In the absence of sufficient amounts of the mineral iron, your bone marrow cannot produce hemoglobin, which is the component of red blood cells responsible for carrying adequate oxygen to the tissues throughout the body.
Iron-deficient anemia may develop for any number of reasons, including:
People with iron-deficient anemia often complain of fatigue, a lack of energy, a feeling of weakness, shortness of breath, and a rapid heartbeat. Other signs and symptoms might include, pounding or “whooshing” in the ears, headaches, a sore or smooth tongue, picophagia, brittle nails, or hair loss.
When the blood level of iron is so low that increasing one’s daily dietary intake or taking oral iron supplements cannot adequately address the problem, an intravenous infusion may be recommended. With an intravenous infusion of iron, we can treat patients with a severe iron deficiency, chronic blood loss, mineral absorption issues, as well as an individual who is receiving supplemental erythropoietin to stimulate blood production.
Depending on the preparation of IV iron selected for a particular case, an infusion may be performed over the course of single visit or provided as multiple doses that are spread over several weeks. Test doses are monitored to check for patient reactions to confirm the preparation selected and the course of administration. As a patient’s iron stores are replenished, the symptoms of a deficiency will begin to resolve.
While certain side effects such as a headache, metallic taste, or joint pain are sometimes experienced one to two days after an iron infusion, anything unusual such as chest pain, dizziness, swelling in the mouth, or difficulty breathing requires immediate medical attention.