Aenemia - non prescription alternatves?

[gailforce1]

I have been diagnosed with aenemia and wonder if anyone can recomend an alternative to prescription iron tablets as I understand they can cause constipation?
Ideas please...

I will be watching this aswell.

I was told lots of green veg like cabage and brocolli is very good

Spatone iron enriched water. I used it in both my pregnancies. You can order online direct from the company or get it via your local chemist.

If it is DEFINITELY due to iron deficiency then Spatone is quite good. Take it with orange juice - vit c increases absorption of iron in any form. Also avoid tea at the same time as taking it - inhibits absorption.

Make sure it is iron deficiency though. Other causes of anaemia need more serious medication.

spatone is good tho still gave me constipation a bit!

what helped me hugely was cutting out dairy though!
i have always been anaemic. never ever had a blood test where i wasn't.
then after ds2 was born i cut dairy out of my diet as he was reacting to it.
i then had bloods taken as I fell pregnant with ds3 and for the first tiem in my life i had fabulously high iron levels!!!

now, dairy is known for reducing the body's absorption of iron, so i can only presume that cutting it out just helped me to absorb the iron that was natuerally in my diet

so i think even if you cut down on dairy, if you have a lot, then you might see a difference. and obv if you then eat a lot of green leafy veg, dried apricots, chick peas and other pulses and stuff your levels ought to go up by themselves
vitamin c also helps absorption so lots of OJ is good. or kiwi fruits

I like Floradix.

I can recommend Floradix, helped me no end, available in liquid form and tablets, but liquid is better absorbed. I used it when pg and suffered v badly from anaemia.

But agree, pls check is iron deficiency anaemia you are treating and not eg Vitamin B12 deficiency, which has similar symptoms but different treatment.

I like spatone - mix it with orange juice so that the iron is absorbed properly.

you can get liquid iron on prescription which is less constipating

Thank you all for your replies. Have got Floradix (yeast and gluten free) which I am going to take and then move onto the Saptone which I ordered by post.
How long before I will notice any difference(feel as though I am mentally and physically wading thro treacle and a bit spaced out)?