Low iron

[MrsBlondie]

Anyone low iron and on supplements?
How much iron do you take daily? Ive been taking 40mg per day but not working.
All GP is doing is another blood test in 5 weeks. Could I make them give me prescribed supplements?
Feel pretty dreadful.

[MrsBobBlackadder]

Me!

I have low ferritin (have always had heavy periods - I'm now in my early 40s). I was prescribed iron supplements a couple of weeks ago - I'm taking two tablets a day of 210mg of ferrous fumarate. So in total I'm getting almost 140mg of iron a day!

It's taken 10 days but I'm finally starting to feel a little better...

[MrsBobBlackadder]

(140mg of elemental iron, that should say!)

[Eloisedublin123]

Take llysene and vit c too - needed for absorption

[GiraffeObsessedBaby]

Oh god I'm on prescribed 350mg of iron a day - my doctors keep lecturing me but nothing I do brings it up. I've been aneamic since I was 12!

[vilamoura2003]

Does it irritate your stomach at all? I spoke to my pharmacist and he said it can be an irritant to the stomach 🙄 Everything irritates my stomach - can't keep feeling this knackered though 🤷‍♀️

[MrsBobBlackadder]

In all honesty, yes it does.... i have IBS and it does irritate it a bit so I tend to take a half dose most days. But I felt so awful before that I figure it is worth it.... taking it on a full stomach with lots of water does seem to help

[GiraffeObsessedBaby]

@vilamoura2003 I have quite serious and embarrassing reactions to it. I hate taking it but I feel awful when I don't do it's a no win situation.

[MissSmiley]

I had low ferritin for years, undiagnosed coeliac disease, I could tolerate oral iron, so I had an iron infusion instead, felt like a million dollars afterwards

[OatsBeansBarley]

Definitely take vitamin c foods to help with absorption.

Also tea and coffee interferes with absorption - my biggest problem! I have to cut right back on tea to give the body chance to absorb the iron.

[OatsBeansBarley]

Also milk interferes too so how you take your iron is important.

[TheLastNigel]

Take it in liquid form (spatone or similar)-less irritating to the stomach.

[Sexnotgender]

What supplement are you taking?

I’m pregnant and taking floradix as it’s gentler on the stomach!

[rosie39forever]

If you are anemic spatone and floradix won’t cut it as there is such a small amount of iron in them, you’d have to take about 30 sachets of spatone a day to get anywhere near the amount you need.

[bastiebees]

I'm anemic with heavy periods. My doctor prescribed iron tablets (Ferrous Fumarate) once, then told I don't need prescriptions to buy them. Sometimes pharmacists ask if I am told to take iron by medical specialists, but that's it. I don't need prescriptions (I'm in England).

I take a tablet(210 mg Ferrous Fumarate)/day, means 69 mg of elemental iron. This helps me a lot, unlike usual iron supplements!

[MrsBobBlackadder]

@bastiebees I didn't know I could buy these without prescription - that's really helpful to know, thank you!

[vilamoura2003]

I think it is also a problem to have too much iron in your blood as well so I would get your levels checked before taking any iron supplements to make sure you do need them 👍

[maxthemartian]

I take Iron Bisgycinate which is great. Normal iron supplements make me really nauseous but this doesn't and no upsets or constipation either.

[PurpleAndTurquoise]

OP have you been checked for Coeliacs disease? It could be why you are iron deficient and the iron not being absorbed.