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

Iron levels

17 replies

kmreeve · 03/12/2018 14:02

The blood test for anemia is 100.. I'm 101 but symptomatic- I started floradix a week ago to help my levels- anything else I can do/take before I go down the dreaded iron tablet route?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
AmyDowdensLeftLeftShoe · 03/12/2018 14:23

Eat more red meat.

physicskate · 03/12/2018 17:04

And vit c.

user1471426142 · 03/12/2018 17:10

Mine was 108 at 16 weeks (did an extra blood test as was feeling shite). I expect by the 28 weeks bloods the levels will have dropped to the iron tablet thresholds. My midwife suggested spatone, steak and apricots in the interim.

I always seem to notice a difference when I go below 11. My eyelids get pale and my nails look a state so I don’t know if people react in different ways to different levels. I’d almost rather be at at 100 so I can have the iron tablets and feel better. I hate taking them but I’ve always noticed a positive difference within a couple of weeks.

kmreeve · 03/12/2018 17:15

@user1471426142 I didn't think you could take spatone during pregnancy due to the alcohol content- hence why my midwife said to take floradix.

My prescription is waiting for me for next week but iv never taken iron tablets before, Iv just heard all the horror stories 😱

OP posts:
bumbledeedum · 03/12/2018 17:35

You don't need a prescription to take iron tablets, the 200mg tablets can be bought over the counter from boots, for about £2 for 28 (14 days worth).

WHO has published a report that iron deficiency in pregnancy can't be counteracted with diet.

KnucklestheEchidna · 03/12/2018 17:43

My iron levels were also 101 two weeks ago and I've been on iron tablets (210mg ferrous fumarate twice a day) for the past week and a bit (since my prescription came through) and honestly I already feel so much better for taking them. I now feel like I can get up and do things during the day whereas, before, a single task exhausted me. Like you, I read about all the horror stories but I haven't had any negative symptoms so far and have been taking them after breakfast and dinner with some form of juice (apple or orange) to avoid any potential nausea.

user1471426142 · 03/12/2018 18:28

bumbledeedum I didn’t realise you could get them without a prescription. That is very useful info.

bumbledeedum · 03/12/2018 18:38

No problem, I only found out by accident, even my GP wasn't aware!!

Biologifemini · 03/12/2018 18:44

Drink lots of juice with your iron tablets
I also eat steak drizzled with salt and lemon juice - Greek style.
It doesn’t take too long to up it if you do this but avoid with anything containing calcium like cheese or milk otherwise it reduces iron absorption.

AmyDowdensLeftLeftShoe · 03/12/2018 19:24

Sorry OP I was posting while breastfeeding.

When you are pregnant your iron levels - haemoglobin - are lower and the lab adjusts the range to reflect you are pregnant.

The standard advice is to eat iron rich foods e.g. red meat, lentils, green veg and avoid eating foods/drinking drinks containing tannins e.g. coffee and calcium e.g. milk that inhibit iron absorption. Red meat has iron in a form that is more easily absorbed by humans than vegetable sources.

If you then are found to be iron deficient you need iron tablets that contain far more than the RDA for pregnant women and you need to take 2-4 per day depending on the doctors advice. These are tablets such as ferrous fumerate, ferrous sulphate or ferrous gluconate which contain something like 60mg of elemental iron per tablet. You can buy these at a pharmacy at the discretion of the pharmacist but being pregnant you most likely need a prescription.

Ideally iron tablets should be taken on an empty stomach e.g. hour before food or two hours after with vitamin C to increase absorption. However if you have horrid side effects like bowel issues then taking one dose before bed may help over come this. (And yes your poo will be black.)

As someone who is frequently iron deficient I don't advise you to drink loads of juice with your iron tablet due to the high sugar content. Have a small amount or take a vitamin C tablet instead.

In my case my hair always starts falling out when I'm iron deficient.

RMarieClaire · 03/12/2018 19:27

Kale kale kale. And spinach. I am vegan and was surprised to discover my iron levels are really high. I eat loads of green veg, but of course no red meat.

You could also try cutting back on coffee and tea as they can sap iron levels.

kmreeve · 03/12/2018 20:21

Thanks ladies- such helpful advice. Think I'll go pick up my prescription tomorrow as I'm a tad fed up of feeling like iv constantly run a marathon xx

OP posts:
ForAMinuteThere · 03/12/2018 20:26

@kmreeve my children have been advised to take Spatone. No mention of alcohol content - is that legit?

ParadiseLaundry · 03/12/2018 20:44

Can I ask what the side effects/problems are with taking a general iron supplement during pregnancy are (a pregnancy where you haven't been diagnosed with anemia)?

I took it all through my last pregnancy without any problems and am sure I would have mentioned it to my midwife at the time. I'm pregnant again and doing the same now.

Apologies for hijacking your thread op.

ParadiseLaundry · 03/12/2018 20:45

Sorry, meant to say I googled it but couldn't see anything that stood out apart from American websites recommending it.

kmreeve · 03/12/2018 20:47

@ForAMinuteThere - sorry I got spatone and metatone mixed up. Sorry for the confusion.

OP posts:
ForAMinuteThere · 04/12/2018 12:07

Phew! No worries. Hope everything goes well for you.

I had an iron transfusion and it was bloody lovely!

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