How to prevent vomiting after iron tablets

[TickledOnion]

I've been prescribed iron tablets for anaemia. They give me diarrhoea, which I can cope with and nausea which usually passes but I have now vomited a couple of times.

I have read that it's best to take these on an empty stomach to avoid being sick, but I think that makes it worse as then I am vomiting bile rather than food (Sorry, tmi). Other people have suggested eating something with them but the leaflet says not to have tea, coffee, wholegrains or dairy 1 hour after or 2 hours before taking it.

Has anyone got any suggestions of what to eat with the tablet to avoid being sick?

Anything with high vitamin c levels which will aid the absorption of the iron - dried fruit or oranges are a good start :)

Thanks. Will that help avoid the symptoms? I can't face orange juice in the morning, but could probably manage some dried apricots.

I was told never to have on an empty stomach.

You could switch to spatone - two sachets a day for three weeks upped my iron levels from 9.4 to 12 when I was 36 weeks pregnant. They are gentler and have a lower iron content because more is absorbed by your body. You can get it in the supermarket.

Iggly - maybe I'm wrong about the empty stomach business. I'll go back to taking it with food and see if that helps. Will look at Spatone as well. Thanks for the advice.

can you not take.them in the evening with oj and see if that helps to be honest I took them with any food last pregnancy and I was ok?! hope you can find a happy medium? have you asked the me gp or pharmasist for advice?xx

you can ask the gp to prescribe different formulations, a duodenal tablet (dissolves in the small intestine instead of the stomach) for example which has less side effects.

you can also try floradix (liquid iron), didn't agree with my stomach but many people get on much better with it than with tablets.

I always take supplements with food. I've been on iron tablets for 4 years and they have never made me sick but I have always had them with my morning cereal. Some vitamin tabs make me feel sick and dizzy taken without food though.