Frequently Asked Questions

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 The timeline for seeing results varies depending on your condition, its severity, and your individual response to treatment. Some patients notice improvements after just a few sessions, while others may require several months of regular treatments before experiencing significant benefits. 

  Yes, therapeutic phlebotomy requires a prescription or referral from a healthcare provider. This ensures the treatment is appropriate for your specific condition. 

 Most patients can drive themselves home after treatment. However, some may experience lightheadedness, so we recommend having someone available to drive you home for your first session. 

  While both procedures involve removing blood, therapeutic phlebotomy is a medical treatment prescribed by a physician to treat specific conditions. The frequency, amount of blood removed, and monitoring protocols are tailored to your specific medical needs. Additionally, blood removed during therapeutic phlebotomy is not typically used for donation purposes due to the underlying medical conditions being treated.  

• Hemochromatosis (iron overload disorder) 
• Polycythemia vera (excess production of red blood cells) 
• Porphyria cutanea tarda 
• Secondary iron overload (from multiple blood transfusions) 
• Certain liver diseases with elevated iron levels 
• Erythrocytosis (high red blood cell count) 

 Treatment frequency varies based on your specific condition, severity, and response to treatment. Initially, patients with hemochromatosis may require weekly treatments until iron levels normalize. Maintenance treatments might then occur every 2-4 months. Your provider will create a personalized schedule based on your lab results and clinical response.  

 A typical session lasts approximately 30-45 minutes. This includes check-in, pre-procedure assessment, the actual blood removal (which takes about 10-15 minutes), and a short post-procedure recovery period to ensure you're feeling well before leaving our facility.  

 Therapeutic phlebotomy effectively manages conditions like hemochromatosis and polycythemia vera, but it's typically not a cure. For genetic conditions like hereditary hemochromatosis, ongoing maintenance treatments are usually required throughout life. However, with proper treatment, most patients can lead normal, healthy lives with minimal complications from their condition.