Im struggling with aneamia, does anyone else have it? What help is there????

[QueenofVenus]

What do you take, i have been on ferrous sulphate on and off for about 9 years, my levels go up slightly, but for some reason i dont store iron either so as soon as i stop taking it, im buggered again my levels are always rock bottom, i feel like hell, im so tired and i faint or feel faint alot! There MUST be some other treatment then ferrous sulphate, my gp just says sorry thas all we can offer you im pi**ed off with it all to say the least, and now im pregnant again its worse, and i have bad shortness of breath to contend with. What can i do??? i really need some help

Have you tried ferrous fumarate? You can get it on prescription. GP will whinge a bit but I find it more effective.

But I've not suffered for that length of time.

Have you tried taking a supplement such as floradex or spatone as you come off the iron pills? They're not so good at helping your iron levels go up if you're really anaemic but they might be able to help maintain it. They're not cheap but you could give them a go for a couple of months.

queenofvenus, like you i have always been "anaemic" although i suspect that perhaps i naturally have low iron levels.

but anyway, always have low levels, always being prescribed irton which i end up not taking beucase it just constipates me. much worse during pregnancy

to the point though,m when breastfeeding ds2 i had to cut out all dairy due to his tolerances.
i started feeling a LOT better without the dairy.

now, interestingly, as you prob know, dairy inhibits the absorption of iron. and so I think that once I cut it out my body was able to absorb a lot more of the iron naturally found in food.
I then fell pregnant agian, and on my first set of blood tests my iron levels were brilliant!
this is of course anecdotal, and in no way scientific, but the on;ly thing that had changed was cuttin g out dairy and wham,my first proper iron levels in forever.

when ds2 weaned i started back on dairy and immediately started getting symptoms of low iron levels again.
so now i have cut right down. i have no dairy at home, but allow myself small amounts when out (ie, when i want tea and cake lol)

so i would say namybe try cutting down on dairy in your diet if you have a lot (make sure to replace with other sources of calcium though) and make sure you are eating a good diet with lots of iron-rich foods. vitamin c helps with iron absorption, so have a glass of OJ wih meals, or some kiwi or something for dessert

I am taking Spatone which you can pour into orange juice or grapfruit juice to help absorb it. I was recommended it by some other MNers as although not diagnosed with low iron (yet) I have felt pretty darn tired and guessed its possible what with spending the first 2 trimesters so far upchucking! I found my menergy levels went up within 3 days, am sure it worked and others have sworn by it.

Its expensive (£7-8 for a months supply), don't know if you can get it on prescription?

Have you had a test for pernicious anaemia - my mum has this and cannot absorb B12 from her diet and has to have it injected. I have (another different) blood problem and suffer anaemia periodically and it tends to run in cycles - your periods are heavy then you get anaemic, then your periods get heavier ARRRRRGGGHH. The only thing I found that helped was losing so much weight my periods stopped (not recommended btw. But if you are overweight losing weight can make you feel a bit better in any case as well.

I don't think iron supplements do much good unless you are just slightly anaemic - a blood transfusion is the only thing I found that helped.

But obviously eating well and taking exercise can help a bit.

Thanks everyone for the help, im not over weight apparently im just in the middle, run-of-the-mill average lol, i have tried taking spatone and metatone tonics i've tried them til they come out my ears to no avail i have looked up pernicious anaemia, have mentioned it to gp, he said if next bloods come back bad, he will refer me to blood dr - the next bloods came back awful and he then said no, i'll just increase your doseage of ferrous sulphate its never ever made any difference in 9 bloody years why would it do now i cant describe the fuss i have made sometimes and it makes no difference, it just seems they cant be bothered to offer me anything else

Have you been tested for coeliac disease, I was always anaemic levels went as low as 7/8 most of the last 20 years and then went down to 4 after ds4 and I was falling asleep, finally diagnosed coeliac and levels have now levelled at 12 last time I was tested, had to have folic acid as well and didn't need b12 injections.I had none of the normal coeliac symptoms only sleepiness after eating bread until diagnosed with borderline malnutrition and aneamia.