Apparently I have an iron deficiency - but iron tablets give me an upset stomach. Are there any alternatives?

[IHeartKingThistle]

That's it really! I really, really don't want to take them. Is there anything gentler?

TIA

[thisisyesterday]

spatone is gentle, but pretty expensive

lots of meat and spinach, washed down with OJ

[IDontDoIroning]

Is it ferrous sulphate? They give me terrible stomach ache and cramps, ask for ferrous folate its much kinder on the stomach.

[mousymouse]

you can ask for duodenal tablets that will only dissolve in your intestines and therefore don't cause stomach upsets.
you can try floradix (health food store), but it gave me an upset stomach too.

[slartybartfast]

dont drink tea with food, it takes away any iron.

[MayDayChild]

Spatone fan here too

[PerAr6ua]

Floradix is supposed to be good. And dried apricots [boak]

[frutilla]

Doc made me have iron injections during pregnancy as I couldn't tolerate iron tablets, tried 20 kinds, couldn't even handle spatone...but now discovered Haliborange kids multivitamins calcium and iron and am ok on them. Very little iron content but still it registered an improvement in my blood tests after only a week or two.

[IHeartKingThistle]

Wow loads of great advice! Thanks so much, will experiment with a few and see how I get on!

[beautifulgirls]

Another spatone vote here.

[NeatFreak]

I'm taking ferrous sulphate at the moment and at the beginning I got bad stomach pains, constipation and nausea. A pharmacist recommended I cut the dose to 200mg a day, take with food and take half a tablet at a time (so taking it 4 times a day). This helped lots and I am now tolerating 300mg in 3 doses a day. I still get a little crampy now and then but its nothing I can't tolerate. I still have four weeks worth to take before a follow up blood test and I will be very glad to stop taking them. Hth...

[PIMSoclock]

Ferrous fumarate is much more gentle on the stomach and is the only other thing with enough iron content to treat anaemia (unless your levels are boarderline?)

[chipstick10]

I take Ferragrad c, or sumat like that. It doesnt irritate my tummy. I eat Kiwi instead of orange because its higher in vit c. I have read on several websites that people drink oj, does that mean freshly squeezed or shop purchased cartons, does it matter?

[IHeartKingThistle]

I'm not anaemic, just very low iron apparently. Why does Vitamin C help?

[Selks]

Floradix. It is a natural iron tonic made from plant and veg extracts.

[PIMSoclock]

Vitamin C helps with your absorption of iron from food

[Kewcumber]

has it been investigated? Do you have any other deficiencies?

I spent a long time taken (and suffering with) iron tablets only to discover that I can;t absorb iron properly anymore and need an infusion in hosptial every year!

But in my quest I found floradix the easiest on the stomach (and yes vit C necessary). Juice loses Vit C very quickly once squeezed I bleieve - fresh fruit better.

[IHeartKingThistle]

No everything else fine. I think it's caused by much heavier periods tbh, I'm going to get that checked out. I'm a bit dodgy with acidic food too though - would Vit C tablets do?

[Kewcumber]

yes vit c tabs fine but take at the same time as the iron and avoid eggs coffee and fibre and dairy (though fins eaten a decent interval apart)

tbh the easist thing is to overdose on red meat if you can!

[IHeartKingThistle]

Sounds great!

[Pleiades45]

The spatone is best diluted in orange juice, however I couldn't take this during my pregnancies, any form of iron supplement made me ill. Lots of green veg, brocolli and spinach also lots of red meat if you eat meat of course!