You find your ferritin sitting at 18 after giving birth at Staten Island University Hospital six months ago. You’re advised to supplement with oral iron, which may or may not work for you, depending on your adherence and possible absorption issues. You’re also navigating Todt Hill preschool drop-offs, catching the Staten Island Ferry, or idling in Expressway traffic every day, while being anxious about the hair loss happening in your shower.
Patients seeking IV iron are usually postpartum women or those dealing with heavy menstruation. They are often grouped under the so-called “ferritin gray zone" wherein iron stores are between 15 and 30 ng/mL, yet blood work seems normal while symptoms like brain fog, exhaustion, and hair shedding persist. Women experiencing such deficiency-related symptoms after a Staten Island University Hospital or Richmond University Medical Center delivery may require iron infusions if the oral route fails to address the issue .
OBs in places like Todt Hill, Great Kills, and New Dorp also flag low ferritin during visits but do not offer infusions themselves. Waiting to be scheduled at infusion suites may involve weeks.
An infusion suite visit at Staten Island University Hospital North, SIUH South, or Richmond University Medical Center means spending time in clinical waiting rooms, Hylan Boulevard traffic or the SIR, and garage parking. With a baby to take care of, such trips can be hard to manage. Meanwhile daily oral iron supplementation takes months to take effect and comes with side effects like constipation and stomach cramps.