Low Iron? How Can it Still be Low?

[Jennifer]

Hello everyone! Just read the bold below about Iron intake and infusions if you can't help with my skin rash issue (not in bold).

So I went to South Carolina to visit my fiance's family. I got what I thought was a mosquito bite, then I guess spider bite but now my doctor says its an allergic reaction to "unknown." I was in Summerville S. Carolina scratching away at my small bump enjoying every scratch then looked at it before bed and it was a red, circular, flat welt the size of a quarter. It was hard and warm to the touch. Then it got bigger to about the size of a baseball and still close to circular yet a bit off with a hard center and the rest was just red, itchy and warm. We assumed spider bite. That was around the 9th this month weeks ago. Since then it got better and was almost gone until last night I woke up scratching and its the same large itchy welt all over again. I also have other itchy spots that are similar but are no bigger than a dime on my back and other arm. I got all of those bites around the same time (if not the same day/time). Assuming they are bites to begin with. No one can find any puncture points and with the amount I've scratched a couple, I should see where the puncture came from (we've all scratched one to death and made it puss all over, don't lie). Crohn's related? Unknown. GP is having me take 20mg of Prednisone for 5 days (I can already feel it (first pill, yuck)) and use a prescription cream to help with the itch. I'm still itchy. This cream sucks.

Also I got my blood work back and it says I'm still low on iron. I was told to start taking 325mg like 2 months ago and have taken it every night since. Apparently there hasn't been a change in my iron levels. My GP told me to double my iron intake. Does this sound right to any of you? I'm getting a red flag in my mind. I wish my current doctors didn't completely suck. I'll try to contact my GI tomorrow about it (yet even he sucks). Edit: I'd also like to know how and when one should get iron infusions.

I took myself off of Entocort as well (while on my trip a couple weeks ago after I got the possible spider bite so no connection there). My GI wanted me to come off of it soon and said to call him in a couple weeks (why I don't know). The Entocort wasn't doing anything anyway. I'm now back to that stage of sick of being sick and I'm not even that sick yet. I just know I'm going to be cause my insurance and doctor selection sucks and my current doctors got their degrees at McDonalds.

I haven't been on in a while cause I'm still care giving for my grandparents and its taking a lot out of me so sorry for the no show for a while. Hope everyone is ok.

 

[Jennifer]

Lots of views but no replies this morning. If anything I'd like to know more about the iron starting in paragraph 2 if the rest is tldr. How many of you get iron infusions and how does that work? Did you have to be anemic or just low enough? I'm losing my hair here and my GI copped out and said "stress." I also get dizzy sometimes and feel tired most of the time.

 

[Rebecca85]

If taking oral iron hasn't altered your levels at all, I would think that it's time for infusions because it suggests you aren't absorbing any. If there was a slight increase then I can see that doubling the intake might help. But I don't have much experience because when I was anaemic I responded well to oral iron.

As for the bite thing, it sounds very similar to something my mum has. When we were on holiday in France, she ended up with a hard red lump that covered her whole thigh. She also has 'flares' of itchy skin, if she then touches or scratches it comes up instantly wity white or red welts. Hers has been linked to an allergic reaction she had many years ago, I think it's similar to Crohn's in that the inflammatory whatevers are present, and can be triggered and cause problems. She hasn't managed to identify the triggers, but has found that some antihistamines (Piriton in particular) help an attack.

Hope that is some help at least!

 

[Jennifer]

Ya Crohn's was mentioned at some point so I wasn't sure. Its never happened to me before. Some antihistamines helped me too. Seems like the Prednisone is helping so far. Luckily its only a 5 day dose. I think the Entocort made me retain a little water. Either that or I'm just fat now. Whatever. Sorry. Been bitchy lately cause I'm still itchy. And fat.

 

[David]

Hi Crabby,

1. Vitamin C, Copper, and Vitamin A are all cofactors for proper iron absorption. If you're supplementing iron but still low, I'd ask to have those levels checked as well. If you're found to be low in Vitamin A, read this thread before supplementing it.

2. Does your rash look anywhere close to any of these?

 

[Jennifer]

None of those. That middle one looks like lyme disease. Pic might be blurry and fat but that's it. It's a little redder than that and the whole thing was raised about the thickness of a nickle or abouts.

Edit: I have two smaller ones on my back about the width of a nickle but raised just the same.

 

[Keekee]

Hi Crabby,

I jumped 3 points on the hemoglobin scale in two months by taking Homeo Medication called "ferrum phosphoricum". Check it out. I started off with a hemoglobin level of 7 when i was first diagnosed, (the start of this year), jumped to 8.5 in six months ( I was on the SCD diet, not even strictly on it) and Since I began the homeo, jumped to 10.5! It has had no reactions with my tummy, and I feel so much more energetic and motivated.

You should give it a shot after you've checked with your docs.

Hope this helps!

 

[Jennifer]

I dunno about that. It says it can cause bleeding. :/

 

[Jennifer]

Still looking for help with the low iron issue (in bold up top). Thanks!

 

[Crohn's 35]

I would defo get some doctor to give you infusions. Do you feel tired or run down? I never had Iron issues so I can't help you there. I do know that good digestive enzymes can help absorb nutrients better..dunno what to suggest.

As for your welt, I have seen that before, are you sure it was a mosquito bite? Looks like a spider bite. My step father used to get welts like that it was from black fly bites he was allergic to them. Hope you get answers soon!

 

[Jennifer]

Only time I don't feel tired and run down is when I'm on Prednisone. Today was my last day of taking it so we'll see if the welt comes back. After that, dunno what to do about it. Docs say that if it isn't rotting, then it isn't a big deal or get your Crohn's under control. Thought it was under control yet here I am not absorbing much needed nutrients. My GI is having me take probiotics with good live bacteria as well. I don't notice a difference in his hocus pocus medicine.

My GP didn't say to see her again even though she wants me to up the iron intake. So I had to be my own doctor and made an appointment with her and when I see her I'll have her order me some lab work. If nothing's changed with the iron (some people say that that much iron in pill form is bad for you) then I'll ask about infusions. I'm sick of being a patient of doctors who don't know anything. Can't tell a spider bite from anemia. Doctorates are too easy to get these days.

 

[shamrock15]

I ended up firing my so-called Crohn's expert GI due to an iron absorption issue. All he wanted to do was tinker around with Remicade to cure it - what a quack! Anyhow, after 3 years, my iron is finally back to where it is supposed to be. Not really sure what might have caused the change. No direct link to a change in medication (if so, it would be vitamin related - 2000IU vitamin d/day, 1000 mcg vit b12). May be linked to a better sleep schedule than I have had in years. That is the only thing that really makes sense for the timing.

About the bites - any chance they could have been bedbugs?

 

[Jennifer]

They don't follow a pattern of bed bugs and look nothing like what the bites should. Not to mention the bites for bedbugs should have gone away within a couple of days (no one else was bitten either, ever apparently). I still lean towards spider bite but my GP (who is a woman) doesn't think it is and said it could be the Crohn's or something I'm allergic to.

 

[Terriernut]

Crabby, you are gorgeous!! (sorry..off topic)

That looks like a recluse spider bite to me. It also looks like you are having a worse reaction because you are on 6MP.

As for the iron, I'm sorry, but you really need iron infusions. Either that or I expect you to eat steak, more steak, followed up by spinach by the truckload. I do believe that the infusions might be easier on your digestive system!