Connect with people who understand what you are going through, seek advice and surround yourself with support. We're free, anonymous, and professionally moderated 24/7.

47,612Members
1,358,869Posts
1,400,000Visitors

Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

Rosepetal96Senior Contributor25 Dec 2025, 7:51 pm AEDT

Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

Hi,

I recently had an iron infusion yesterday to help restore my feratin levels that were extremely low. Prior to this I was already not in a great head space because of said low iron flaring a vasovagal response sending me to hospital.

I guess since that time I've been quite traumatised and on edge. I've had to resume therapy and I've had to adjust medications. While I have had some good days, it feels few and far between and since this infusion (I understand there's some side effects as the body adjusts to all the iron) i feel my anxiety has heightened so much so, at the end of Christmas lunch I burst into tears, and have gotten so overwhelmed from this packing for my holiday, i unfortunately had to take some short term relief medicine. This is something I've been heavily trying to avoid, as I would prefer to just take my prescribed combination of medications I've had to adjust, rather than be dependent on this other short term strategy for if things are too much.

I just wondered if anyone else has experience with gad and having completely depleted iron requiring an iron infusion and whether they experienced a deligue of mood swings and worsening anxiety symptoms? And I guess just looking for reassurance for a feeling of relief. 🫣

Current strategies include:

Journalling and tracking emotions

Camomile tea

Going for a walk

Taking a warm shower and putting clean pyjamas on

Diffusing essential oils

3 replies

1 - 3 of 3

In response to: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

avant-gardeSenior Contributor26 Dec 2025, 2:17 am AEDT

Re: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

@Rosepetal96

You are not alone in this, last year I had an iron infusion and I did not expect it to mentally rock me as much as it did, increased anxiety mainly.

I found some posts I did in that time, seemed to have settled within a few days though.

----------------

It's more that I'm shaking and need to calm down, jigsaw puzzles, nonograms, music, routine, coffee, coffee calms me down for some reason...
I'm breathing and just rolling with the punches... and the tears
I didn't expect it to be emotionally this hard... I feel vulnerable... overwhelmed... triggered... and like it's all too hard...

----------------

In response to: Re: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

Rosepetal96Senior Contributor26 Dec 2025, 10:35 am AEDT

Re: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

Thank you @avant-garde , this is definitely re assuring. I am indeed rolling with the punches as well.

🙏 I am hoping and looking forward to seeing some improvements in the coming weeks 🤞

In response to: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

Holly__GLContributor26 Dec 2025, 3:10 pm AEDT

Re: Coping with low iron and managing anxiety heightening from an infusion

I’ve had so many iron infusions and to be honest I’m so anxious most of the time that I wouldn’t have linked that to anxiety but it very well could have been!

Deep breaths making sure you exhale longer than you inhale and when you exhale it’s like you’re blowing through a straw or blowing candles out on a cake.

Your nervous system needed a relief through that cry and deeps breaths with long exhales shows your nervous system that it’s safe. Go gently with yourself.

1 - 3 of 3