low iron, supplement recommendations

[mrsmnk101]

Hi girls ive had a midwife appointment today, found out my iron is low and has dropped quite alot since last time i seen her. Im currently a few days over 34 weeks. The midwife never gave me any iron tablets so i was just wondering if anyone could recommend a effective high enough dosage iron supplement. With my last pregnancy i had a post partum hemorrage so i need to top my iron up asap before baby comes. Hopefully i wont have another hemmorhage but if i do atleast my iron levels will be topped up. Thanks in advance

 

[Shanivy]

I wasn't monitored properly when I was still severely anaemic when I had my daughter. As a result I didn't cope at all with the blood loss even though it was normal blood loss. I couldn't stand up, had palpitations, passed out, blood pressure through the floor. They kept me in hospital thinking I had an infection and it wasn't until the next night I went " you do know I'm anaemic right? Is this to do with that?"That I got sorted and was allowed home.

I'm not saying this to worry you but I m confused why she wouldn't give you iron tablets if you need them. Can you phone her and just clarify if you should be taking them? If you do then they should certainly provide them, and monitor you. Xx

 

[mrsmnk101]

Yes i guess i could ring her and ask. She took more bloods today to see ifits still dropping i guess. She just told me make sure ur eating plenty of this and that. Im already taking a pregnancy multivitamin which contains 14mg of iron. Which obviously isnt enough. I really want to top it up asap as im already worrying about hemmoraging again. I did exactly the same as you passed out shortly after delivering the placenta. Stupid nurses told me to go have a shower in a private bathroom down the corridoor. As soon as i was about to turn the shower on blood was just pouring out of me. I just made it out of the door in time before i passed out. Otherwise no1 would have found me as i locked the bathroom door. My babies come early too so i really want to top my iron up asap

 

[JoeyClare]

How low was it? Mine was 110 and I was given iron tabs that I have to take 3 times a day. Mine are ferrous sulphate 200mg tabs. Definitely worth a call to your midwife if concerned.

 

[mrsmnk101]

101 she said.

 

[Mayflower85]

I'm 39+3 weeks pregnant and anaemic, my levels are 94, my midwife would like to see them over 110.

I've been taking two 210mg Ferrous Fumarate tablets for the last 5 weeks, and last week I had to go in for an iron infusion as the tablets weren't making a difference.

I had a PPH with my daughter, lost 1200ml of blood and had a blood transfusion.

 

[mrsmnk101]

Mayflower that sounds like a bad situation to be in, hopefully the iron infusion will do the job. I dont understand why the 210mg tablets didnt work for you seen as thats a pretty high dose. Im really not sure what to buy regarding iron tablets. I thought maybe 200mg+ would be too much. But then again most only have 14mg which i already take which isnt enough.
I feel like i need to act fast as my other children were born early. The last at 38 weeks which means ill only have just over 3 week left if i have another early baby.

 

[Mayflower85]

I'd ring your GP surgery and check whether there's a prescription waiting for you!

It's something to do with also having low ferritin levels (from what I understand if they are really low (like mine were) then your body can't catch up and absorb the iron properly) hence the infusion which helps both.

 

[mrsmnk101]

I just spoke to the doctors there prescribing me the high dose 3 a day iron. I dont know why the midwife never botherd about it. Atleast thats sorted. I wish you all a safe delivery x

 

[shorty786]

Hi Ladies, bit embarrassing but I thought I'd share it, I've been prescribed Ferrous Sulfate twice a day 200mg, and I've been told by friends it causes constipation and that taking fluid iron is better. I've been on the tablets a week now experiencing no constipation, only black stools. Is this normal?

My haemoglobin levels have gone from 135 at booking appointment to 114.

 

[JoeyClare]

Glad they’ve sorted you out with the iron tabs. They didn’t find my anaemia till 37+2 with my last pregnancy and she was induced on 38+4, so my iron didn’t increase enough. Meant my levels dropped to 80 post section.

Shorty, the black stools is completely normal. My midwife said that if I got any constipation to go the pharmacy and they can give you sachets to help things move along. So far, no problems.

 

[megsmeadow]

Have you heard of spatone? It's a liquid iron supplement that some people absorb more easily. Also iron levels do take a while to change.

 

[mrsmnk101]

You think i should try the spatone first? And ive also heard black stool is normal with iron supplements. I dont think ill have any problem with constipation, as my ibs is making me have soft stools several times a day. I was hoping pregnancy would have constipated me. As bad as that sounds lol x

 

[Shanivy]

Hi Ladies, bit embarrassing but I thought I'd share it, I've been prescribed Ferrous Sulfate twice a day 200mg, and I've been told by friends it causes constipation and that taking fluid iron is better. I've been on the tablets a week now experiencing no constipation, only black stools. Is this normal?

My haemoglobin levels have gone from 135 at booking appointment to 114.

Yes completely normal. Try drinking prune juice for constipation. x

 

[Shanivy]

You think i should try the spatone first? And ive also heard black stool is normal with iron supplements. I dont think ill have any problem with constipation, as my ibs is making me have soft stools several times a day. I was hoping pregnancy would have constipated me. As bad as that sounds lol x

I'm glad your got tablets sorted it didnt sound right at all. I dont know what that midwife was thinking. xx

 

[mrsmnk101]

Ugh! Ive just started taking the tablets and i feel so sick. Its put me off taking them.

 

[Shanivy]

I know they're awful but def don't miss any tablets I learnt the hard way. Are you taking them with orange juice? It helps x

 

[Hoping for no2]

I've been prescribed iron tablets due to low iron from recent bloods but I was reluctant to take them due to suffering with bad pregnancy sickness and still being on meds for it at 31 weeks...the last thing I need is to feel any worse! But the midwife said it's important I take them so I have been for 2 days now. I don't feel any worse than I normally do so will keep taking them for now, but she said if I was really struggling I could take liquid iron from Holland & Barrett but the iron content isn't as high as the tablets. But it would be better than nothing!

 

[mrsmnk101]

Yes ive been taking it with orange juice, hopefully the nausea calms down. Once i get some food down me i feel much better. Yes the liquid iron is a lower dose, but apparantly more easily absorbed. For some people these ferrous sulphate iron tablets dont even work so it makes me wonder is it even worth taking if all it will do is make us feel rubbish. Future blood test will hold the answer to how effective they are i guess.

 

[GBLiz]

Have you heard of spatone? It's a liquid iron supplement that some people absorb more easily. Also iron levels do take a while to change.

this is what i used last pregnancy when i was told my iron was too low. Its faster to work and easier on the stomach/bowels! Ive started using it earlier this time as i never realised what a problem low iron could be.