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Original poster

If you take/have taken iron supplements..

23 replies

Tenderlike · 25/05/2014 11:20

How long were you taking them before the side effects subsided?
Diagnosed as iron deficient, have been taking prescribed iron tablets twice a day for a few weeks now
I finally feel like I have the energy to get up and do things which is fab but I'm feeling nauseous 50% of the time, which in turn is making me look a bit green around the gills
Also dr said my nail and hair condition will improve but they are still flaky and brittle, is this normal?

OP posts:

ExcuseTypos · 25/05/2014 12:59

Iron tablets can be very rough on your tummy. I used to take them 3 times a day. I had terrible stomach aches and diariaah spoke to a pharmacist who said Iron tables should always be taken after food and with a small glass of orange juice. She was quite cross I hadn't been told this becasue it's such a simple thing.

The vit c in the orange juice makes the iron much easier to absorbed through the stomach, so no tummy upsets.

It worked instantly for me, good luck- iron tablets made me feel like a new woman!

LadySybilLikesCake · 25/05/2014 13:03

Flaky nails and hair are normal, I think mine took a couple of months to improve but I felt much better before my nails were stronger. You can ask your doctor for liquid iron, which is gentle on the stomach. It helps to drink some orange juice after

My old GP told me to avoid eating wheat before and after taking the iron.

Original poster

Tenderlike · 25/05/2014 20:14

I have been taking mine with orange juice but on an empty stomach so maybe that's the problem, I think I'll try an hour after food instead.
I'm definitely feeling a lot better, I'm not falling asleep by 8pm anymore!
I'm looking forward to having decent hair and nails!

OP posts:

Heathcliff27 · 25/05/2014 20:20

I struggle big time when taking iron tablets, stomach problems, constipation and the like. I was advised to change from tablets to liquid iron. I get mine from boots (normally when their vits are on 3for2) the one I use is spa tone, I have the apple flavoured, take 1 sachet every morning. I havent had any side effects since I changed over.

mizu · 25/05/2014 21:54

Taking the tablets gives me stomach cramps that are so severe the last time I took them I was up all night.

Wish I could stomach them as I am sure I would feel great.

I take spatone too every morning with orange juice and it does help but I think doctors say tablets have more iron.

CanaryYellow · 25/05/2014 21:59

Spatone are great for maintaining your iron levels once they're up to where they should be, but if your levels are as low as you describe then Spatone wont even touch them.

Yes to trying the tablets about an hour after food. You just need to persevere really. Get your iron levels up and then switch to liquid iron.

SofiaAmes · 25/05/2014 22:01

I lost a lot of blood giving birth to my dd. The hospital mistakenly discharged me and then called me several hours later asking me to come back for a transfusion and high dose iron pills. Luckily my parents had a good friend who was a highly respected hematologist. His advice was absolutely not to have the transfusion AND NOT to take the iron pills. He suggested that I would be much better off getting the additional iron in my diet if that was possible as iron pills have a lot of adverse side effects. I will eat anything, so this was totally doable and I brought my iron levels right back up within 6 weeks or so by eating foods rich in iron. I would highly recommend this approach if you are able. There are non-meat foods that contain iron (for the vegetarians).

firsttimekat · 25/05/2014 22:07

There are different types of iron tablets, some of which are more gentle. When I mentioned my side effects to my MW (and said I wasn't going to take them any more) she got the consultant to prescribe some different ones that I'm getting on with much better. Some advise to take at specific times e.g my current ones are an hour before food so do check what is advised.

Can you go back to who prescribed them and ask for a different type?

funnyossity · 25/05/2014 22:13

Sofia why the advice against the transfusion? I refused one in similar circs (as I was really just under the threshold) and the doctor went .

OP Remember drinking tea interferes with iron absorption too.

mousmous · 25/05/2014 22:13

you can ask for duodenal tablets. they dissolve in the gut instead of the stomach, so have fewer side effects.

hair/skin improvements take a while to show.
but good that you are starting to feel better (apart from the side effects).

do you know why you are deficient?

