I am having my debulking surgery on the 24th and this nurse from the blood substitution unit has been calling me for a week telling me to get iron into me cause my hemoglobin is low and has been since January. Now all of a sudden they are in a panic to get my blood up...I don't know why they didn't tell me to take something before now...I have just over 2 weeks until surgery. And they have had my results since January!!!!

So today she called me at my doctor's office asking me if I was going to get the Eprex, a drug that stimulates your bone marrow into producing more red blood cells. I told her that was what I was doing at the dr's office, to get his opinion on it. Then she said I might have to pay up front for it at the pharmacy cause it is so expensive, I asked how much and she said $450/dose and I need 2 shots of it. Well I about fell off my chair. And then I was reading about it on the internet and it said not to take it if you suspect aluminum toxicity, so I wasn't seriously considering taking it anyway...cause of mercury issues.

Thank goodness my new MD said not to get it, it is too invasive and not necessary, and just to go with the Floravit that Kim recommended...he said that will do the trick and it is very good stuff. And it is herbal too, and I don't mind the taste at all. I love my new doctor, but he is retiring the end of June.

But can you imagine, $900 for 2 doses, the nerve of the Big Pharma!!! And the side effects are a page long!!!

I may have been born at night, but it wasn't last night!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

The nurse probably gets a free vacation or something for selling it. Also, I think it may actually be illegal for nurses to push or recommend drugs, in almost every state. That is a doctor's job, not a nurse's.

It never ceases to amaze me how these things work.

Just in case it helps anyone: Yellow Dock is the herb of choice for raising iron levels.

Actually it was on a dr's recommendation, he was writing the 'script, she was just the messenger...maybe they split the commissions or take the trip together!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif" alt="" />

Thanks for that tip Russ, I am taking only natural supplements, and I think the burdock is in one of them...maybe the Essiac tea.

I wouldn't have taken the prescription meds even if they gave it to me for free....not even if they gave me the trip!!!

Sandi
xoxo

me neither. I have been conducting a long and intimate personal survey over many years. I have noticed, without doubt, that the only people who make it (in good health) to the age of 85 or 90 or more are the ones that stay away from doctors and prescription medications. The only ones.

Someone on the Yeast Connection just posted this, it tells how drs are making millions pushing these injection drugs......and they are very dangerous. 6 cancer drs received 2.7 millon dollars for prescribing these drugs...sick hey?

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/b...&oref=slogin&oref=slogin

Good link.

Yes, many still don't know that pharmaceutical companies pay big kickbacks to doctors. After all, they are distributors. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />