prescribed iron supplements... has anyone taken them and NOT had side effects?!?

[AnnaBanana25]

Hi all. Just been informed my iron levels are low and have to pick up a prescription for some iron supplements tomorrow. After looking at historic threads, I'm worried I'll be vomiting all over the place with cramps and maybe a touch of constipation...!!!!

Has anyone taken supplements and not had these horrible side effects?

Has anyone taken floradix as an alternative and had it work, ie bring your iron levels up?

Don't know why but this is making me really panic, I know its a small thing but I really struggle with pills as they make me feel sick at the best of times.

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

Me. Never had any side effects at all. Take them with food.

[muser31]

they never bothered me either

[AlyssInAManger]

I'm taking them at the moment and I'm fine.

[ancelynthecraven]

Feroglobin liquid iron supliment? Tastes yummy and no black poo!

[AnnaBanana25]

Stupid question. Are they small? If so how small? Are they able to be crushed up? (We are talking pill phobia here!) Thank you :-)

[2tired2bewitty]

No problems here either

[2tired2bewitty]

Mine were about the size of a smartie. Not sure about crushing, I'd check with a pharmacist first

[GreenFirefly]

you could get spatone (from boots) which is a iron rich water and supposedly easier absorption than tablets. take in orange juice for best absorption. and to hide the taste. my midwife recommended it after I refused iron tablets following 2nd c-sec.

[AnnaBanana25]

You guys have really helped out, thank you :-)

[StillPukin]

I'm on them. Its much smaller than a smartie. I havent had any side effects apart from black poo (sorry tmi), I havent been constipated or anything else.

Honestly, dont worry about them x

[Middleagedmotheroftwo]

You should never crush tablets. It affects the rate at which your body absorbs them. They are designed to be absorbed at a certain rate, and crushing them would mean that you absorb them too quickly.

[CakePunch]

I use spartone. It's liquid and tastes okay with orange juice.

[Pinkbell123]

I'm on them at the mo and have really loose bowels (sorry tmi). I was expecting to be constipated so no idea what's going on. I hate it but have to get my Hb levels up somehow I suppose.

[thingamajig]

I've taken them and never has side effects. If you have pill phobia then a liquid is available (I have given it to the babes, just a larger dose I guess). Stains everything bright orange though.

[SweepTheHalls]

Just a warning, Spatone if you just need a bit of a pick me up for your iron levels, but if you are genuinely low, it won't touch the sides!

[TobyLerone]

Which tablets do you have, OP?

Ferrous sulphate seem to be the ones with the side effects. I'm on ferrous fumarate, and have had no problems.

[AnnaBanana25]

sweepthe halls yes I did wonder that about some of the substitutes....

thingamajig the liquid kind that stastains stuff orange, was that prescribed by gp as an alternative to pills?

[hoppinghare]

I definitely felt much better when I started taking them during all my pregnancies.

[Fedup1992]

Blerghhhh I'm low too! They make me sick so not took them. After receiving my results today from fainting nye. My DH is taking me for steak Friday (think it's an excuse for him really as I hate it)

I'm eating breakfast cereals hope that helps boost them up in the next 2 weeks prob not. Xxx

[SweepTheHalls]

I know, in my first pregnancy, spatone was enough to keep my levels up, so when I became anaemic in the second pregnancy I thought it would be ok to do the same, apparently not when I kept passing out every morning at work! I felt so much better once I I started on the decent stuff.

[thekingfisher]

spatone doesn't contain the same levels as the iron supplements tablets you get from the Dr although check with your chemist as they can substitute them for ones that are easier to digest. Speak to yr pharmacist and they can advise.

[tmae]

I was on ferrous sulphate and that made me throw up so they put me on pregaday, which is ferrous fumarate and folic acid and have only had problems if I forget to take them before I eat and take them after a meal but they have raised my iron to good levels. Also they aren't huge, I'm funny with pills too but have been fine taking these ones.

[PinkandPoo]

I'm on iron tablets and I've had to stop taking them as they make me feel so ill. I've had really bad diarrhoea and felt constantly sick on them :(

I've got some spatone which I'm handling better and I hope it helps a bit. My iron levels are only a little bit low so I'm hoping it'll be ok....

[AnnaBanana25]

Really pleased as they easily changed my prescription to oral solution, it is ferrous fumerate. Here we go then!