Since I do home hemo, going in for an IV treatment is a pain - especially since I have to take time off work for it.  I'm happy my doctor prescribed the supplements for me. 

[paddbear0000]

It got to the point where iron supplements just weren't doing a thing for me. I was up to 4 a day and my hemoglobin was still running between 8 and 9 (this was before dialysis). I ended up getting two 2 hour iv iron infusions the month before starting dialysis. At the hospital dialysis clinic, I got a shot of it every 2 weeks. At my current  clinic, I was getting it twice a week. Wednesday my nurse told me they were stopping because their protocol is to do 8 treatments, then wait until the next month's labs to check your anemia. I was also getting 7000 units of epo every treatment, but that was stopped Wednesday too for the same reason the iron was stopped. Last month, my hemoglobin was 12.1 and I definitely noticed the difference in how I felt temperature wise. i haven't needed to wear a fleece jacket everywhere I go lately!

Another reason they don't push the whole syringe of iron is because you'll end up with a very strong taste of iron in your mouth.

[pdpatty]

It is very simple,our kidneys have failed therefore we can't use over the counter suppliment.
The iron is gradually put in to keep you from getting sick. 
By the way,sometimes I can actually taste it when it is first put in.

Look up what functions the kidneys provide then you will better understand the why  of all this. Yup,those little suckers worked hard  and did more than just filter the blood.

[jbeany]

Sorry, Popeye, there isn't enough spinach in the world to up your iron levels to where they should be once your kidneys fail!  I've tried every form of iron supplement on the market - I have bad reactions to them all.  IV iron, given in gradual doses while you are on the machine, are the easiest version to take.  Even when my hemoglobin is good, I don't have as much energy when my iron levels are low.  And yes, being cold is part and parcel with the rest of the symptoms.

Just think how much money you're gonna save this summer on air conditioning!

[KICKSTART]

Isnt that weird .. i have a hemoglobin of 7.1 at the moment !!!! (cant have any iron cause my b.p is too high) but one thing ive never been is cold ! I must be what you call hot stuff 

[Zach]

Here is some additional information on IV Iron, from the Renal Fellow Blog:
http://renalfellow.blogspot.com/2009/08/iv-iron-preparations.html

Friday, August 7, 2009
iv iron preparations

Because of the generally poor GI absorption of iron in the setting of ESRD, iron supplementation in dialysis patients is now carried out by intravenous formulations of iron complexed to various carbohydrates. The idea is that these carbohydrate moieties can function as "molecular shields", allowing for the safe delivery of iron to its target tisues while simultaneously preventing iron-mediated oxidative damage. Here are some of the main iv iron formulations and their unique attributes:

1. iron gluconate (Ferrlicit). In my limited experience, it appears to me that Ferrlicit and Venofer control the lion's share of iv iron formulations in U.S. dialysis centers. A typical course of Ferrlicit typically given in the ESRD patient is 125mg iv qdialysis session x 8 doses.

2. iron sucrose (Venofer). Also a popular option, the typical dosing for Venofer is 100mg iv qdialysis x 10 doses. Both Venofer and Ferrlicit offer fairly rapid release of iron. Also, Venofer is FDA-approved for iron repletion in non-dialysis-dependent CKD patients whereas Ferrlicit is not.

3. iron dextran (Dexferrum, Imferon): this is not used much anymore because of a significantly higher risk of anaphylactic reactions than the more modern Ferrlicit and Venofer. Iron dextran was typically given as a smaller "test dose" prior to giving the full dose, as a precaution against anaphylaxis.

4. low-molecular weight iron dextran (CosmoFer, InFed): it is important to distinguish low-molecular weight dextran from high molecular weight dextran because its risk of adverse events is so much lower.

5. ferumoxytol (Feraheme): this is a newly-released formulation of "iron oxide nanoparticles." Sounds very space-age, doesn't it? The reported advantage is that it can be given in large bolus doses--thus making it preferable for the treatment of iron deficiency in CKD, where a patient would otherwise be required to make multiple trips to an infusion center to get their Venofer or Ferrlicit. Further assessments of safety and efficacy are still needed.

[nick]

i have an problem with iron too so they did on me they give every session a cosmofer of iron for ten session then my iron now is ok, last friday is my last iron, then i increase my oral ferrus sulfate aim taking three time a day

[Ang]

i  have  iron  while  on  dialysis,can  vary  from  weekly  to  monthly  depending  on  the  labs,sounds  totally  starnge  why  you  would  get  it  each  session.