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General health

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Original poster

Evil ferrous sulphate

14 replies

baddyfreckleface · 11/02/2015 19:56

I have been on this for about 4 months now. Prescribed 3 a day but ended up taking one or two a day as I had stomach cramps.

After the course I had a blood test and my iron etc levels were just touching the low of normal.

After a few weeks off them the dr has asked me to start taking them again. I have been taking them for a week now but have felt pretty crappy.
Today I have had a bad stomach upset and cramps. So I googled the side effects and realised I also get a number of other side effects linked to FS. I am nauseous, light headed, have slightly blurred vision. I am also off my food - which obviously doesn't help when I need to be eating healthily to get more iron!

I put those symptoms down to being anaemic but now I think about it I didn't feel like that between courses of FS.

I will go back to the drs and see if there's anything else I can change to. But in the meantime do I keep on with them hoping my body gets used to them, or stop taking them all together?

Has anyone else had these kind of side effects?

OP posts:

RockinD · 11/02/2015 20:58

I had constant diarrhoea and foul gas on ferrous sulphate, but managed OK with ferrous fumarate, which is also freely available . Start with one tablet per day, let that settle, then try two and so on.

FallenAngel22 · 11/02/2015 20:59

I take ferrous fumarate which is supposed to be gentler and I've been ok on them. Although when I first started I had stomach troubles but they settled down.

tallulahturtle · 11/02/2015 21:38

Its not on prescription but Spatone, is brilliant. It gives you iron without bombarding your system with it, which is what leads to the side effects.

Original poster

baddyfreckleface · 11/02/2015 22:13

Thanks everyone.
I did suggest spaTone the first time round but the dr said I was too anaemic for that to do me any good. There is a very small amount of iron in the pouches compared to the amount in the tablets.
However I am now on the low end of normal levels so maybe it's an option.
I think I will stop the FS and get some spaTone to be going on with until I get an appointment and then ask about ferrous femurate.
A plan!

OP posts:

gobbin · 12/02/2015 22:12

Yes speak to GP, there are a few different preps of iron. If ever offered an infusion take it. Quickest way of getting a top up!

HiawathaDidntBotherTooMuch · 12/02/2015 22:13

It gives me horrific constipation.

DustBunnyFarmer · 12/02/2015 22:16

I agree that Ferrous Fumarate is less horrific, though still makes me a bit squitty. GPs nearly always offer ferrous sulphate first because it is cheaper for the NHS.

Musicaltheatremum · 12/02/2015 22:30

I would also want to know why you are still anaemic. Depends how old you are but have you been investigated for blood loss or malabsorption eg coeliac. Iron levels tend to come up quite quickly on treatment. Agree with ferrous fumarate or gluconate or liquid iron "Sytron"

Musicaltheatremum · 12/02/2015 22:31

Actually dustbunny, where I am we are supposed to use ferrous gluconate as it is cheaper. Depends where you are.

DustBunnyFarmer · 12/02/2015 23:06

I've not come across ferrous gluconate. Is it tolerated any better than ferrous sulphate? I was very anaemic after delivering DS2 and the choice between keeling over or constant diarrhoea and stomach cramps was not a great one TBH.

Musicaltheatremum · 13/02/2015 00:37

It's very variable which is tolerated better to be honest.

Original poster

baddyfreckleface · 13/02/2015 05:13

Thank you for the replies. I haven't had any FS for the last two days but today my stomach has been really churning and I am still having waves or nausea. This has been going on for months now. I'm not sure it's the iron now though, surely it wouldn't still be upsetting my stomach?

The dr has tested for celiac and that was negative. She feels it's my diet which is making me anaemic - I don't eat that well to be honest, and I don't eat red meat. The problem is that is never feel that I can eat a proper meal as I have nausea or a churning stomach! I am trying really hard but I know I get very little iron in my diet.

OP posts:

DustBunnyFarmer · 13/02/2015 06:46

Try reading up on the FODMAP diet and see whether any the problematic foods listed are ones you eat regularly.

skolastica · 13/02/2015 20:05

Am currently on ferrous sulphate too - over the past couple of days I've noticed that I don't feel like eating, or cooking. Didn't link it to the ferrous sulphate. As I live by myself and my food isn't very exciting anyway, it's an extra level of difficulty.

I've added blackstrap molasses by the tablespoon full - it's full of iron. Not everyone likes it though.

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