Ferumoxytol

If you don't like the possible problems with your injectable iron, you should see the list of severe anemia consequences.

 

This really isn't an exact science. Your doctor is accommodating your work schedule and you're upset with him? That seems pretty harsh. If you prefer to follow the instructions strictly all you have to do is make yourself available 3-8 days after the first dose. Feel free to stop the oral iron, if that's what you prefer.

Thanks for the reply. I didn't mean to sound harsh at all and I probably shouldn't second guess my doctor........I just found some directions online in regard to the drug to be different than he was telling me so I was thinking someone on this site may be familiar.  I got serum sickness about a year ago from bactrim so im probably extra nervous and I.think it was bc I took it for a few days and then stopped and then took the rest a few weeks later.  Just was looking to hear if anyone else had this drug before and thought good or bad and whether waiting seemed ok opposed to 3-8 days and to continue with oral iron. 

I do have an unusual job that is not super flexible and the infusion place has limited hours so makes it tough.  I have a 100% travel job so mostly leave on Sunday and come home on Friday.  I tried changing schedule and didn't work so well but I can if I have to.....I was just trying to see if I HAD to or if I could get the same results from the meds doing later. Plus, I don't want to increase the possibility of a bad reaction bc I didn't take it correctly.  Im simply a baby with meds. 

I really didn't mean to sound like mean......I appreciate my doctor(who is a new doctor for me bc I now have this new problem) and appreciate this forum bc I get sick good advice.  Thanks

People can certainly run into trouble with iron infusions - occasionally very serious trouble. Once you needed an iron infusion you took on that risk. Your doctor didn't pick a particularly risky one, since they all carry risk. It's always better to get iron from your diet if possible, or oral supplements, if possible. When that's not possible, you get an infusion. Yes, it's better to follow the labeled instructions. When that's not possible, you adapt. If your anemia is from malabsorption rather than bleeding, the oral iron won't make much of a difference.

 

Good luck with your infusion! In all likelihood it will go fine, and you'll feel worlds better once you make some new red blood cells with all that iron. Don't have an MRI right after the infusion.

Prescribing information is not gospel, and it really is up to the doctor to determine what is in your best interests. Most likely, the recommended dosing schedule is in order to obtain maximum benefit, NOT that altering the schedule would create a risk. The best thing is to ask your doctor if waiting so long for the next dose will increase your risk for a reaction (doubtful) or reduce its effectiveness.

 

Remember, each of us is an individual, and hopefully our providers treat us that way. 

 

Jan

Thanks, Jan. Very nicely put. Sometimes dosing schedules are even more random than you'd expect: the recommended dosing schedule is what they happened to test in the clinical trials, and it just would have taken too much work/time/money to test all possible schedules. They do more testing if it seems necessary to get a better result (e.g. reduced side effects).