Still nauseous after iron infusion, it’s been almost 8 days

i will think about switching to a different one if possible. i didn’t know there was more than 1. i’m in australia and not sure if all countries have lots of different types 

I think I’m on the same train as you. Day 6, and I feel like I’m dying. Nausea, shakes, aches, diarrhea. Thinking about a hospital trip to make sure my kidneys and liver are doing ok. Did your  symptoms wax and wane? They start to get just a little bit better? What have you been doing to cope? How are you feeling now?  Very curious to see if there’s a light at the end of this tunnel. 

Hi Elizabeth,

Sorry for my late response, I must have missed it.  I ended up getting a stomach infection after my iron infusion also. That's why it took so long for me to heal.  It was helicobacter pylori and it was hell. I was on antibiotics for 2 weeks to kill it off and finished them mid May. It took me up to early May to come back to work on reduced hours.  I am still feeling the effects of the stomach infection and not yet 100%.  My specialist said that iron is such a strong mineral, it ended up washing away my whole stomach flora enabling the bad bacteria to thrive.  Knowing what I know now, never again. I still have to manage my diet and avoid highly acidic foods, red meat being one of them but once my stomach inflammation heals I will increase my iron rich foods in my diet and have regular blood tests to monitor. I hope you are feeling better?

When I was in hospital they did a colonoscopy and gastroscopy and found the bacteria in my biopsies. Everything else was all clear but the iron did make me very sick. Due to the bacteria I wasn't able to each much which meant my diarrhoea subsided but that's what put me in hospital initially, excessive diarrhoea due to the the iron infusion. My stomach feels better after having completed the AB to kill off the bacteria but I am still experiencing feelings of off balance/dizziness. I initially started feeling like this when I commenced on the AB for the bacteria and now it's just continued. Seeing a second Dr on the weekend given my regular GP didn't have a clue.  I know it's not iron given my last blood test was over 6 weeks ago and iron levels high/good.  My specialist said it will take at least 6 months for my iron to settle.  When exactly did you have yours?  It may pay to see another Dr and get a second opinion.  Have you had the levels checked since your infusion?  I don't feel exhausted like I used to when I was anaemic, my tiredness is different now and I feel it is due to my stomach infection and the slow recovery.

I’m resisting throwing up, but I’m so nauseous it’s hard to function. When I wake up in the morning, I almost can’t move I’m so sick. I wonder if H. Pylori could cause that severe nausea. Did the doctors in the hospital think everything was from the infusion? What were their theories 

I had my infusion on May 26 and spent the next 3/4 days in bed with severe flu like symptoms, body aches and pains. Then the diarrhoea set in and I was in hospital on Easter Sunday, 1 April.  How is your diet? Can you eat?  Do you have severe stomach pain and nausea when you try to eat? if so, it may not be the iron but the same infection I got.  I am part of Facebook group where another lady also got HP infection after an iron infusion so it does happen.  It can be detected via a stool test so may be an option for you if you still experiencing issues.   I still have bouts of nausea but I don't think it is from the iron infusion but from my spells of off balance/dizziness and I'm yet to find a Dr who can tell me what is causing it. My naturopath suspects it is still my inflamed stomach which takes a minimum of 6 weeks to heal.  The antibiotics themselves caused dizziness/nausea (one of the many side effects listed in the leaflet) and only helped with everything but these symptoms. I did take a strong probiotic that my Naturopath recommended and I finished that last week, took it for a whole 30 days during and after my AB treatment.  I didn't throw up but felt very close to doing so with the nausea and in the height of my stomach issues, wasn't able to eat a thing. It was only when my Dr placed me on Nexium to help with the stomach acid that it settled and I was able to eat very bland foods.  My diet has improved since I finished he AB though but I am still avoiding highly acidic foods until I can be certain my stomach inflammation is gone. The public hospital Dr's were clueless, I kept telling them I don't believe in coincidences and that the iron has somehow caused another problem with my stomach but they kept saying it was unrelated. It wasn't until I asked for my own private Dr (I have private health cover) that he pieced it all together. He said, he suspected that given iron is a such a strong mineral and a lot of people experience gastro intestinal problems when taking any sort of iron supplement, that the infusion I was given was too much for me in one go, that it completely flushed out my gut flora and enabled the bad bacteria to thrive, hence causing my stomach infection.

Agree it is not normal, I had all the symptoms you describe above directly after my iron infusion also.  We are the rare group who have severe reactions to the iron and unfortunately Dr's do not tell you this or monitor you afterwards to help you get back to normal.  It almost defeats the purpose of infusing you with iron when you are completely debilitated afterwards for an extended period of time.

aaah this is exactly what my doc said. You are one if the unlucky ones.. how does that helps us get back into our normal lives. I cannot stay in bed forever.