As part of her pre-surgery preparation, Nichole recently underwent an iron dextran infusion. Her doctors discovered that she has severe iron deficiency anemia, most likely caused by an expected malabsorption disorder. Because her body hasn’t been able to absorb iron through food or supplements, an infusion was the best way to build up her iron stores before surgery.
Her care team chose iron dextran because it allows a much larger amount of iron to be given in a single treatment compared to other infusion options. While some other IV iron formulations may be gentler, they can only be administered in smaller doses. For Nichole, getting more iron at once was the most effective way to prepare for surgery.
The infusion process was very cautious and closely monitored. Because Nichole also has severe dysautonomia, her doctors warned that she might be at higher risk for side effects. They began with a small test dose, since severe allergic reactions—though rare—are possible. After that, the IV was run in 15-minute intervals, with alarms set so the nurses could check her vitals and symptoms every 15 minutes. The nurses explained that while a reaction could technically still happen later, the risk of a sudden severe reaction drops significantly once the test dose is tolerated. Orders for emergency medications were already in place ahead of time, so there would be no delay in care if something happened.
Nichole noted how different this infusion felt compared to anything she’d experienced before—the extremely slow rate, the constant monitoring, and the level of caution. It underscored just how much this medication can affect the body, and how carefully it needs to be administered.
Thankfully, she tolerated the treatment well
Correcting her iron is a key step in making surgery safer. Severe anemia can affect oxygen delivery, healing, and recovery. This infusion brings her one step closer to being ready, with her doctors carefully supporting her along the way.