Iron levels question

[Pushmeinthepool]

Has anyone else had very low iron levels in pregnancy and managed to get them back totally to normal afterwards? I had my first DD 11 years ago, my iron levels were fine during pregnancy but I lost a lot of blood during the birth, so was meant to take tablets after the birth. I didn't take them, and then had several years where I was very thin and just hardly ever ate.

I got pregnant with DD2 when DD1 was 5, and my iron levels were low at booking in, again I didn't take my iron tablets, until about 28 weeks when my levels were 7 point something, and I got my level up to over 10 for delivery. It was 9.9 when I left hospital and again I didn't take my iron tablets (slap on wrist, I know!). Ate a healthier diet than in previous years but nowhere near as healthy as it could be.

Got pregnant again with DS when DD2 was 4, iron levels were 9.9 at booking in, and got really low in pregnancy. Again I didn't take the tablets as they made me feel ill, so I took Spatone which wasn't strong enough, so ended up with transfusions at 38 weeks pregnant. They got my iron up to a good level and then after the birth my levels were around 10 and borderline for needing tablets.

I took iron tablets for about 6 months after the birth and now take a multivitamin with iron. I need to go and get levels re-checked at some point fairly soon, and just wondered if anyone has had problems getting iron levels back to normal or whether tablets generally work well? I feel really well, with no tiredness or anaemia symptoms.

I use Floradix during pregnancy and while bfing, so am on them for a long, long time. During pregnancy the lowest I've been aware of going was 9 and that was because someone bullied me into switching to Spatone which like you say is too low a dose. I find Floradix works well, you just have to drink lots of water and eat fruit to make sure you're comfortable taking them. Kiwi with the skin on is good and a pear first thing before you eat anything else

I seconf floradix.

After a PPH I dropped down to 6.something. Obviously quite unwell and breathless. I wasn't great at taking the tablets but they went back to normal after about a year.

Bit of a funny question, lol, but I remember once someone saying something about lower eyelids being pale if you're anaemic? Does anyone know if that's true?

nancydrewrocked (and I totally agree, Nancy Drew books were the best!!), did you get your level back up to normal with Floradix or tablets, or both?

Mine are back to normal now, although I did have a transfusion and take tablets. Have you tried ferrograd tablets? For some reason I found these helped more than the other ones I got from the drs, although I'm sure they're the same thing!

I took Ferrous Fumerate and then later swapped to Ferrous sulphate and was okay with both of those, although oddly enough I couldn't tolerate ferrous sulphate in the past.

I really didn't bother with the tablets at all - they tasted grim and gave me constipation so I just used the floradix.

I also ate lots of meat and snacked on cashew nuts constantly which was no hardship

Is Floradix stronger than Spatone? I totally agree, iron tablets are grim. I sort of got used to them after taking them for several months, but then when I had a break from them and started on mutivits with iron, the iron really irritated my tummy.

i have similar issues , levels 12 .5 last check but can drop , i get very heavy periods , and not so good at the veg 5 a day ....
i know when i get lower as get palputations , breathless tired ,

i take spatone first thing in morning with orange juice , hoping that will give me a boost , doc says no need for iron tabs .
but i kile to give it a boost if i can.

im not sure if you can take floradix if not recomended by doctor as its very high iron i think ?

be interested to see if anyone els has advice as always good to know .

It's not so much that Floradix is very high, you don't have to take the full 3 tabs a day recommended on the packet, it also comes in liquid form. But Spatone is very low, though cause it's so low you can take a fair few sachets of it if you want,so if it's working for you maybe it'd be best to stick with it, I just found for things like pregnancy it was no good. I used to get very heavy periods and never knew that it was a sign of loosing too much iron, now that my levels are better my periods are much easier going.