How Effective is Injectafer, Know its Dosage, Side Effects

Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is a supplement or iron replacement medicine. Iron is commonly present in the food we eat. Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose effectively helps the body to create red blood cells to carry oxygen everywhere through blood to organs and tissues.

Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is effectively used for treating iron deficiency anemia, which is caused by having very less iron in the body leading to low number of red blood cells.

Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is taken mainly when other oral iron supplements have failed to treat the problem of iron deficiency anemia.

If you have iron overload disorder or condition, do not use injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose. Similarly, do not injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose it if you have anemia caused by other conditions and not iron deficiency.

Do not take injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose if you are allergic to it or have these conditions:

• Iron overload disorder (hemosiderosis, hemochromatosis)
• Allergic to carboxymaltose
• Anemia not caused by lack of iron

If you have experienced or have these below problems you must tell your doctor to make this medicine safe for you:

• High blood pressure
• Liver ailment.

If you are pregnant or planning to become in the near future, it is wise to tell your doctor as it is not known if injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose will do any harm to the unborn child.

It is possible for injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose to glow those breast milk to the baby whom you are feeding therefore tell your doctor if you are breast feeding your child.

Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is injected through I.V to vein by a professional healthcare provider.

In most cases, injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is given in two dosages with difference of 7 days between them. However it is the physician who decides if you need to continue the same course in the future.

It is important to bring in to notice of your caregiver if you have any allergic reaction or swelling or pain around the IV needle.

You will be carefully in observations for a minimum of 30 minutes after injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is injected to check if you have any allergic reaction to the medicine.

Since injectafer medicines are based on weight, tell your doctor if you have any changes in body weight as it might affect the dosage.

It is important to have regular blood tests to know if injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is aiding your condition. Even though you cannot see much difference in your symptoms your blood tests will help doctor identify how much longer the medicine has to be used.

Patients over 50 kilograms: 750 milligrams of injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose in two dosages through slow infusion or IV push separated by a minimum of 7 days duration.
Patients less than 50 kilograms: 15 milligrams/kg of injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose in two dosages through slow infusion or IV push separated by a minimum of 7 days duration.

Maximum dosage: 1500 milligrams of injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose should be the maximum cumulative dosage throughout the course. It should not exceed this limit.

Here, “milligrams” is used to express dosage levels of elemental iron.

If the condition reoccurs the treatment can be repeated.

Injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose is used in adults with unsatisfactory or intolerance to oral intake of iron medicines and those with non-dialysis dependent chronic kidney disease.

If you experience any allergic reaction to injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose, get immediate help. In most cases allergic reactions are having difficulty breathing, hives, swelling of lips, face, throat, tongue, feeling light headedness, hives, etc.

Get immediate help or call doctor if you experience:

• Low level of phosphorous in blood – muscle weakness, bone pain, confusion
• High levels of iron in body – bloody or tarry stools, chest pain, loss of consciousness, metallic taste in mouth, severe shortness of breath, pale skin, vomiting blood, blue lips or finger nails.

Other general side effects of injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose are as follows

• Pain, discolored skin (especially where the IV was injected)
• Vomiting, nausea
• Flushing (redness, warmth, tingly feeling)
• High blood pressure resulting in headache, pounding in ears or neck, nausea are all side effects of injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose
• Dizziness, headache are also seen

There are several other medicines that react with injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose such as over the counter or prescribed medicines, herbal medicines or even vitamins. Therefore, it is important you tell your doctor about your complete medical history and the name of medicines you currently take to make injectafer or ferric carboxymaltose safe for you.