If you have heavy periods, what do you do to prevent anemia?

[FourBoysAndAFeline]

Seriously my poor arsehole can't take any more ferrous sulphate tablets 😭

I went to the chemist to get some Spatone or Floradix but I can't see how that could possibly work.

To use ferrous sulphate prophylactically you need at least 200mg.

I know spatone and Floradix is easier to digest but Spatone is 5mg of iron per sachet and Floradix is 15mg of iron.

What do others do?

I can't go on the pill because it turns be into a psycho. No hormones please!

Floradix, mussels, apricots and steak.

Also, not too much caffeine!

How much Floradix and how often? It's bloody expensive isn't it??

I use an iron spray from Holland and Barrett. I try to take it throughout the month to maintain levels but I find it easier to take than spatone and doesn't seem to upset my stomach at all.
The only problem is it's full of sweetner and tastes of fake apple but it seems to work.

Tranexamic acid not to bleed so much?

Try different iron tablets and see if eg ferrous fumerate suits you better.

Take one iron tablet alternate days, with orange juice, for maximum absorption. One alternate days is a full treatment dose, not prophylaxis, as our bodies can't actually absorb anymore iron than that - each iron tablet already contains loads more than you can absorb in a day so taking more isn't helpful.

I take spatone twice a day on advice or Dr's.

Ferritin went from 6 to 20 in 5 months and feel lots better.

I also have heavy periods and struggle with the tablets.

It is absorbed much more easily than the tablets, try and take with OJ and not near drinking tea or coffee.

I had a Mirena coil fitted. Best thing I ever did.

Iron Infusion?
Try different Iron Tablets until you find a more easily tolerated one. Take it with Vitamin c so it’s better absorbed. You also need an amount that will raise your Levels not just maintain them.

I take ferrous fumerate 210g daily. Was having really bad stomach pains and bloating and now take alongside high strength vit c supplement and no longer get any bloating or pains at all as helps absorption.

My ferritin went from 42 to 67 in 3.5 months. Checked as was suffering from hair loss x

I couldn’t manage any of the usually prescribed iron tablets but seem to be able to tolerate Ferrograd which I think are slow release.

I take Ferrograd during my period and then Active8 iron the rest of the time. The Active8 is annoyingly expensive though.

I take tranexamic acid and paid for a private iron infusion. I will likely pay for another in a year or 2 if and when my iron gets too low again. I can no longer tolerate ferrous sulphate and have previously had an emergency blood infusion for very low iron.

Heme iron tablets. No side effects and much better absorbed.

Thanks. I just looked up Ferograd and it is a trade name for Ferrous Sulphate.

I will look up the other suggestions as well.

I tried traneaximc acid and it didn't make a blind bit of difference, although I was 15 at the time!

A bit OT but years ago I was repeatedly told you didn't get anaemic from periods. Obvious lies. But seeing people writing about it on this thread, I was really badly treated by my GPs, has anyone else ever been told they're fine and you can't get anaemic from menstruation? Makes me so cross I was gaslit.

My GP diagnosed my anemia as being from heavy periods. Maybe clinical guidance has changed?

Also I thought my periods were normal, as they were normal for me, Its only when the GP questioned how long they last, how many tampons and pads I go through, that clots are big etc, that I realised they are really heavy. Maybe the way they questioned you about heaviness made them think they were lighter than they are?

@FourBoysAndAFeline I take high strength tablet every other day, early morning on an empty stomach with a high dose vitamin c solution. I avoid caffeine and any foods with phytic acid on those days. This has the most effective method if getting iron up personally.

Iron infusion, paid for privately.

I'm thankfully through the menopause now, but previously my periods very heavy and I had severe anaemia. This also caused me to have difficulty swallowing so I couldn't actually swallow the iron tablets and was given ferrous fumerate in liquid form which I also found easier to tolerate. (I was on this continuously for a few years in peri.) I'm not surprised that you can't see how over-the-counter iron supplements can help; I'm assuming you're under a doctor for your anaemia, but my doctor at the time advised that they did not contain enough iron for my level of anaemia. Good luck Fourboys, it is such an exhausting state to be in and I think you only realise just how bad it is once you are back to normal!

ps I also found that tranexamic didn't make any difference.

A 8os sirloin steak with spinach and orange juice day one, roast beef day with sprouts and OJ day two, spaghetti bolognaise day three.

You need your iron from food not supplements. Reduce tea because it prevents absorption and up your vitamin c as that helps absorption.

It is a myth that you can get a lot of iron from eating spinach, in fact the oxalic acid in spinach prevents most of the iron from being absorbed.

Also, some women's periods are so heavy (mine included before menopause) that even a good diet cannot provide enough iron.

I always eat a couple of steaks when it's my period, as well as iron-rich veg.

I have Vitamin B12 jabs

Agree 👍

Tranexamic acid to reduce blood loss, and ferrous gluconate supplements which is gentler on the stomach anyway. GP said one tablet every other day would be sufficient.