Long awaited, first ever, Iron Injections started!!! - Anemia Message Board

Georgigirl · 09-01-2007, 04:25 PM

Hello, my name is Georgi and I am new to this forum. I am happy to be here and the information I have found here has fortified me. I have been suffering with Anemia(s), to a lesser and greater degree most of my life. Even as a child I remember suffering with cold hands and feet. Now it all makes sense. I suffer from malabsorption from gluten intolerance and a type of colitis. I recently had the Campylobacter Bacteria which brought my health issues to a crisis. My entire digestive system and gut basically shut down!

I had my first Iron Injection on Thursday. The Dr is starting me out slowly but I am so looking forward to feeling better. I have been so tired and worn out for sooo long. I keep going because I have to, but the strain has really worn me thin. SOOOOO.........I just had to let somebody know that I feel as if I have WON! No more Iron tablets to upset my system and the prospect of having more energy to do the things I want to do ( and be less cranky), is very uplifting! Thanks for listening.

FLFLOWERGIRL · 09-01-2007, 05:11 PM

Hi Georgi and welcome to the board!

Have you been reading long before you posted? I did, I read for months because I was too sick to type back then, hard to believe. It's still hard for me to think.

So, you have celiac isn't that the same thing? And....Colitis. Wow! you got hit hard with malabsorption. What is the Campylobacter Bacteria? I have never heard of this yet? My mom just got her H-pylori in remission, finally.

I'm glad you are getting the iron injections that you need. You will feel so MUCH better but I hear it takes a while. I take oral iron and hate it and have to continue for 5 more months until I see the Hematologist again. Then we see how much longer. I told him last time I thought that I was toxic with iron! Did you take supplement for a long time too? Did you have any reactions to the iron injections? I asked for these but my doc said no, infusion, then he said I didn't need it. If my storage doesn't fill up he will infuse me (((YIKES!))) that scares me.

And cranky, funny how that works, I'm still that way. That was one of my first signs I just couldn't cope with anything all of a sudden. Glad you are here and that you WON that is sooooooo great!!!! Keep us posted. FLFLOWERGIRL

Georgigirl · 09-01-2007, 10:50 PM

Hi FLFLowergirl!,
Thanks for the post. From what I've been told, Gluten sensitivity is kind of like a scale from 1 to 10, Celiac being the extreme where you can have an immediate allergic reaction to Gluten. I feel "flu-like" when I eat any gluten by accident. This is all fairly new to me...ever since my Campylobacter infection in February, my symptoms have become much worse. Campylobacter is a nasty bacteria which causes extreme diahhera, dehydration and bleeding from the intestines. It was almost the end of me because my system was already compromised by a dysfunctional digestive tract.

My own Dr didn't want to give me injections and kept giving me pills. I didn't take them because of the distress on my system and I was too afraid to speak up. So I kept getting sicker. Then by fluke, another problem sent me to my Dr.s office, only he was away, and the replacement Dr was a young female Dr., full of vim and vigor and she went ahead and prescribed iron injections. I thought...DIVINE INTERVENTION!!!

I know it will still take some time to build up my Iron and Iron stores but I finally feel that I am being treated in a way that makes sense and that will put me on the road to recovery. I have been told that often Dr.s don't want to give injectons because they worry about patients being allergic but I think they go to far. Being "blood poor" just takes away Quality of Life. If they could only feel what we feel.

I hope you keep pushing and get the help you need. I will be getting a shot once a week until my ferritin level improves. I will keep you posted.
Thanks

Georgi

Audrey-B · 09-04-2007, 03:36 AM

Hi Georgigirl - It's so good to read that you found a doctor who took a genuine interest and looked at what "could" be done for you rather than what "couldnt" be done, which is what so many doctors appear to do today.

I too went the iron injection route and i never throught they would work, but after my 4th injection i began realising that i wasnt as tired as i used to be. I don't even want to sleep in anymore and am doing some light exercises at home in the morning before breakfast as my specialist always says that it's vital to keep the metabolic fires burning and to do some form of exercise which raises the heart rate.

I had my 5th and last injection on 14 August and will now have a blood test soon to see where i'm at. My doctor didn't even question it. I simply told him that my specialist wants me to have them and he wrote me a script. My specialist, who happens to be a Trichologist (hair/scalp specialist) has now asked if it's ok for him to send other patients of his to my gp for their iron injections as their gp's refuse to administer these injections.

If you don't feel any better after the first few injections, dont panic, some people dont feel much better till after the last injection, but then others will feel the benefits after the first injection. We're all individual and i guess it depends on how depleted you are of ferretin as to how soon you will feel the benefits. I was also told to be patient as the iron goes first to certain parts of the body eg: bone marrow and muscles, while our energy levels, hair/skin/nails get it last and get what's left.

Best of luck with your progress

Georgigirl · 09-05-2007, 07:00 PM

Hi Audrey-B and thanks for the reply! You are so right about the Doctor I saw taking a genuine interest instead of the usual complacency that one is meet with at the "Drs Office". I am so greatful, well even excited in my weakened state

Anyway, seriously, I know that it will take a while (they said probably after my 4th shot), I get one a week for quite a while. It's a smaller dose for my two first shots because they have to watch out for an allergic reaction from me and then they will gradually increase it every time. Soon, I'll be a regular "popeye", I hope, just without the cans of spinach.
I wish more Doctors would be liberal with writing scripts for Iron Injections and bypass the whole intestinal upset, that results from pills. Thats interesting that the iron goes to certain parts of your body first. Eventually it will be nice to have healthier nails and less hair fall, not to mention that it might help improve my arythmia. Thank you very much for your support and knowledge,
Georgi