Vitamin C - diarrhoea? (with related low iron problems)

[hazeyjane]

I have low iron, and have been prescribed 3 x 210mg iron tablets a day. My stomach can't tolerate this, so Dr said to take 1 a day, and up vit C to aid absorption. Taking vit c seems to give me horrendous diarrhoea (which is black....does this mean I am not absorbing the iron)??

I also eat iron rich foods, and fruit and veg and have tried floradix and spa tone (not all at once!) Iron levels don't seem to improve.

Any ideas?

I had exactly the same problem. It's very common.

If you haven't already done so, go back to one tablet a day for a while and if that's OK, then try two and so on.

If you can't tolerate any iron tablets and your levels are low enough, you may get an infusion instead.

Another possibility, which worked for me, is a Wholefood Iron supplement by Cytoplan. That was what finally worked for me.

What is the reason for your anaemia? Heavy periods or not established?

What have you been prescribed? Ferrous sulphate is notorious for causing problems whereas ferrous gluconate or ferrous fumarate are generally much easier to tolerate.

The iron is causing the black stools. Sounds like you've been given ferrous fumarate which is kinder than sulphate but can still cause diarrhoea. I'd go back to your GP for an alternative. I can't tolerate any oral iron (got Crohns) and have infusions every 8 weeks.

I was started on Ferrous Sulpharate x 3 and moved onto Fumarate x 1 when the first lot gave me stomach pains.

I don't know why, my iron is low, I don't have heavy periods. Go said it is normally around 14, but had gone down to 7. I had been to see her for horrendous itching, so the iron levels showed up as an aside to a blood test.

I feel tired a lot and catch everything going, but had assumed (before test) that this was due to having disturbed sleep (every night for the last 7 years) and working with children.

Really they need to work out why you are anaemic if there is no obvious cause such as prwgnancy, or heavy periods. Especially as you are not responding to supplements.

Sorry, that doesnt answer your main q but it is important!

If you don't have abnormal periods they should be suspecting an absorption problem such as coeliac disease.

I have been tested for coeliacs, it came back negative. My periods are fairly standard and I'm definitely not pregnant! I get low blood pressure too, can that be related?