Low iron 31 weeks pregnant

[ellieellie44]

I was diagnosed with low iron with no symptoms at around 28-29 weeks pregnant, and now I'm really struggling. I don't really want to bother my midwife due to the current situation so I've tried to grin and bare, but for the first 5 days or so after I began taking my iron tablets I was fine, no side effects, and then on the 6th day or so everytime I took my iron tablet I threw it back up 10 minutes after. I tried for 2 more days after that to take them and had the same outcome except I was keeping them down for less and less time. As I said, I didn't want to bother my midwife due to the current pandemic going on so I got my stepdad to go and get me some liquid iron supplement from the supermarket, it's only 30mg iron but it was to tide me over until my next appointment (which is Friday 8th may) I then began taking that twice a day as directed on its packaging and once again, I was fine for around 4 days, and then I started having the same problem again, it would NOT stay down. I then had a backache so tried to take a paracetamol, threw it up, tried to take liquid paracetamol 4hours after, threw it up. I've now began feeling quite breathless, quite hard to feel like I'm filling my lungs enough if that makes sense (could just be a heavily pregnant thing) ive read it can be a symptom of low iron. I'm worried now as at the beginning of my pregnancy my body developed a weird aversion to ANY sort of medication and it sounds like it's happening again. I really don't know what to do, any advice would be helpful as I'm at my wits end, tia x

[areallthenamesusedup]

Please phone your GP or midwife. Think that is safest option. Do not worry about bothering them, it’s what they are there for. Good luck!

[SunbathingDragon]

I’ve had low iron levels in all pregnancies and sometimes the iron tablets can take an adjustment but you can also have an infusion if you need to, especially when you can’t tolerate the tablets or liquid. I’d give your midwife a call for a chat through your options. For me, low iron showed itself in complete exhaustion and I was frequently breathless regardless so it could just be pregnancy affecting you the way you are. Do you have any other symptoms?

[cornersteps]

I don't really want to bother my midwife due to the current situation

People keep saying this. Has your midwife told you not to contact her due to Coronavirus?

[ellieellie44]

Im not sure how to work this so i think this replies to people, I have an appointment on Friday, should I just hang on till then? And no @SunbathingDragon I have no other symptoms other than feeling like it's difficult to breathe, @cornersteps no she's not said anything like that it's just my friend is also pregnant and has the same midwife, she says my midwife seems really busy, she's not seen my midwife for a month and last time she "saw" her was when she went for a scan and bumped into her and literally had a 10 minute chat with her in the corridor and then rearranged an appointment for 4 weeks after that, she seems very busy so I just don't want to bother her unless i really really need to x

[SunbathingDragon]

Just because your midwife is busy doing her job doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel like you can call. It really is what she is there for - for your worries as well as the health and well-being of you and your baby.

[areallthenamesusedup]

Have you reached out? Either midwife or GP may have handy tip about how to tolerate things more.

I was iron deficient and I recall something like ...."you must take it with orange juice/or definitely not and maybe it was a glass of milk...so no useful advice only to say its worth a phone call.....! :)