Please Read - Refused an abortion. Rapidly declining health

[MinnyMountain]

I am in desperate need of some advice. Today I had a surgical abortion booked with Marie Stopes. It took me four weeks to get this appointment and I am now 12 weeks.

I have lupus and hypothyroid and prenatal depression. I am also suffereing with severe all day sickness. This pregnancy has taken a massive toll on my body and today I was refused an abortion because my iron levels are 8.3.

They have rebooked me for two weeks time but warned I will be refused again if levels are not above a 9.0.

I have reached a breaking point mentally and really worried that I will do something stupid because I feel absolutely distraught.

I have read that it's unlikely I will make much improvement taking iron tablets for a mere two weeks, which means it's likely I will be refused again.

I have no idea what to do or who to turn to, I feel incredibly unstable right now and very scared that I will slip back into a deep depression. Is there anywhere I can turn to for help? :'(

Can you go and see your GP?

I can but not until Monday morning, they close at 5pm. Will my GP be able to do anything?

Ask gp for an iron infusion

My iron levels improved when I had to take supplements when pregnant and I was tested a fortnight later
All you can do is take them and try.
Try to limit milk / calcium as that inhibits absorption but orange juice helps I think.

Would your gp be able to refer you for an iron transfusion? I think you should contact your gp urgently due to your mental health if you feel unstable and like you nay do something stupid. I'm sorry you're going through a really tough time ATM xx

OP go to your GP they WILL help you. good luck

Do you mean that your Hb is 8.3?

What can be done will depend on the cause of the anaemia. An iron infusion won’t help if the cause is not iron deficiency. You need to see the GP, can you try to get a phone consultation today?

Yes, OJ with the supplements and with every meal will help absorb the iron.

Ask if you can have an iron infusion.

Best of luck OP

The supplement Floradix has iron that come from fruit and veg, so your body can use all of it( unlike ferrous sulphate, or what we all think of as iron tablets, most of which is excreted).
It’s worth a go, from boots/ health good stores.
It’s also possible to get iron injections. You would need to get your gp on side, but on your circumstances they would not be obstructive I hope.

You can buy the iron tablets the GP would prescribe over the counter in a pharmacy. Or there are various liquid iron things you can buy too.

This seem so bizarre to me, forcing you to continue a pregnancy because of anemia. Did they prescribe you high dosage iron? I'm taking it at the moment and it does increase your levels quickly. Always take the tablets with an orange juice as PP say. My GP also suggested LOTS of read meat, spinach etc.

Contact your GP surgery for advice, last year you could self refer for an abortion without going through the GP. This was in Cheshire so don't know about other areas.
The receptionist will have all the information needed and you don't need to tell them your name.
Good luck.

Floradix has nowhere near enough iron in to remedy genuine anaemia.

You need to see your GP urgently. In the meantime go to the pharmacy, get ferrous sulphate 100mg and take two every other day with orange juice, at least an hour away from milk, tea or dairy.

This seem so bizarre to me, forcing you to continue a pregnancy because of anemia.

There is a bleeding risk with a surgical termination. This is obviously potentially dangerous in someone who is already anaemic.

The OP needs to see her GP, she may need a referral to hospital rather than Marie Stopes so that a safe way to end the pregnancy can be found.

In someone with lupus iron deficiency is not the only potential cause of anaemia. Unless the OP knows for sure that she has iron-deficiency anaemia, iron supplements may not be the correct action.

Call Bpas. They run a specialist placement service for women with medical conditions who cannot be treated in independent sector and may be able to help you find treatment in a NHS hospital. 03457 30 40 30

Or yes, do what Dancingbea said.

This is potentially more complicated than just "take some iron".

^ what bowl said - I'm sorry you're in this situation.

I did successfully raise my iron substantially and quite quickly in a month once through diet as the iron tablets were causing so many stomach issues and the the key seemed to be no caffeine and I avoided milk / dairy pretty much completely bar the odd bit of hard cheese on the evening.

Drank orange juice with rare steaks etc.

GP urgently. What a hard thing - hope you have lots of support x

Minny, how bad are you? Can you cope with the prospect of waiting another 2 weeks or are you questioning if you can even cope for that long.

Have you tried to make an urgent appointment with your GP? Do you have a walk-in centre not too far from you you could go to? I think if you fear for your mental health, you should take action right away. Two extra days to try to raise your levels within 14 days could make a difference.

Get yourself some OTC iron supplements today, but don't take ferrous sulphate. Even with orange juice it is very poorly absorbed, and large doses will likely constipate you. Take ferrous gluconate or ferrous bisglycinate, which are absorbed far better by the body than ferrous sulphate, and are far less constipating.

If you can eat liver, that's probably the best source of all.

Avoid eating and drinking dairy foods at the same meal as iron-rich food, or within a couple of hours of taking a supplement, as dairy reduces absorption of iron. Tea and coffee ditto.

I don't know whether the OOH GP can help with this, but you might as well call and ask them.

Hope this gets resolved for you.

If you are going to take iron supplements, take a stool softener as well. They are very constipating and that is the last thing you need on top of everything else. Sending you You will find a route through, just keep plugging away at it. One phone call or step at a time.

Yes, GP ASAP.
You can't be left hanging in this state without extra support and the GP can help you with the iron levels.

Yes, please don't have any caffeine - it interferes with iron absorption. if you have morning sickness - try to avoid being sick. Your doctor can prescribe an antisickness medicine to prevent this. being sick will make the anemia worse.

Do NOT rely on supplement without checking with your GP. As others have said, they may have no affect whatsoever.

Monday morning make an emergency appointment. Go to the surgery and wait for the first gap - cry at them if you have to! But get your GP fully on board with raising your blood levels.

In the mean time, I see the BPAS number has been given. Ring that and see what help they can offer. They can be really helpful, very informative.

Best of luck! Sorry to have put my school teacher voice back on, that all sounds so bossy!

Ok, you've got several issues all muddled together in your OP and I do understand why - you must be so overwhelmed by everything and I am so sorry

So, here's my take of things:

1. You've not been 'refused' a termination, you have been given sensible medical advice to make the procedure as safe as possible for you.
2. When your haemoglobin is as low as 8ish, your blood cannot transport oxygen around your system as effectively as usual which is where the additional risks stem from. Have you been bleeding? Do you know why your Hb is quite as low? It may or may not be iron deficiency and obviously an iron supplement will only work if you are actually lacking in iron. 'Low iron levels' and 'low blood count' while related, are NOT the same thing.
3. Taking oral iron + Vitamin C + folic acid are an effective way to bring Hb up, provided you are not also bleeding from somewhere.
4. If your MH is suffering as badly as you are describing, please see your GP as a matter or urgency . Also get some decent help for your sickness (Cyclizine or Ondansetron may be required if you have hyperemesis - bring a urine sample to your appointment to check for ketones.
5. Most A+E departments have access to emergency psychiatrists 24/7.
6. Put the Samaritan's phone nr on your mobile - if you never need them, great. If you do, the number is righter there for you to use.
7. Tell somebody in RL quite how bad you are feeling.

You sound completely overwhelmed and I think you'd feel better if you broke things down in to smaller chunks of problems if that makes sense?

Get on the supplements - it should not be that hard to get your Hb up to >9 in a couple of weeks
Get prescription supplements btw, otc is likely to not be in high enough doses.