Iron infusion treatments didn’t work!

So I have iron deficiency anemia. Back in August I was given three iron Infusion treatments over the course of three weeks.

I then did my blood work a week and a half ago to recheck my iron. The lab work came back the same as it did before the infusion treatments. Except now with new weird levels in my red blood cell count, and my calcium levels.

I don’t understand!

I’ve been eating an iron enriched diet.

I had a two hour session infusion treatments three different times.

So I go back and see the doctor on October 29th.

I also don’t get a period due to having hysterectomy. So no bleeding from that. I’ve had my stomach and colon tested no bleeding from there!

Don’t know the cause of anemia?

I’m feeling sick all the time which has been going on for a very long time. I’m tired constantly. Working out is a big effort on my part.

I was hoping the infusion treatments would make me feel much better.

But they didn’t even take.

I've had iron deficiency anemia a few times and iron pills fixed it but then I was very sick with blood poisoning and my iron was super low so I had an infusion which resolved it.

We arent doctors here, so please heed what your doctor says and hope you feel better soon.

I'm afraid the doctors are going to have to go down their list of disorders to get to the heart of the trouble. There's so many things they need to test for. Certainly "women troubles" are a big cause of it, including internal bleeding, but it can also be your thyroid, celiac disease, colitis, leukemia, hemophilia, hemorrhoids, and a bunch of other diseases and infections. It's difficult to diagnose. Modern medicine still has a long way to go.

What does the doctor suggest?

Hey thanks!

Yeah not on here asking for medical advice I guess just venting. 😂

What does the doctor suggest?

Hey Holly she’s wanting to do a bone marrow biopsy. I’m scared to do that test. I know it will answer a lot of questions though.

Hey Danzee yeah there’s a lot more she will have to do.

Sorry to hear this. Hope you feel better. Have you consulted a hematologist? You are doing everything right and the treatments are the standard of care when iron can not be properly absorbed from the digestive tract. Hopefully you have been worked up for metabolic abnormalities especially thyroid. And particularly given the new red blood cell and calcium levels abnormalities. Iron deficiency anemia happens in two ways. Loss of iron predominantly through frank or occult bleeding or lack of available iron either from intake lack or reduced utilization and incorporation into the hemoglobin in the cells. There is a whole cascade of events that need to be in place, so a thorough work up in light of the poor infusion results seems warranted.

The lab work came back the same as it did before the infusion treatments. Except now with new weird levels in my red blood cell count, and my calcium levels. So I go back and see the doctor on October 29th. I was hoping the infusion treatments would make me feel much better.

Hey Holly she’s wanting to do a bone marrow biopsy. I’m scared to do that test. I know it will answer a lot of questions though.

 

Hey Danzee yeah there’s a lot more she will have to do.

Please do it. I used to suffer with serious anaemia (horrendous periods) before the hysterectomy. Freedom! I know how dangerous this can be, and how awful one can feel.

Sorry to hear this. Hope you feel better. Have you consulted a hematologist? You are doing everything right and the treatments are the standard of care when iron can not be properly absorbed from the digestive tract. Hopefully you have been worked up for metabolic abnormalities especially thyroid. And particularly given the new red blood cell and calcium levels abnormalities. Iron deficiency anemia happens in two ways. Loss of iron predominantly through frank or occult bleeding or lack of available iron either from intake lack or reduced utilization and incorporation into the hemoglobin in the cells. There is a whole cascade of events that need to be in place, so a thorough work up in light of the poor infusion results seems warranted.

Thank you Wiseman!

It’s my hematologist that’s doing all of these tests. I recently had thyroid and other metabolic and hormone tests which came back normal from the Endocrinologist. I do have hypothyroidism.

The bone marrow biopsy will help rule out or diagnose any blood cancers. I think that’s why she wants to do it.

I see her again next week.

I’ve been tested for Lupus several times and it always comes back negative. My mom thinks I’m going to have a positive come back. I didn’t know you could eventually get a positive if you have it. So that’s a possibility.

Please do it. I used to suffer with serious anaemia (horrendous periods) before the hysterectomy. Freedom! I know how dangerous this can be, and how awful one can feel.

I had a hysterectomy also due to severe endometriosis. The ironic thing is I had horrible heavy bleeding before the hysterectomy and was never once anemic.

Now I’ve been checked thoroughly and I’m not actively bleeding from anywhere and I’m anemic. My doctor is confused.

If she does say next week she does need to do the bone marrow biopsy then I will. She’s been trying to resort to that last. I’m pretty sure she will now that my red blood cell count is abnormal.

My heart goes out to you, Limichelle. You mention working out, but I'd phone doc to ask about that. When I was severely anemic my doc warned against it until we got my count up.

Fingers crossed for you, and I'm holding you in my thoughts.

Thank you so much! Yeah I have to hold off on exercise I found out until the doctor knows what’s going on.

I’m feeling really fatigued. I was making my bed earlier and ended up sleeping for three hours. I didn’t realize it, it was as if I just passed right on out. I didn’t even finish making the bed.

I was recently checked for sleep apnea I got the test results and they came back showing no sleep apnea.

The doctor is trying to rule everything out.

I know anemia causes fatigue but this is getting ridiculous.

I’m sleeping more then I should and I’m more emotional because I’m feeling frustrated at the same time.

I feel crummier then before I had the infusion treatments.

I volunteer at the animal shelter and I find myself low energy causing me not to be as productive as I normally would be. I told the lady in charge what’s happening with me and she is understanding.

I’m sore as well. I have this constant bone ache that’s been there since I haven’t been well.

I’m sorry for whining I just need to vent tonight.

Monday I see the doctor and will let her know my frustrations.

Does your doc have you on Feosol or another iron supplement?

She didn’t want to put me on iron supplements because I have really bad stomach issues. She was worried it would make things worse. I think that’s why she was doing the iron infusion treatments. I had quite a bit of iron put into me. It’s just odd that it didn’t do anything. I may have to do the iron supplement if the infusion isn’t going to work.