Over the past year, I have been noticing that my hair was thinning and it felt like I was going bald. I also noticed other symptoms, including bloating, hair loss, exhaustion, feeling light-headed, menstrual issues, and fatigue. 

After many lab reports and doctor appointments, I was diagnosed with an iron deficiency and celiac disease. 

Because I have celiac disease, I cannot eat foods containing gluten, meaning no wheat, rye, or barley. The doctors told me the reason I have an iron deficiency is that I was eating gluten, which causes my body to not be able to get the vitamins I need to function properly. 

This meant I had to change my diet, eliminating all foods containing gluten. I also started taking iron pills, along with Vitamin C, Vitamin B-12, hair vitamins, and a multivitamin daily. However, I was told it would be awhile before I started feeling completely like myself again. 

While taking the iron pills, I commonly experienced stomach pain, nausea, dizziness when standing up quickly, and vomiting. It really felt like the iron pills had no benefit. 

I realized that this year I have been feeling more down than ever. I drive to school exhausted and not know why. After school, I have little to no energy to do anything, not even the things I enjoy doing. All I want to do was go home and lie in my bed for the rest of the day.

Some days are harder than others. I commonly find myself gazing off or not focusing in class because of the fatigue. I even find myself not wanting to do the things I love, like going to soccer practices or games. Some days it feels too hard to drive to practice, let alone give the energy needed to perform well. 

I have been on an iron pill for over six months, but it seems like the damage outweighs the benefits. Therefore, I consulted with my doctor and she recommended getting iron infusions, a treatment where iron gets administered through an IV. Iron then enters the bloodstream, which means my body would be getting the iron it lacked more quickly than the pills. 

On Monday, February 28, 2022 I had my first iron infusion. I have to go back every Monday of March to get another infusion. I need to get infusions every week for five weeks, and then I will get my iron levels checked again.

For my first infusion, I had an IV put into my arm and the iron dripped into my bloodstream for about 45 minutes to an hour. 

My arm began to turn cold and start to tingle. Once I was done, I felt like my one arm was heavier than the other and I was more exhausted. However, I was told by the nurse that I probably will not start to feel a difference until the third or fourth infusion. 

A week later, I went back to get another infusion. This time my arm did not turn as cold as the first time, I hardly felt anything. I was in and out of the hospital within 45 minutes!

I still come home from school exhausted. Some days I have energy but other days I don’t. It is as if I sit down as energy soaks into my body. 

A week later, I got my third infusion. This time I started to notice my hair was slowly growing back. I have more baby hairs in the front now. I feel like I have a little more energy than normal, as things are starting to look up. I have two more infusions to go, and I am excited to hopefully start feeling normal again.