Saying That Iron Infusions Can Change Your Life, Is Not An Understatement
This month we are featuring an interview with repeat Mainline Wellness patient Kendal Paul who credits iron infusions with vastly improving her already remarkable running times. Kendal is an elite athlete with a race coming up in Chicago. The Mainline team will be cheering her on from afar and are thrilled to feature her story about empowerment. When Kendal realized treating her iron deficiency with infusions from Mainline was safe and highly effective, she has not looked back. And with the times she outlines below, she is moving forward, rather quickly.
Marathons are an important part of your fitness regime. What do you enjoy doing most? What is your biggest challenge?
I most enjoy marathon training, itself. For me, it involves about 12 weeks of preparation, with three easy runs and two hard workouts per week, with increasing mileage every week up until about three weeks prior to race day. Every marathon-build for me has involved at least one curveball (potential injuries/illness, scheduling issues with work, failed workouts) which tests my resiliency, self-concept and the “why” of it all. Given this, I am learning to celebrate finishing a training block and making it to the start line healthy, irrespective of what race day has in store for me.
What led you to seek out iron infusions at Mainline Wellness?
I had a fatigue panel in 2012 which revealed my ferritin stores were below 10. At that time, I was running yearly marathons and half marathons, but I was not training with the volume, intensity, or programming that I am today. I was told to take iron pills and I did that. Over the years, my ferritin remained in that similar very low range, but it was not interrupting my life in any significant way. Then, in 2018, I joined Mile2Marathon and started running harder and longer. I was frustrated by my labored breathing, weak legs, and difficult races – which was not improving over a half a year of solid training. I got a blood panel in the summer of 2018 which again showed that my ferritin was low. I took Bob’s iron for six weeks and my ferritin hardly budged. That is when I found Dr. Davidson at Mainline. I have had yearly infusions since that time, with excellent results and no side-effects.
How would you describe your experience with the infusion process at Mainline Wellness?
In all my visits to date, the team at Mainline has answered my (many) questions about the risks and benefits of iron infusions and have left me feeling at ease. Mainline staff includes doctors, nurse practitioners, and nurses, who monitor you closely during your infusion. The entire process is efficient and streamlined, from booking the appointment to undergoing the single monoferric infusion, to returning for a repeat infusion, where necessary.
Did you notice any immediate improvements in your health or symptoms following the infusion
Within 10 days to 2 weeks, I felt like a different person, particularly with respect to my energy and strength while doing intense physical exercise.
What have the full effects of IV iron infusion meant for your marathon training and endurance?
With the benefit of an infusion in the fall of 2018, my training improved dramatically almost immediately. I stopped dreading hard workouts and my race times improved significantly over a one-year period. I went from a 3:22 marathon in the summer of 2018 to a sub-3 marathon in October 2019, with the benefit of the infusion. I went from a 1:34 half marathon in August 2018 to a 1:23 half marathon in September 2019. I have continued to run improved times since then to present date, because I am able to recognize the telltale signs of low iron and take steps to fix the issue right away.
Do you have any upcoming races?
I am running in the Chicago marathon on October 8, 2023.
Can you share any advice or tips for others who may be considering or preparing for an IV iron infusion?
Many women have low iron stores, due to pregnancy and childbirth, their monthly cycle, inadequate dietary consumption of iron-rich foods, and/or other reasons. My best advice is to be alive to what your body is telling you. In the context of running, it is abnormal to always feel tired, weak, and laboured. If this is you, get your ferritin and hemoglobin tested and speak to someone at Mainline about getting an infusion to change your life.
Thank you Kendal and good luck in Chicago
How Does Mainline Wellness Fit In?
At Mainline Wellness, we are focused on improving the awareness and understanding of iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia in Canada to help more patients get the help they need – preoperative or otherwise.
We are committed to offering safe, timely, and accessible ER physician and nurse supervised iron infusions. Speak to your healthcare provider to see if iron infusions may be helpful for you. Treatment can begin within one week.
I don't have a doctor but suspect I'm low iron, what do I do?
If you think you may be a candidate for IV iron but don't have a GP or your care provider is not comfortable referring for IV iron, request a consult with an independent specialist from Well Health. Our new referral system will help you with the access you need.
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