Just over 2 years ago, Naturopathic Physicians in BC had their scope of practice widened to include IV iron infusions. Little did I know how much this would change the trajectory of my practice. At Acacia Health in Victoria, BC, we started offering them as soon as we were trained and the clinic was prepared to offer them.
Fast forward to today, and I’m happy to report that a huge part of my practice is delivering safe and effective IV iron infusions to people who qualify. I meet with people for a 30-minute virtual appointment and review relevant lab work and health history, explain the process, and discuss all potential side effects. Typically, within a couple of weeks, people are being infused!
I dedicate an entire shift to delivering these infusions so that I’m with my patients the whole time to answer any questions and ensure a safe procedure. These shifts fill my heart with so much joy because people are so excited to have access to this procedure without having to wait months through the hospital, or worse, having to wait until their blood work is low enough to qualify for MSP coverage.
Wait? You don’t have to wait until you are in full iron deficiency anemia to get an iron infusion?! You read that right!
If you are suffering from symptoms of low iron, but don’t have decreased hemoglobin levels, you still might qualify for an iron IV. To see if you qualify, I would recommend booking a 30-minute iron infusion consultation to discuss your eligibility.
The process we have created for our patients is seamless, and hundreds of people in Victoria have experienced this firsthand. Oftentimes, pharmacy benefits fully cover the cost of the liquid IV iron, and naturopath benefits cover the infusion cost.
This also means that you may have your iron infusion fully covered.
Not to mention, if you do meet the definition of iron deficiency anemia based on your most recent lab work, and meet the standards set out by the Special Authority guidelines, we can also submit for MSP coverage of your liquid IV iron on your behalf. This process usually takes less than 24 hours to gain approval.
If you are wondering if an IV iron infusion could be right for you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me or one of my colleagues who offers IV iron infusions. They might be right for you if:
You are fatigued and have low ferritin levels
You experience hair loss, restless legs and/or mouth sores, and have low ferritin levels
You’ve had new or worsening depression or anxiety and low ferritin levels
You have headaches, dizziness, and/or lightheadedness, and low ferritin levels
You have shortness of breath when exercising or decreased exercise tolerance, and low ferritin levels
You have low iron and are pregnant in your second or third trimester
You are planning a home birth and want to ensure adequate iron levels before delivery.
Also, I wrote a blog about my personal experience with iron IVs postpartum, and how I was told the way I felt after having a baby was a normal part of the hormone crash. Spoiler: it wasn’t. I was incredibly anemic, and an iron IV got me back in my brain and body within days of receiving it.
Thanks for reading, and I hope you find this post helpful! If you would like to see similar posts about other procedures I offer, let me know.
In health,
Dr. Lorna C., ND
