Alternative to iron tablets

[HarrietMarriet]

I have mild anaemia (likely caused by heavier periods for the last year but my last two cycles have been much better/lighter). I’ve been prescribed iron tablets but I feel rotten on them - funny yummy, weird taste in mouth and just not right. It’s only for three months until they do my bloods again. Has anyone found another way to bring up iron levels without taking the tablets? I actually didn’t feel any side effects from the iron deficiency anyway!

Spatone

Spatone water. Tastes like paperclips but it’s much gentler on the stomach.

www.spatone.com/en-gb/where-to-buy/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=search-february-2021&utm_content=local&gclid=Cj0KCQiAtJeNBhCVARIsANJUJ2FVath09P-fxnL0Ta8MAzDrcYzEbvMCfyPjqUcvqprnkJSad-D0TTAaAkZtEALw_wcB

Another vote for spatone. I use it in some OJ.

Tastes like paperclips is a perfect description of spatone!

Why have you been tasting paperclips?

There are different types of iron tablets on prescription, I've found ferrous gluconate to be the best one, ferrous fumarate gives me appalling indigestion and ferrous sulphate leaves me constipated. Just ask for a different prescription.
There are also "gentle iron" that you can buy OTC, but non prescription ones are never as strong, there's also. I take iron tablets all the time (as does my daughter).

Floradix is good too.

Should have said funny tummy! Not yummy.
@SusannaQueen yes it’s Ferrous Fumarate I’m on.
Will investigate the other suggestions. Thanks x

Try different iron tablets as @SusannaQueen describes- some people can tolerate different types better than others so worth going back to your GP.

Evidence suggests they may work better taken once every other day so you can try that especially if you are taking them every day, or three times a day as we used to do.

Over the counter products are better tolerated because they don't contain as much iron, so if you are really anaemic they may not work as well because you aren't getting a big enough dose.

I have long term anaemia due to lupus. If you have been prescribed iron tablets these are much higher than the dosage you’d get from Spatone or anything over the counter. Be very careful you don’t end up anaemic again if you stop your prescribed tablets.

I take ferrous fumerate 210mg every day long term. When I initially started taking them I took 3 a day. It was horrible but I found taking them with food helped and gradually I did get used to them.

When I was pregnant with my dc I had to have iron injections in my bum every single day of each pregnancy! That was not fun!

Just googled and Spatone contains 5mg iron per sachet. 2 sachets a day is still under the RDA of Iron for women at 14mg per day and well under the content of a tablet of ferrous fumerate 210mg.

I take ferrous fumarate at night right before bed.

Black pudding is very high in iron, cheap and low in fat. It tasted better when it had big gobs of fat in it though.

@Fluffycloudland77 do you find that helps with not making you feel rubbish?

I think so. Your asleep while they are being absorbed and it’s an hour or more after my last cup of tea.

I did the same with roaccutane when I took that.

I take OTC Iron Bisglycinate 14mg which I can tolerate pretty easily. Like a PP has suggested, I take it before bed so that I sleep off any nausea.

Obviously 14mg is only a maintenance level dose though.

Yes try different tablets. I tolerate ferrous gluconate much better but doctor says it will take longer for my iron levels to improve compared with the stronger one.

Also - just worth a mention, if your anaemia is due to heavy periods have you tried the mini pill? I was put on this for this reason and after an initial 3/4 months of spotting (which was annoying but I carried on) I now haven’t had any periods or bleeding whatsoever for 8 years.

@Bagelsandbrie thank you but I can’t take any hormonal contraception. However, taking starflower oil capsules really seems to help regulate my hormones and now I’m back to taking them (had stopped for a while) my periods are noticeably lighter (and my insane PMT has gone!).

[quote HarrietMarriet]@Bagelsandbrie thank you but I can’t take any hormonal contraception. However, taking starflower oil capsules really seems to help regulate my hormones and now I’m back to taking them (had stopped for a while) my periods are noticeably lighter (and my insane PMT has gone!).[/quote]
That’s good. Hope you feel better soon. 💐

I have iron bisglycibate 20mg capsules (Solgar brand).

There are so many types of iron you can have prescribed. Some are more heavy than others. Unfortunately I can’t tolerate any of them but there is one called gentle iron that you can buy which might be better. Spatone is flap low in iron it’s nowhere near the levels you’d need if aneamic

Flap should say ‘so’ 😆

Lots of green vegetables, particularly spinach, also offal (particularly liver), red meat, pulses

Vitamin C helps with the absorption of iron, so citrus fruit or juices too.