Fast heart rate After taking Iron Meds. Why/Help

Yes, I had an iron infusion a month ago and had a reaction during the infusion - my heart rate went up quickly from about 60 - 138 beats so they stopped the infusion halfway through but my heart rate kept going up every now and then afterwards, even after the infusion. Since then, I still have Tachycardia several times a day and in the last week have been to emergency (once in an ambulance) because I felt so sick and nearly fainted with this ‘feeling’. It’s hard to describe but my chest tightens and my heart rate goes up quickly and I just don’t feel well at all. I’ve been to a cardiologist (yesterday) and he doesn’t think it’s my heart (after ECG’s, blood tests and a CT scan) but I suspect it’s somehow been caused by my iron infusion because the episodes feel the same. I stopped drinking strong tea and coffee yesterday which has helped but I had another episode tonight. I’m due to have an echocardiogram and wear a Holter monitor to rule out my heart but if that’s the case, I’ll try to convince the doctors that it could be the reaction to the infusion. Is anyone else having any trouble with this?

Can any one advise how long it takes with Anemia/low iron for the shortness of breath symptoms to go?

I read online it takes 1 weeks to build up the haemoglobin in the iron stores and 1 further week to circulate through the body. Should I be concerned after taking Ferrous sulphate 200mg twice a day for 5 days at this early stage the shortness of breath is still flaring up?

i’ve been of work for 3 weeks after fighting the symptoms over 4 months and am keen to get back to normal but I know these things take time

Any reassurance would help!

Hi 

takes my symptoms 3-4weeks to improve ..you’ll suddenly realise that the heart pounding and breathlessness has eased .. and then your energy will start increasing and then you’ll realise how unwell you were 😬

hang in there .. it will work 👍

Thanks Sally that’s very reassuring!😇 do you think rest helps? I’ve been referred to a private respiratory specialist which looks like it may be quite expensive for the shortness of breath. Debating whether to go or not as if it is from the low iron/anemia it may just go in time with the iron tablets I’m on

I think rest is what your body is forcing you to do ..I find when my hb is low and ferritin is low too my heart races when I lay down quite scary .. your heart is having to beat fast to get enough oxygen round your body ... so having an afternoon nap was a necessity and just plodding .. was all I could manage .. you just know your heart is working hard .. but the iron tablets will improve your hb .. and then your ferritin ..you need to keep taking them for at least 6 months to get ferritin store levels up ...which then keeps your haemaglobin healthy .. liver is good to eat once a week .. fried is best ..very high in iron .. and steak ..and dark chocolate, walnuts, etc all help ...hope that helps ..

i was hb 8 ferritin 4 at one point ...irontablets soon lifted me up ..

hope that helps 

Hi Louise, I hope you still read these boards and see this as I note you posted this months ago.

Reading you're post here it could have been me that posted it.

I get exactly the same!, do you also feel like you can't breathe? I don't mean like anemia breathlessness I mean in a different way as if you're breathing inside a steam room or sauna?.

hi andrew! i dont know if you still read these but i have the exact same issue, heart palpatations, i cannot breathe, i even get pins and needles in my face!

Hi sorry just seen your post was 2 years ago but wondering how you are now? I recently had 2 iron infusions and seem to be having more palpitations/episodes of dizziness than when I was acutely anaemic.

Thanks

Claire, I'm going OK but had a terrible 12 months. I ended up in emergency 4 times, in ICU overnight and had many, many episodes where my concentration and focus would disappear, i couldn't breathe and a constantly felt like i was going to faint/pass out. I had tachycardia after an episode. Had trouble driving and called my husband many times when I had an episode. Gradually the episodes happened further apart and then after a year, i felt nearly normal. I think it upset my heart rhythms as i now have atrial fibrillation. i was 100 % healthy before my infusion so that's the frustrating thing! Hope you recover OK - it could take up to a year to get it out of your system. I decided i would just take iron tablets.

hello I read your post on low iron. did you ever figure out why it was happening?

Did your Afib ever improve?

Hi, yes it did - took 9 months to get over the worst of the infusion (episodes, tacycardia, shortness of breath etc...) and 5 years to stop having 99% of the 'episodes' - even weaker ones. I cant really take much iron so i only take natural tablets (liver, beef) and they seem ok.

hiya i dont have anemia but low iron stores i have this heart pounding and chest and palpitations. is it the ferros sulpate or my low store ? i think i wNt to try a natural iron ?

Hi! yes i had four iron infusions the last one was last Tuesday I've had fast heartbeat palpitations I was not born anemic but I had a miscarriage with twins which caused me to lose alot of blood. I get light dizzy my heart beats fast I decided to stop the iron infusions right in the middle of treatment. I got headaches and I feel my heart flutters my back tighten ups so I'm praying this will go away soon

hi Linda i hope you still using this forum and answer me . so sorry to hear about your anemia and palpitation issues. my daughter who is 13 she recently start her period and got little anemic so her doctor put her on regular iron tablet which is 65mg furrous sulphat but unfotnately she started palpitation not feeling well last few months finally i figure it out that when she miss the tablet she feel ok but when she take one she feel horrible and she missed many days of school not feeling well long story short . your symptom are same as her and doc dont beleive that it cause of iron they dont associate these symptoms with iron tablet her doctor said we never heard that . so thats why i m reaching you what help you to maintain iron level what brand of tablet you taking please share your experince it might help my daughter thank you and i pray you feel better now take care

hi hows your afib now are you completely recover from it . your heart beat set to normal on its own after stopping iron pills i really hoping you feel much better and 100 percent recover now . palpitation is horrrible .