Anemic?

[ASD123456]

Hi,

Are any of you girls anemic? I recieved a letter from the midwife today saying that I am and to make an appointment with the doc to get some iron tablets. Have any of you girls taken these and if so have you noticed that they have helped? What are the symptoms of anemia anyway- I really don't know much about it, will this have any affect on LO and my labour etc?

The best bit is that it took them 6 weeks to inform me of this

Alex xxx

 

[Bubalu]

Hi Alex,

I have had anaemia on and off all my life. It's a lack of iron which is important in making red blood cells. Generally anaemia can make you feel tired but I would not worry too much about it. If you take iron supplements that the doc gives you, you should get it sorted. I think that it shouldn't affect your LO but it's a good idea to have your iron levels built up in case you have a lot of blood loss during birth so that your body can make new blood cells and so you recover more quickly.

I take a natural plant supplement called Floridix which you can get from health food stores. That's safe to take in pregnancy and has a form of iron that is easy for the body to take up and tastes quite nice IMO. It also has other useful vitamins too.

Hope you get it sorted.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

Basically is makes you feel like you have no energy, but tbh i have been anaemic most of my life and i don't even really notice it!

Iron tablets are disgusting. They are really not nice - the side effects are constipation and black poo for starters

So i just don't take them!

There are other ways of getting more iron (eat like popeye) and there is some stuff you can get to go in water which is better than iron tablets...

It's always a good excuse to eat chocolate though... lol.

 

[ASD123456]

Thanks for the advice girls, I'm glad it's not too much to worry about. I'm going to look into that Floridix stuff- sounds good.

I'm not fussed on the thought of black poo

 

[ANNA27]

i am on iron tabs at mo and yes the black poo is horrible it makes me feel but they are doin their job so im not complaining

 

[claire2711]

hey! aye im on iron tabs too - 3 a day so they are having an impact lol!!

the black poo is horrible, but doesnt really matter so long as the tabs are doing their job and getting our iron levels up! im the same as you ASD123456, they took weeks to bother letting me know too!

i wasnt really told how it would affect me or bubs now or during labour, but have midwife tomoz so will try and find out!! hope you're well x x x x x

 

[Lisamj]

Yep it's not at all uncommon. I have been prescribed iron tablets (level should be above 110 and I am 107, so only slight).

Some people say the side affects of the tablets are constiptation, but this hasn't affected me.

L x

 

[Chrissy1]

I've been put on iron tablets since my last blood tests a couple of weeks ago and yes I have now go poo the colour of coal!! Unfortunatly they are doing the opposite of giving me consitpation and I've not been solid since I started them!!