Iron sucrose side effects? Is it dangerous?

Question

My mum has chronic kidney disease for the past 14 years. Her health has been well, her blood urea and creatinine have been under control. However, her haemoglobin level was low and ferritin test showed that she had iron deficiency. So, she was asked to take the iron sucrose medication. While she was taking the iron sucrose medication, she started to feel tightness in her muscle, she started getting back pain and stomach ache. She also felt and weak and her blood pressure was very low. The doctor immediately stopped the iron sucrose medication.After a few hours, my mum got better, her blood pressure was normal and her muscle tightness improved. I just want to know whether her health will be damaged due to the side effects? Especially her kidneys, will it get damaged due to the side effects?

Answer 1

I am an MD. The symptoms that you describe are entirely temporary. There will be no permanent damage to any part of her body, I assure you. The Iron sucrose is a great idea and you should ask your doctor to try it again, this time with a little Valium or Ativan on board before the infusion begins. Chronic kidney patients can't absorb Iron easily from their GI tracts, making IV administration the only viable option. Correcting her anemia will have wonderful benefits to her health, including keeping her heart stronger for longer, as well as giving her more energy and a better outlook on life. She will be far more damaged from the lack of Iron than anything the Iron sucrose might cause. And if she is on dialysis, her kidneys are gone anyway. If she is not on dialysis yet, then correcting her anemia will enhance and prolong the life of her kidneys. I hope this helps.