Have you ever administered IV iron?

[NurseDennie]

Here's one of those annoying questions, I guess. I've looked it up, but the procedure sounds very scary. Doc has to be the one to do the test dose, etc., etc., I've never given it. I've never heard of it given where I was working. None of my friends have ever given it or been in on giving it. I've learned the z-track IM method for if I ever have to give iron IM, but I never have done. Doc says that anaphylactic is almost as common with IM as IV.

So - have any of you actually administered it, or witnessed it? Did the person who had the infusion survive the whole thing?

I'm having problems with anemia. I don't want another transfusion, but it's almost sounding like that's safer than the IV iron??? (I'm just kidding - no way !! - 2-3 units of blood Q 3 months - Not with the blood shortage and the Hep situation). Although I do have a lot of O+ people who are willing to donate for me.

Love

Dennie

[globalRN]

WHERE I WORK, IRON DEXTRAN IS GIVEN FIRST AS A TEST DOSE ; 30 MIN WAIT; IF ALL IS WELL ....THE FULL DOSE OVER ABOUT 4 HOURS.

IRON SUCROSE(VENOFER) DOES NOT REQUIRE A TEST DOSE AND CAN BE GIVEN UP TO A MAX/DOSE /VISIT OF 500 MG ....SO IF IRON DEFICIENT MAY REQUIRE MORE VISITS/

HAD ONE BAD VENOFER REACTION IN A PATIENT WITH MULTIPLE HEALTH CONDITIONS AND MULTIPLE ALLERGIES.

REACTIONS: SEEN MANY ....CAUSE MY JOB IS TO DEAL WITH THE REACTIONS. TEST DOSES ARE ONLY GIVEN IF THE MD/NP IS AVAILABLE. I FOUND GIVING PREMEDICATION WITH ANTIHISTAMINE REALLY HELPS. DURING SOME REACTIONS I HAVE GIVEN VENTOLIN AS WELL. SO FAR, NEVER HAD TO ORDER EPINEPHRINE/GIVE EPINEPHRINE.

[passing thru]

I don't want to be snoopy. Just curious, why you require this medication. ? Unless it is a private issue. Is it some kind of iron non-absortion problem?

[JennyinLD]

Do any of you have a protocol at your institute for monitoring blood pressures while administering Ferrlecit? When and how many?

[blondy2061h, MSN, RN]

I've never seen IV iron given, but I want to assure you if you're getting 2-3 units every 3 months, you're really not even making a dent in the blood supply. My hospital gets almost all of our blood products through our own donor center, many of our patients get 2-3 units a DAY, and we rarely run out of blood. We run out of platelets more often. I've also never seen a patient get hepatitis from it.

If you need blood, you need blood, don't feel bad about it.

[DeepFriedRN]

Where I work we deal with a ton of renal patients, and usually we give venofer, which doesn't require any test dose. I've given it many many times and never had any bad reactions.

[caliotter3]

I was on the receiving end of IV iron. I got a red rash on the arm above the administration site that increased in size and then changed to a brownish color. It has never gone away. I had a ditz nurse when this happened. I had to tell her that the IV had infiltrated. She didn't even assess anything and it hurt terribly when she restarted the IV. I managed to survive it in the end though.

[mama_d, BSN, RN]

I've given Venofer IVPB many times and never had a patient have a problem with it.

[SmilingBluEyes]

We give it frequently on our OB unit with very few problems at all. It helps people a lot.

[GrumpyRN63, ADN, RN]

I've given the Infed, not as scary as it sounds, the nurses do the test dose and then the infusion, haven't had a problem with it on our unit

[mykrosphere]

ive given IV with dialysis and had a lady code, even though she had a test dose and whatnot. not sure of the brand name at the moment but i think it was venofer.

other than that have not had any reactions to iv iron