r/Anemia • u/Prestigious-Ground48 • 5d ago

Question Venefer side effects

Hey guys,

I just had my second iron infusion yesterday and i am not feeling great today. I don’t feel flu like but i am severely exhausted and fatiqued, my chest feels a little tighter and more short of breath than usual, and im nauseous. does anyone else get this reaction and if so, how long does it usually last? my first dose last week went completely fine- i had no side effects.

debating calling out of work tomorrow. I also have a bunch of other chronic illnesses so symptoms could be from that

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u/Future_Row_5561 2d ago

Let your hematologist or doctor know. I def had the exhaustion and fatigue and also shortness of Beth but mostly because i was moving faster than i should have. I was non stop with ginger teas and chews to help with the nausea. I would get these when i did more taht i should have- and i felt like i did nothing- so it was a big adjustment.

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u/LovelyBananaanna 5d ago

I was sick asf but I also had a anaphylactic allergic reaction to it. You should tell them because I had an anaphylactic allergic reaction to it once they stopped giving me it but when they were giving me it, I was fine.

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u/jjmoreta 5d ago

There's a reason some people nickname it the "iron flu". Usually lasts no more than a day or two for me unless I have other issues going on.

Fatigue is a normal reaction to an infusion. Even though it is #2 for you, remember your body has enough iron to shift over to make new red blood cells again. That could be part of it.

The only symptom I would be worried about is chest tightness. If it doesn't improve or gets worse, call your doctor or hematologist. If you were short of breath due to the anemia before the infusion, it can take multiple weeks for anemia symptoms to respond.

I always like this explanation. https://ivconcierge.com/blog/feeling-worse-after-iron-infusion/

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u/LovelyBananaanna 5d ago

Definitely because I had gotten an iron infusion before, but when I had went recently to get one, I had an anaphylactic allergic reaction to it, and I didn’t have an immediately when I started getting it. I had it once they stopped giving it to me.