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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Can I take iron tablets and Spatone?

14 replies

Wallace · 15/10/2010 18:16

I started taking one sachet of Spatone a day about a week before I had my 28 week bloods taken because I felt anaemic. I soon started feeling better.

Didn't hear anything regarding the results of my bloods, but almost three weeks later my mum went into the chemist to collect a prescription and was told that there was a prescription there for me for iron tablets that had been sitting there for a while!

I'm not to keen on taking the tablets so I upped my Spatone to 2 sachets a day.

I'm 34 weeks now and in the last few days I have started feeling anaemic again. I have my prescription for iron tablets sitting in the cupboard (Ferrous Sulphate one 200mg tablet 3 times a day).

Would it be okay to start taking one tablet a day and one Spatone sachet? I really don't won't to give up the Spatone as I really really crave it and love the taste.

OP posts:

Igglybuff · 15/10/2010 18:26

Are you anemic or tired? I'd stick with the spatone as the tab could make you constipated. That and eat loads of iron rich foods.

Original poster

Wallace · 15/10/2010 19:44

Pretty sure I'm anaemic, it's that breathless feeling, etc.

What about 3 sachets of Spatone a day?

OP posts:

Original poster

Wallace · 15/10/2010 20:19

bump :)

OP posts:

sunfunandmum · 15/10/2010 20:27

I don't know about 3 sachets of Spatone a day (can you phone your midwife/ante natal unit to discuss?) but I would definitely steer clear of the iron tablets, speaking from bitter experience (I am about 32 weeks pregnant)! The side effect of the tablets mentioned above is "like trying to give birth out of the wrong hole" as someone so bluntly put it on another thread, not something you want to be doing on a regular basis for the next few weeks!!

I have 2 sachets of Spatone a day. Will keep watching the thread in case any advice appears about taking more, as I feel pretty wiped out most of the time myself.

ObamaSelf · 15/10/2010 20:33

When I was anaemic after having a baby I took Spatone but the dr told me that if you need an iron 'boost' that iron tablets are much better as they contain much more iron than Spatone. He said Spatone was more for keeping up your iron levels. BTW I had no side effects from the iron tablets.

Mumcentreplus · 15/10/2010 20:56

Spatone is very good... much better than tablets..I had a blood count of 7.0 and it really helped.. they are easily absorbed and you can also supplement your iron intake by eating iron rich foods like Brocolli,Corn-flakes,Dried Peaches,Kidney Beans,Spinach,Dark turkey meat and red meat

The recommended dose is 2 sachets a day I would stick to that.

Mumcentreplus · 15/10/2010 20:58

Iron tablets made me feel extreme nausea...

TheMulledBloodsOnMe · 15/10/2010 21:00

I anaged to get my iron levels back up from quite low after an EMCS as I refused point blank to take those horrible iron tablets and they worked brilliantly for me. You shouldn't need to take anymore than the recommended dose and I wouldn't anyway. Feeling breathless and tired is par for the course when you are 34 weeks pregnant. If you are taking Spatone and are eating an iron rich diet then I doubt you have anaemia issues.

Igglybuff · 15/10/2010 21:01

Yes I was pretty breathless toward the end - baby's taking up space and squirting your lungs. Plus extra weight to carry around!

TheMulledBloodsOnMe · 15/10/2010 21:02

Oh and make sure you take the Spatone with something like orange juice so that it's absorbed to its maximum and don't drink tea or coffee with meals as it prevents the iron from being absorbed.

Original poster

Wallace · 16/10/2010 06:52

Thanks for all the advice. I am sure I am anaemic as I have been anaemic with every pregnancy (this is my fourth!) and the symptoms are different to just being tired and lungs squashed.

I think I will wait til I get my 35 week bloods done and then if I am still anaemic I will discuss with doc. That is if they actually tell me this time!

OP posts:

nickytwotimes · 16/10/2010 06:59

I managed to get my Hg count up from 9 to 11 in a few months with 2 Spatones a day in OJ.

Tablets are crap.

lucy101 · 16/10/2010 09:46

I take two sachets of spatone and my levels are keeping up. I tried various brands of iron tablets but they made me feel so ill, not just stomach ache but just miserable as nothing seemed to be 'working' properly that I had to give them up.

lucybrad · 16/10/2010 13:20

I was taking spatone, but had low iron levels and so the doc gave me ferrous something or other iron tablets and they have made the world of difference. Im not constipated at all - why not give them a try, you can always stop them if they make you feel ill, but its better to get your iron level up before you go into labour, you dont want any problem with your blood at that stage and it takes a few weeks to sort itself out. Everyone told me it was just pregnancy tiredess and breatless ness but that was not the case because now 2 weeks after taking the iron tablets i feel like the old me again, and i can walk and talk without getting breathless.

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