Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

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

Flip

Original poster

Iron tablets.. Feel so sick. And only been one day.. Surely it can't be that already

18 replies

CinnamonAndSpice · 15/12/2017 23:41

So how started me on them as anemic. Three a day. Only started them this morning. And the last hour have felt so sick to the point I'm. Going clammy like I'm gonna hurl
and struggled to go to the loo, felt like direaha pains but it was hard.. Sorry tmi

Surely this can't be the effects so soon?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

whensitmyturn · 15/12/2017 23:50

I know iron tablets have always made me sick, even when not pregnant. I bought some multivitamins a while ago with iron in and was clammy and vomiting within the hour. Affects my sister same way.

Original poster

CinnamonAndSpice · 15/12/2017 23:54

That's not good x
Each time I get in bed, stomach cramps and feel sick.. Weird.
It's going to make me paranoid about taking them tomorrow as have dps work do and don't want to feel icky...
May message midwife on Monday and ask.

OP posts:

ScotsLamb · 16/12/2017 01:46

Are you taking all 3 at once?

Battleax · 16/12/2017 01:51

They're pretty sudden and brutal in their effect. Spatone liquid is much gentler and can be mixed into orange juice.

Iwasjustabouttosaythat · 16/12/2017 01:52

You need go eat with them. Have then right after breakfast, lunch then dinner. They won’t make you sick at all if you do this, but otherwise they will make you throw up.

Original poster

CinnamonAndSpice · 16/12/2017 05:28

Each one was taken with 3 main meals.. Avoiding milk, yoghurt and caffeine as gp advised.
Now 5.30am and still haven't been to sleep as the sick feeling only just gone and the tummy turned into diarrhoea.. Nice :/ lol

Going to try again Sunday as today we have dps work do which they've gone to alot of effort and expense for a lovely meal and show so the last thing I want is to feel like that again lol.

Thanks for your replies

Now to try and catch some sleep x

OP posts:

Original poster

CinnamonAndSpice · 16/12/2017 05:30

Oh the gp mentioned that spatone liquid and said to take for a few days along with the tablets.. And tbh I forgot to get it.
Wonder if should do that but in stead of tablets?

OP posts:

noodlesandtomatoes · 16/12/2017 06:04

Spatone is not as strong. I was on it for months and had to be upped to the tablets. Get back to the GP fur advice.

foodiemama26 · 16/12/2017 07:46

You need to go to the gp for advice if they are making you so unwell. I had a rough couple of days but then things have settled down but I’m only on two a day. If you are taking a larger dosage I don’t think the liquid would be strong enough for you. Taking it on an empty stomach makes it much worse and I have found eating smaller anounts more regularly helped with the nauseous feeling. Hope you get sorted quickly!

Harebellmeadow · 16/12/2017 07:49

I would, in addition to spatone, mention floradix, which tastes even better ( spatone a bit metallic, but tolerable), like woodland berries. Spatone and floradix may be seen as weaker, but they can be better absorbed by the body, and without any nasty side effects, which can be screamingly painful.

endofthelinefinally · 16/12/2017 07:54

I was extremely intolerant to iron tablets. The sickness and cramping was very severe and my condultant told me to stop taling them.
Spatone twice daily with food did help. Plus lots of iron rich food.
I managed to raise my Hb from 8 to 10 in about 6 weeks. Still not great but an improvement.

Joskar · 16/12/2017 07:55

Could they give you an iron infusion instead? If you're very anemic but can't tolerate the tablets that's a good solution. It takes about an hour but most people only need one dose. Maybe ask about it at the GP or the midwife.

Make sure to eat loads of iron rich food - greens and pulses and red meat. Diet is the best way to increase iron levels.

If you get Spatone it's cheaper on Amazon.

OutComeTheWolves · 16/12/2017 08:05

I'm on them at the minute and to be honest, I'd rather just have low iron. If it wasn't for the midwife testing my blood at every appointment, I just wouldn't bother.

Just to clarify, I have no medical training so please don't take that as advice. It's more just a bit of a whinge!

Fairylea · 16/12/2017 08:10

I’m not pregnant but I have anaemia and I take 3 ferrous fumerate tablets a day (210mg x 3). Initially they do make you feel sick but it becomes easier to manage if you take them with food as others have said. Please don’t stop taking them without speaking you your doctor, people don’t realise how serious anaemia can be. When I have been very anaemic I have had very severe chest pains as it can affect your heart and it can also make you faint unexpectedly. It’s really awful. When I was pregnant with my dd I really couldn’t tolerate iron tablets so I had to have daily iron injections in hospital.

The iron in multivitamins and over the counter supplements is not as strong as the ones you get on prescription so I would steer clear of these otherwise you might not be taking enough.

I do suffer side effects from the iron tablets I take- they give me horrible black poo (normal on the tablets!) and I suffer with a lot of painful heartburn and stomach acid but I would rather have those than the anaemia.

Gunpowder · 16/12/2017 08:11

YY ask about Spatone or Floradix

endofthelinefinally · 16/12/2017 09:44

The thing about the iron infusion is that it could be very dangerous for someone who reacts badly to the tablets.
Even though my Hb was 8, my consultant would not entertain the idea of an infusion due to the risk of anaphylaxis.

Daisymay2 · 16/12/2017 10:08

Which iron product are you taking? Ferrous sulphate packs in the iron but can be hard on the stomach. Fumerate can be better if you find sulphate tabs intolerable. I remember trying several brands and ending up taking 1 or 2 a week before stopping altogether because i felt so bad with them. Feeling sick, stomach cramps etc.
I don't think Spartone or Floradix are available on the NHS prescription but might be worth a try. It might be worth having a chat with the pharmacist to see if they can suggest a product which maybe has lower iron content not ferrous sulphate which you can tolerate and ask GP or midwife to prescribe. Might be better to be taking a low dose and tolerate it than be in trouble with higher dose. Trouble is lots of pharmacies are really busy at the moment with the pre Christmas rush.I am retired now so can't make any suggestions.

PurplePillowCase · 16/12/2017 10:15

call gp.
there are other (more expensive) formulations that are better tolerated, like tablets that only dissolve in the intestine so they are not as harsh on the stomach.
constipation is a normal side effect... get yourself a supply of lactulose...

last resort is iv iron, but that's a hospital job and has the risk of other bad side effects.

over counter liquid iron formulations are udually not strong enough to treat anaemia quickly.

Flip