GP says my iron levels are 6! I have to take a supplement - any advice please?

[violetbloom]

I had some blood tests at the GPs because my nails are very broken and ridged, suddenly so. She called me with the results today and said my iron levels are 6 which is very low apparently and also my vitamin D levels are very low.

She's given me a Vitamin D supplement to take and I have to take iron tablets but I noticed that the side effects are severe nausea and I have a terrible fear of nausea / vomiting.

Has anyone got any experience of taking these supplements or any good tips I can try?

Should I be really worried to have such a low iron level. Could it be fatal?

I think bellabelly is right, give them a try, I took them too when I was pregnant 1st time, your body will adjust to them pretty quickly, just make sure to take them with orange juice and a meal. You won't be sick just maybe a little bound for a couple of days but you'll have much more energy and know you're doing something about it, 6 is just so low.

If you are taking a multivitamin with minerals, make sure it hasn't got calcium in it. I tried with a multi tablet at the start and my level went down as calcium inhibits iron absorbtion.

Oh dear, it does have calcium in it. Should I not take that then?

I tried it and it didn't help! Pharmacists know more about drugs and side effects than most doctors. I know iron is important, but what a pain it is!

Yes, it is such a pain. I've been googling again and the amount of interactions with iron are mind boggling. Apparently if you drink tea, coffee, milk or beer it inhibits the uptake of iron. Also taking other kinds of iron supplement, i.e. bran flakes enriched with iron whilst taking, say, Floradix, will inhibit the uptake of the iron in both.

It's all very confusing. I will have a huge list of questions for the GP on Monday!

Also black strap molasses are equally high in both iron and calcium. So do they cancel each other out???

Can you get iron injections?

you used to be able to get one called jectofer but i think it has been discontinued. The docs give hydroxycobalamin Which is a Vit B12 injection which improves the absorption of iron and it is normally given with folic acid. But it only works for certain types of anaemiawww.medicines.org.uk/EMC/medicine/22983/PIL/Hydroxocobalamin+Injection+BP+1mg+ml/

I have vit D deficiency too. Think my level was about 8 too, which consultant said was extrememly low. I am on tablets called Adcal D3. With levels that low you can't rely on sunlight alone. Sunlight will top up your levels if your levels are already in the normal range, but it can't 'rebuild' your levels if they are below normal, iyswim. Go back to your GP and ask them to prescribe you some adcal tabs. You can't buy them in the shops.
My joints and muscles ached continuously due to the vit D deficiency, but after about 2 months of the tablets this is easing up a bit, it takes quite a while for your levels to come back up.
Oh and apparently drinking orange juice when you have taken the tablets helps with absorbtion.

My GP recommended Vitamin D3 from Holland and Barrett. She said that the prescription Vitamin D also has calcium so you have to buy your own without calcium! I'm on 25ug twice a day.

I don't know that I've suffered any joint or bone pain but my nails did recently start to flake and split badly which I think may be a sign of low Vitamin D?

Any ideas how it gets low in the first place?

I'm going to see my GP tomorrow for more information on everything.

Any last advice for me before I see the GP tomorrow?

I saw the GP and yes, it is ferritin levels that are 6, my haemoglobin is 12.8 or something, so within normal range. He said that most people find the Ferrous sulphate tablets hard to take and has given me Ferrous Gluconate to try. He also said that I could continue with my Floradix and molasses mixture for this month and see how my levels are with another blood test next month.

But my vitamin D levels are very low he says and I have to take the supplement.

the most common underlying causes of low ferritin/haemoglobin are very heavy periods or something that interferes with digestion eg coeliac disease, so if it persists it's likely that the GP will look at those possibilities. Also thyroid probs can cause iron deficiency.

I'm also veggie and constantly battle anemia - I just don't absorb it well. Have discovered that tofu is very high in iron though! Also baked beans and eggs have a decent amount in, plus green veg, any pulses and pumpkin seeds/dried apricots.

Also, if it does get really bad, you can have an iron infusion straight into your bloodstream. I have that every now and again and tend to hold onto the iron much longer that way!

Thanks ts. The GP didn't mention an iron infusion. Do you have to take iron supplements?

I can't tolerate iron tabs (severe nausea/vomiting/diarrhea) and don't absorb them anyway, so I just get the infusions now. But I did try iron tabs for a couple of years on and off so they certainly didin't offer infusions straight away - you have to have a nurse present throughout as risk of anaphylactic shock so it's quite a costly procedure I think. Most people are fine on iron tabs though - i think I'm just odd!

I couldn't tolerate the iron tablets I took at the weekend. Really horrible nausea, like travel sickness x 1000. My GP told me that many people can't tolerate them so maybe you're not as weird as you think!

I live in the U.S. so i don't really know if they sell Shaklee products in the UK but why dont you take a shaklee iron supplement its completely natural and contains lots of iron

Hi, How are you getting on with the supplements?

You really need to find out why your Ferritin is so low.

In the absence of any other changes to your diet, or periods, I would want the cause to be investigated.

I would ask my doctor to retest my blood once I had finished the iron supplement.

I would also insist on having another test three months after - once I had come off the supplements - to assess whether my Ferritin levels had stabilised or indeed, whether they had fallen again.

I recently had an iron infusion to treat my iron deficiency (10 for two years , supplements were not working well enough ) and my Ferritin went to 386.

I have an underlying problem with absorption in my small intestine and that is why my iron levels are low but it took a referral to a Gastroenterlogist for this to be diagnosed.

My levels were 6. You're supposed to cut out tea and coffee. When I'm pregnant this is easy for me, when I'm not pregnant it's impossible!
Good luck

Thanks for asking. I'm not really doing anything to be honest. I've been taking the Floradix but I'm sure it's not really strong enough. Apart from that I'm waiting to see what the next blood test shows and then maybe I can ask for an iron infusion?

so Shaklee doesn't make you nauseous?

I don't drink much tea or coffee by the way, just a coffee in the morning and no tea as I don't like it.

My GP suggested that my iron was very low because I am vegetarian but that was the only possible reason given.

Isn't an 'iron infusion' a blood transfusion? Would you rather have a blood transfusion than try to remedy it in some other way?
If you say it is down to your vegetarianism then there must be help from other vegetarians to increase your iron through your diet - aren't lentils a good source? Might be worth investigating alternatives to avoid a costly blood transfusion.

solgar gentle iron or biocare iron eap - they're the only ones that don't affect my stomach and bowels. I swear by them. Even Floradix constipated me.