Scared of starting iron supplement... (including TMI)

[Blankiefan]

At my 28 week apt, they took blood and it's come back just below the anaemia levels. Not sure of what the measure is but the cut off for normal is 105 and I'm 103.

The doc is putting me on iron supplements - I pick up the prescription on Monday. I'm worried they're going to give me constipation. I've mostly avoided this so far but can't face it. (i have lichen sclorosis which means a big/awkward poo tears my skin easily, makes me bleed and takes ages to heal). At the same time, I'm blooming knackered so hopefully they'll help.

I'm 29+5 and feeling a but emotional so I'm aware I'm over-reacting. Can you tell me how to avoid hours of toilet-based frustration?!!

Blankie, you could suggest that you try spatone (& maybe some iron rich foods) and then review in a few weeks. This is what I did (the food, not the spatone - it wasn't invented) and the midwife nearly fell off her chair when she saw the iron levels had actually gone up (normally they go down during pg). It's supposed to be an adult relationship, not them telling you what to do all the time.

But good luck anyway - I'm sure your poo will be fine!

blankie my gp was exactly the same but I chose to ignore her, admittedly it was a slower process but def better for me. However I wasn't pregnant at the time so unsure what I would have done if I had been.

You can take lactulose (stool softener) with iron tablets to prevent constipation and tearing.

It is fine to take in pregnancy.

at those telling you to ignore medical advice. I wonder have those posters really considered the risks of such low iron levels in pregnancy.

Yes sleepy, I could but Im concerned that I won't really know the difference until they next take blood (4weeks). I think it's a bit of a gamble given that I'll be 34 weeks by then so not much I've to correct it if I get it wrong.

I don't like it, but I'm going to do as advised by the GP - and buy a load of prune juice!!

Thanks Holey, GP has also prescribed lactulose...

Ask the pharmacist who will be able to recommended taking iron in another compound, so ferrous citrate rather than sulphate. They are much more gentle on your stomach but are a little bit more expensive.

Taking alternative supplements isn't ignoring medical advice. The NHS only prescribes the form of iron that is harshest on the digestion because it's cheap, many people get on better with alternative forms. In addition, supplements like floradix or ferroglobin have vitamin C to help increase absorption. They are very carefully balanced supplements and are way more expensive to produce than the nhs ones, which I'm certain is why the nhs doesn't offer them. Although some people seem to be getting spatone on prescription...

I don't think anyone was suggesting the op. should remain anaemic

Anaemic people should also be aware that drinking tea decreases iron absorption. Don't drink tea with food and preferably cut down altogether.

The levels of iron in these alternatives are miniscule by comparison to the ones offered by the NHS. Urging the OP to take them instead of those advised by her doctor is silly and could be dangerous for her and for her baby.

But that just isn't true, except for spatone, which does have a much smaller but exceptionally absorbable dose of iron. For example, ferroglobin has a different higher dosage for pregnant women. Also, absorption is much lower for ferrous sulphate tablets

I posted my advice to check with GP first as my MW recommended moving to spatone from iron tabs and my iron dropped and I got told off by GP

So I think always best to check first

What about ferrous fumerate? My GP prescribed these for me a couple of months ago as my iron levels were very low (much lower than yours). She prescribed me a double dose and I take them with orange juice. They don't make me constipated BUT they do make me a bit queasy and still do the unattractive dark green/black poo thing. However, I wasn't pregnant at the time (have just discovered I am now, yoiks/hooray/etc) so need to check I can keep going with them.

So - it's Ferrous Fumarate. Took my first one this evening followed by a couple of prunes! Don't want to take the lactulose just yet so we'll see how it goes. Going to start on one a day for a few days and see what develops.

Thanks for everyone's input. Never before have so many people known so much about my poo.

Glad you have taken the docs advice. I also had an iron count of 10.5 at 28 weeks in my pregnancy. I stupidly decided to try and treat it with spatone and floradix instead of the presribed iron tablets, and my levels did not improve. I ended up giving birth at 37 weeks and my DD had a low birth weight which could have been caused by my anemia during the pregnancy. I also lost a lot of blood during the birth and ended up needing a blood transfusion.

Anemia in pregnancy can have serious consequences for you and your baby. It's worth taking the tablets if you can!

Re the lactulose - it is really just an indigestable sugar, so it takes 48 hours to work and is more prevention than cure.