Private iron infusion - cost?

[SkinPaperThin]

I'm only just within the acceptable level of iron (12 or 14 normally on bloods) and I feel rough if I don't religiously take supplements. However, I can only tolerate spatone and Feel multivits so I'm only managing to get minimal iron from supplements. I've not taken any for a few weeks now as my stomach has been rough following antibiotics and have been on a bland diet. I'm starting to feel really anaemic again and it's not pleasant so have started my supplements again. I have been looking in to private iron infusions at the local Spire hospital but can't find any indication of cost. Has anyone paid for this as I'm getting nowhere with the NHS as I'm not technically anaemic. However I'm not sure if it's something I can afford it or not. It says on the website that it's a consultation followed by one session of treatment so am I right in thinking it's about £200 for a consultation usually? And then there's the treatment on top of that. Thanks.

Hi SkinPaperThin

I have had iron infusions at the Iron Clinic Cambridge. The charge was £770 in total, including consultation and infusion. I believe that the Iron Clinic also operates in London but do not know whether the cost is the same. May I ask - has the cause of your low ferritin been investigated? If not I would press your GP to refer you to the gastro team for endoscopy.

Oh - and also I meant to say that whilst your ferritin level may fall within the NHS "normal range", it is very low. I become symptomatic under 30! The Iron Clinic has advised me that ferritin should be a minimum of 50 and ideally over 100. If you look online you will see that absolute iron deficiency (where your body has almost no iron stores left) is present when you have a ferritin level of under 30, so you are very low indeed.

Ouch, I may need to save up for that.
I've had an endoscopy recently because I have reflux but all was normal apparently. I think my anaemia is down to heavy periods and diet as I'm vegetarian, pretty much vegan. I do try and eat lots of plant based iron rich foods though.

How do you feel about the pill? If you think your anaemia is down to periods, as a short term solution maybe it’s worth skipping a couple whilst you try and replenish your reserves and see if you can get a gynae referral.

Have you looked into spirulina? Its a blue-green algae which is very high in iron. You might tolerate is easier (or addition to) whatever else you take. I assume you have also look at your diet in terms of reducing tannins (which deplete iron absorption) and also increasing Vit C rich foods to increase iron absorption?

There are also iron injections into the muscle, but I think these are used less nowadays. 1 issue with them, is that if they aren't injection through a Z track method, the iron can stain the skin in a permanent tattoo like spot!

spirulinathegreat.com/spirulina-for-iron-deficiency

I've not heard of spirulina being high in iron before, that's really interesting. I'll definitely look in to it. I do try and eat high vit C foods and always take spatone with fruit juice. I don't drink tea either, though I'm not sure what else has tannins.

I don't do well on the pill unfortunately, although I haven't tried for a while now. Last time I went on it my boobs grew huge and were painful all the time. It might be worth looking in to though if I can't get my levels up any other way.

Red wine and beer is high in tannins, along with kidney beans, cranberries, blueberries, chocolate, plums, chickpeas, almonds, strawberries, apples and many other foods. Differing amounts depending on if they are juiced and how they are cooked etc.

I was anaemic years ago when I wasn't eating a great diet and out all weekend. My Hb was 9 and ferritin 2!!! I did a huge amount of reading about improvements to my diet, what foods/drinks to eat and when and also additional supplements such as the spirulina. Samphire and other seaweeds like seaweed salad and nori and also less common ways to up your iron intake.

Thanks. I don't drink red wine or beer so I'm good there. Everything else though... I eat a lot of chickpeas! Time to get some samphire and spirulina in I think.

I've had the most awful experience with midwives since I started my pregnancy. They should've told me 3 weeks ago that my iron levels are low and we are only 7 weeks away from due date 😱 Looking for advice/reassurance on how to restore iron level fast x

I don’t know why you would do that. Iron infusions are not without risk…. Hence why it’s not done via NHS

I have had four iron infusions by the NHS?

Is it possible to replenish iron levels with diet alone I mean in a short space of time...

@StellaGibson2022 for someone with hb in the normal or borderline range

I had iron iv on nhs last yr