Anemia

[MIAeatingeggs]

Got some great support on this board a couple of weeks ago when waiting for my results, am back! Will try and keep it short..
Was diagnosed with anemia a couple of weeks ago after feeling achy and tired. I have been on the iron tablets a week and a half now and have no improvement. Its probably too early for them to be working, but I am feeling worse and needing so much sleep. Slept for 2 hours today, never sleep during the day not even when DS was a baby!

Have has anemia once before when pregnant and after the birth as I lost alot of blood, but didn't feel too bad then. I have got lots of symptoms of being run down, cold sores, ulcers etc. Just wondering if anyone had anemia and it got worse before getting better, any tips to help and how long it can take for the tablets to kick in.

Def agree with you. I had aneamia in both pregnancies. Felt awful for a few weeks after starting to take the iron tablets and even rang my doctor because I thought they weren't working. Worst feeling in the world. Can't recommend anything apart from take it easy and you WILL feel better soon. x x x

Thanks spoo

I think that's what I am finding strange, that I feel worse now when I am anemic and not pregnant than when I was both! How long did it take for you to feel better?

are you pregnant??

luvaduck, even though I was pretty sure I wasn't I did a test to check myself, but no am not

so has the doctor said why he thinks you're anaemic? Do you have particularly heavy periods?

LOL at you doing a pregnancy test!

Yep, the Doc thinks its heavy periods. Did mention possibility of mirena coil or tablets to reduce blood loss. However, I am not too sure its that. They are heavier than before having a baby but not that much more iyswim.
Am going to be tested again in a month to see if iron levels are any better. Am getting fed up with the tiredness though tbh.

any other symptoms?? bowel, chest etc?

IBS (long standing) which has got worse again after not having too much trouble for a long time.

hmmm

most anaemia (if iron deficient - you need to check your Gp has checked for this) is due to heavy periods in menstruating women so that prob is the cause.

worth mentioning the ibs though - they may want to do a faecal occult blood screen

Thanks luvaduck!

Do you know how long the iron tablets take to start raising iron levels, or more importantly when I will start to feel like I have more energy?!

Iron tablets can take weeks to have an effect as it's cumulative.

I was anaemic when pg, lost a lot of blood during a cs and had very heavy periods when they returned. Chuck in bfing and sleep deprivation and I lived in a fog.

Is your diet iron rich too? And vitamin C at the same time as the tablets?

My iron levels are still on the low side and dd is 23 months but I eat very well, use spatone sachets and drink lots of orange juice.

You will feel better. I reckon 6 weeks of iron before you feel even remotely improved ime.

which iron tablets are you taking ? some of them ( I think most) are very difficult for the body to absorb, so you end up with black poo.

Try Spatone, which you can buy from Boots (or if baby under a year ask for a prescription from your doc) It's a liquid & 40% is absorbed & it doesn't make you constipated. Drink with orange juice & avoid dairy for at least 1/2 hr.

Thanks, diet is very good, will look into vitamin c tablets, hadn't thought of that. Used Spatone during pregnancy and it is very good, but found once iron got very low is wasn't as good for boosting it quickly iyswim, but am hoping to start using it again once iron levels are back up.

They are ferrous fumerate and yes, they are having the usual side effect Icantbelieve

I was also recommended iron citrate, also easily absorbed, but didn't want to budge from spatone.
A dessertspoon of linseeds soaked in water for about 5 mins & then drunk with a glass of something should help the constipation... as if we don't have enought to deal with !

Thank you

Will just have to be patient!

How many iron tabs you taking? Maybe you need to take another one per day. Also are you taking them with anything like breakfast? cos certain foods can stop you absorbing iron, I found this after I was taking my iron tabs same time as muesli with milk - dairy products, raw oats, caffeine and other things can stop you absorbing iron - I have learnt by bitter experience.

Also you need to check with gp what your ferritin levels are (if you don't know already), it could be that they are very low too, so you need to boost them and your haemoglobin.

It took weeks for the iron tabs to work on me before I stopped feeling so tired - and cold all the time. Don't give up though - keep perservering - it is worth it in the end .

Thanks champagne, I too take them with cereal in the morning an probably with coffee at lunchtime... Will look into that!
Not sure what the ferritin level is, although the Doc did say another reading was low so maybe its that?

I was told (after birth of DD and losing 1 and a half litres of blood) that iron tablets would take about 2 months to restore blood count.
Eat dried apricots, one tablespoon of blackstrap molasses (from health shop) each day or add it to casseroles. Also lots of leafy green veg. Other posters have also said about making sure you have vitamin C rich food to help absorption and avoiding things like caffeine

def take them between meals with glass of orange juice - i think you meant to take two twice a day to boost your iron but check first!

crank up the red meat and broc too - it can only help!

also advice i was given was cut right back on caffiene as that reduces absorption of iron - it also gives you a surge in adrenalin which then crashes making you feel tired - one caffiene drink in am and one in afternoon only

to help with tiredness, eat protein with every meal and snack eg nuts, yoghurt, hummus etc

Thanks for those extra tips, can't believe how much of this I was not told or even spotted when googling researching

Sorry, just realised I had changed back to my non-Easter name on another thread and it might be look a bit odd!