Low iron after having children and being told to stop tablets - help!

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Anyone else have this issue? Since having children I've had low iron (3rd degree tear with my first and c section with my second so a lot of blood loss) and my iron levels have been low since even (sub 10). I was given ferrous sulphate 200mg and have been feeling a lot better, nowhere near as fatigued, however after 2 months of tablets the doctor is now saying I should be fine and don't need them.

Bear in mind my last three blood tests have shown the level below 10 and it always decreases straight after coming off them. Is there anything I can do on this? Doctor just keeps saying you shouldn't be on them long term but the alternative is feeling crap and knackered all the time... Has anyone been in this position?

I buy mine over the counter and take them daily

They no longer have high anaphylaxis rates using the more modern formulas. It used to be an issue with the older formulation but the newer ones are a fraction of the risk.

https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/M21-4009

Iron dextran averaged 9.8 per 10000 administrations but ferric carboxymaltose was 0.8 per 10000. When I had an iron infusion on the NHS they used Ferinject which is ferric carboxymaltose.

That doesn’t mean there is no risk but it is significantly lower than it used to be.

It can also be due to periods - few supplements can outrun heavy periods.

OP it’s actually cheaper to buy them OTC than pay for the prescription.

It too a year for my ferritin to get to 90 from a starter of 7. I was prescribed ferrous fumerate 210mg but was cheaper to buy OTC than pay the charge so i carried on for about 18 months. Another blood test showed my levels around 100 and I stopped taking them but if I start feeling tired all the time again I will just buy some more. 2 months is nowhere near enough time to get your ferritin to an acceptable level which according to my GP is at least 70 but a bit higher if possible.

I'm 11 months pp and have had low iron. It dropped from 90 to 30 taking otc supplements so I had ferrous fumerate prescribed. After 3 months it had gone from 30-35 and after another 2 months they have gone up to 50. I've had low transferrin too which is the protein your liver produces to tell your body to absorb more iron. I've been told they will keep me on iron until my ferritin is over 100 or my symptoms resolve. I have awful fatigue needing 1-2 naps a day and with a restriction on what I can do and I'm now signed off sick.

My fatigue started in pregnancy where it came on quite suddenly and hospitalised when I was 4-5 naps a day and was only wake long enough to eat and then go back to bed. I had liver issues - Cholestasis and possibly hellp. This has been given as the reason for my low iron and fatigue. Also, the low iron is impacting my thyroid and that is on the bottom of normal too. My GP has submitted an advice request from haematology and I'm awaiting an endocrinology referral

I had ferritin level of 8 and felt awful.
I was taken off ferrous sulphate when it reached 30 and told you’re fine now. Yet sources say you don’t feel like you are functioning until it’s about 70 in a healthy active adult.

that said, I hated the tablets. Gave me an awful stomach

You can just buy them from the shop… or go get an IV. My husband paid £140 for one not long ago

I never know how much to take. One of my brands (Accord) says take one tablet to prevent anaemia, and 2-3 to treat. So I always took 3 a day as I defo need to treat it, otherwise I probably wouldn't be on the tablets in the first place lol. Only when I bought other brands does it say to just take one tablet a day

I've had two iron infusions without any issue. Sorted my levels out for about 3 years before dipping again.

I'm an anaesthetic consultant... they do have a heightened anaphylaxis rate... obviously they're much safer than they were but they're certainly not risk free. There's a reason why no NHS hospital permits iron infusions after 4.30pm

It varies between trusts the brands of iv iron some use monofer some use ferrinject

I fully accept your greater knowledge on this topic and I don’t think either of us think they are risk free.

My concern is that too many women are left struggling with low iron that isn’t improving on oral supplementation or are told that low levels of ferritin are OK when their quality of life is suffering. Yes they may be avoiding the risk of a rare reaction to intravenous iron but at a high cost. With the older formulations it was easier to see why the risk / reward balance tipped against infusions.

For me it was an academic point as I can’t tolerate oral iron due to IBD and my platelets were too high. However, time and again you see women posting who have been left struggling with low blood results and iron supplements that aren’t making much of a difference where an infusion should at least be considered.

To absorb iron you need vitamin c, are you getting plenty of? You can buy iron from health food stores and pharmacies anyway

Hi, when I needed iron tabs, I couldn't tolerate them, so I took Spatone instead. There is a version that contains vitamin C.