Iron levels...help pls x

[ebbie22]

My iron level had been 9.9 leaving me really washed out and dizzy...
Had iron tablets for 3 wks on 3 a day,levels are now 10.5...
Ran out of tablets a wk ago,wont see mdwife til nt wed...Are my levelsstill lower than they should be,still feel dizzy but nowhere as bd as i had done...

Will they go lower if i dont take anymore tablets?

Thanks in advance xxx35 +5

Anyone??

best levels for a woman are 12

i would phone mw - did you get them on prescription? she could maybe arrange for another today

12-14 that should be

Are you sure it is due to iron levels that you feel dizzy? Because 10 is pretty good for your stage of pg (iron levels 'drop' because you've got more blood for the same amount of iron). 10 is what they want you to have to be "safe" for a homebirth (contentious point, but it means the NHS think 10 is a really good iron level).

You can go to Boots and buy Spatone (comes in a big white & orange box). Its an iron supplement that you add to a drink. Safe to take, won't make you constipated, will increase your iron levels quickly.

But I'd talk to your midwife / gp and make sure its not something else, too.

your bp may be low making you feel dizzy also..

not really answering the question but have you tried spatone - you can get it from health food shops, safe for pregnancy as its water with high level of iron sulphate. another way of getting iron is cooking with cast iron pots as it naturally leaches into the food, or lots of spinach, dried apricots, blackstrap molasses etc.?

Thanks for all the advice,not sure if dizzyness is due to iron levels or not,but did feel slightly better whilst taking them...
Will just wait and speak tomdwife on wed then if they dont seem low to anyone else,i just wasnt sure what to doand seeing as though my dd was early wanted enough time for them to build levels bk up again,just in case
...Mw not very helpful at the best of times.....

My bp is 112/82is that low?
will try and find the spatone,is it in a tube,and do tescos sell it?Not sure if it will stop the dizzyness but i guess its worth a try....
Also what doespcv and mch mean in terms of med notes in pregnancy?

Hi Ebbie,

My levels went down to 10 from around 30weeks and I was given ferrous sulphate tablets that I only took for about a week or so due to awful side effects. M/w told me to scrap them and start on the floradix (great stuff in a big bottle for about 12quid - liquid iron) and thankfully my last bloods came back with a level of 11.5 which she said was fine but to continue with floradix until baby's arrival.
I hope that helps and hope you're feeling better.

ChaCha
38weeks

Your bp sounds fine, ebbie. SpaTone is in a big box with lots of individual sachets - it's a liquid you pour into orange juice. Tastes a bit metallic but does the trick!

My iron was lower than yours but it didn't make me feel dizzy, just tired. Affects us in different ways though, so that doesn't necessarily mean anything.

Cha Cha - out of interest, what were your side effects with ferrous sulphate? I took this post pg and also had a rough time on them. Didn't bung me up, had the opposite effect iykwim.

I had awful vomitting and diarrhea on ferrous sulphate. And was offered no alternative.

The helpful MNetters to the rescue again! Floradix sorted it right out!

also links between adhd and iron supps in pg

according to pg friend

my iron levels were lower than yours ebbie....i am taking spatone -its the quickest higest absorbing form of iron you can take orally. I got mine from health food shop, its about £6something for a 28 sachet box. you take 2 a day if youre pg and have low iron, you bung it in a glass of either oj or cranberry juice and I cant taste at all. no major side effects unlike stupid tablets from drs, which made me ill.
floradix is good for everyday taking too, tho my dr said it wasnt high enough in iron to boost my low levels, more to take when they are 'okay' to keep them up. (I have no idea if thats true btw, but i did read the labels on both and spatone does indeed have more iron thats absorbed in it)
midwife said they want iron levels over 105 so youre not doing too badly.
we are going to feel dizzy at this stage dont forget, a billion things making you feel that not just iron levels. take it easy

Hi Mandymac,

Exactly the same as ExpatinScotland - awful tablets and I didn't realise that's what was wrong with me Thought it was normal in the third trimester...Floradix is way better..I love the stuff.

Thanks for all the advice,mylevels were when i was taking 3 tablets a day,do u think now i have stopped taking them they will drop again?
It didnt stop the dizzyness but it def helped...though have had it thru out the whole pregnancy....
I so wish you guys were my midwife xxxx

Your iron levels are very good for your stage, you don't want them any higher than that. I wouldn't rush onto any additional supplements.

118 is quite a low blood pressure (which is a good thing, generally, in pregnancy!!) and will probably mean that you can feel dizzy after you eat a biggish meal (because your blood goes to your stomach to help digest) or if you get up too quickly or stand too long or if it is very stuffy in your house.
I have a tendency to low blood pressure (am 30 wks preg) and definitely get dizzy spells if my bp is under about 120.
Make sure you are keeping up your fluids (water basically) during the day and that's about all you can do - except be very glad you haven't got HHIGH blood pressure which is dangerous!