biologics and iron infusions for me

So I've had some symptoms the last month, not terrible, but not feeling the symptomatic remission I've been feeling for the last five months. I saw my calprotectin levels go down from November to February and my iron levels go slightly up. Then, this month my iron is lower than before November and my calprotectin levels are higher than November. So, the bullet I dodged in Feb. - not going on anti-TNF therapy and not getting iron infusions - by being aggressive with an anti-inflammatory and high iron diet, is back. I have been eating meat and lentils, tofu, veggies, foods recommended for low iron (to bring up my iron levels) and taking iron pills, I didn't stick to my anti-inflammatory diet as well as usual this month (because of baked goods and some fried foods), and I'm probably going to start taking infliximab ( I think that's what it's called: Remicade biosimilar) and I have three appointments in July for iron infusions. I've had low iron for five years, my GI thinks I have inflammation in the small intestine, the inflammation she saw in my colonoscopy last July was severe. I'm tired of being tired. I think it's time for me to stop constantly thinking about my health and let my doctors do the thinking for me. Also the plus side of infliximab is I'll have a nurse to talk to. My GI is very busy, and I've been relying on the internet for most of my advice and medical information.

Thank you! I need to hear this. Even though the diet (along with mesalamines) did seem to help with my gut symptoms, I still had low iron issues, fatigue and joint pain.

I second asking about Ferinject. After having an anaphylactic reaction to an older iron formulation, I tried Ferinject a few years later with zero issues and have had it several times since then. You also only need one infusion instead of a few - the fewer hospital visits in these Covid times, the better.

Good luck with Remicade too.

Today I will talk via zoom with my GI. I’ve been meaning to write down a list of questions for her, but have only come up with three:

1) (very hard to answer I know) is it a possibility that infliximab will remove my chronic fatigue?
2) will I need to take another medication to prevent a reaction or developing antibodies to the biologics?
3) why do you think my inflammation levels went down between November and February?

I think I have an answer to 1 and 3 but it will be a good discussion point.

When I started Remicade in 2016, I was surprised when my Hemoglobin levels jumped up. It was 13. It was the first time to see such a level. I asked my GI and he explained that the inflammation of my intestines was the cause of the my constant low iron levels (for 9 years). I used to get iron infusions. But after Remicade, most of the time, my iron levels hit the normal range. It was just very few times when they didn't and then they returned normal or almost normal again.