SofiaAmes · 25/05/2014 23:30

Funny because transfusion comes with so many risks and although I had lost a lot of blood, it wasn't so much that it was immediately life threatening and he felt that the downside of lying around the house rebuilding my red blood cells for 2 months was less than the downside of the risks involved in a transfusion. As in your situation, the doctors were not impressed that I refused the transfusion. I did point out that if it was so urgent that I had one, why did they wait until 20 hours after I lost the blood and 2 hours after they had officially checked me out and sent me home, to realize that I needed a transfusion.

LadySybilLikesCake · 25/05/2014 23:36

I had a transfusion last year. My Hb was 6.4 and I was bleeding heavily. It hurt as my veins had shrunk, it took them hours to sort it out though.

funnyossity · 26/05/2014 10:11

I agree Sofia and had come to this conclusion having had a necessary transfusion in the 80s - for my situation after childbirth it was not worth the associated risks. The doctor's argument was that I needed my strength to look after the baby but I have a capable husband and he/we managed. The hospital doctor downplayed (i.e didn't mention) the risks - I reminded HIM about them and he did look slightly sheepish.

Original poster

Tenderlike · 26/05/2014 19:26

Well I've taken them after food today and it's made a huge difference so think I will carry on with these tablets, thanks for all the recs though and the spatone sound like a good plan for when I finish the course of tablets.
Not sure why my iron levels are low, I don't eat a lot of iron rich food I guess, I also have heavy periods, to be honest I've felt drained since I ha dd a few years ago but I just put it down to being a parent and I'm not one to visit the drs regularly so it wasn't picked up on

OP posts:

meditrina · 26/05/2014 19:34

I was borderline low iron (not allowed to give blood, but just above clinical cut off for anaemia). I now take Floradix most days, and am back donating.

Allice · 26/05/2014 19:45

I was taking Spatone but it's not got as much iron as standard iron tablets, think you'd need to take 3 to get as much.

Dr told me I needed standard iron tablets and I took them for about 3 days and was so ill, nauseous with a terrible upset stomach that went on for about a month, was awful, lost about a stone.
Once it was almost out of my system I started taking a slow release iron tablet, I take it after food and it's been fine, I take ferrograd.

JaneParker · 26/05/2014 19:46

When I had our first children a good while ago (they have graduated by now) just about every woman in the UK who was pregnant took iron tablets and folic acid throughout pregnancy. it is interesting that it has changed.

I didn't have symptoms. I just took them because everyone did in pregnancy then.

ExcuseTypos · 26/05/2014 19:47

Tenderlike- so pleased you're feeling better today.

My anaemia was caused by heavy periods. You could ask oth dr about options. I take transexamic acid and it has helped so much. It's cut my period by about 50%. They're fantastic things.

ExcuseTypos · 26/05/2014 19:48

Tranexamic acid- don't know where the sex bit came from!

EmNetta · 27/05/2014 13:14

My iron was a bit low after years of fibroid problems (and no red meat), and after giving up on various prescriptions I discovered Tesco Vits & Iron, which I could manage without problems. Iron's fine now, after hysterectomy and improved diet, but would recommend trying something over the counter, preferably with orange juice, lemon dressing, etc to aid absorbtion.

gobbin · 27/05/2014 13:15

There are different iron tablets too. Ferrous sulphate is tough on the body. Ferrous fumarate is much kinder. You could ask your GP to change if you still have issues.

Shouldwego · 27/05/2014 13:41

I have been anaemic for 20 years until last year when the GP prescribed tranexamic acid and mefanamic acid. Once I stabilised my iron levels with tablets, just taking the tranexamic acid and mefanamic acid for my periods has enabled me to keep a stable iron level for the first time in my adult life. Amazing stuff.

I also hate taking iron tablets and the effects on my stomach so it is bliss not to have to take them regularly.

Good luck OP.

orangeplum · 27/05/2014 14:29

Hi, I was diagnosed with anaemia and have taken Ferrous Gluconate for 3 months. I didn't get as many side effects from these as they are not as harsh as other tablets. I stopped taking caffeine -tea, coffee, diet coke etc - as they can inhibit absorption of iron and also ate a healthy diet. My HB rose from 8.2 to 14 so they work. Do make sure your GP investigates the causes behind your iron deficiency. Mine were fibroids and were initially missed by docs who blamed my age. Persevere and make them investigate. Read the NICE guidelines to see what they should do.

It took about 2 months for my nails to improve and they are now as strong as ever. Good luck.

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