Iron Supplements?

[RWK29]

Midwife has left a message on my answer machine advising that my last bloods show I’m a bit anaemic. She says she’ll sort me a prescription for iron tablets for my next appointment but it’s not for 3 weeks (which is a week before I’m due 🙄). She advised that I take iron supplements if I can get hold of some between now and then.
Pharmacy won’t sell me them because I’m pregnant 😂😂🙈
Just doing an online Boots order. Am I right in saying Spatone is safe during pregnancy?
The only other things I take are my daily folic acid/vitamin D and I’m on 150mg aspirin daily.

Also...obviously I have tried to get hold of my midwife to double check but I can’t get hold of her at all 😊

My midwife specifically recommended me Spatone, and the packets do refer specifically to dosage in pregnancy, so should be perfectly safe (as far as I'm aware!).

Also, don’t drink tea/coffee an hour either side of taking iron supplements as it prevents the iron being absorbed properly. But vitamin C helps Iron absorption, so have a glass of orange juice with the supplements.

@Cheeseoncheese That’s perfect, I was sure I remembered seeing that there was a dosage for pregnancy! Thanks 😊

@MalbecIsMyOne I don’t drink tea or coffee anyway but I’ll add some orange juice on to my food shop 😊 thanks!

Go for spatone. Those iron supplements are nasty.

@peachypetite Oh really? 🤢 Is Spatone a better choice? 😂

Easier to absorb.

I would also agree with taking spatone. I'm a pharmacist and I couldn't even tolerate ferrous tablets in any form during my pregnancy!! 🙄 Spatone was so much gentler on my stomach. They have to be bought though as not available on prescription.

Another vote for spatone or floradix - my iron levels came up only using these and as pp said far gentler no nausea or constipation with these .

Likewise here for Spatone. I’ve been having mine with fresh orange in the morning first thing and they’ve helped to bring my iron levels back up.

My midwife contacted my gp for me, asked them to do the prescription and they faxed it to my nearest pharmacy for me to collect.
Can your midwife not do that?

As others have said ferrous tablets are really harsh though. I'm really quite anaemic so they told me I really need to try and tolerate taking them even though they give me terrible diarrhea
3 weeks until my blood test and hopefully I can stop taking them after that.

Spatone or Floradix are both gentle iron and really good but depending on your levels they might not quite be enough and you might need ferrous sulphate tabs too.

If you can stomach it then black pudding is fantastically high in iron!

I take Spatone stirred into OJ (or any fresh fruit juice). I used to take iron tablets and they give you massive constipation! my levels increased a little bit on tablets but have gone up properly on Spatone even though the dosage is officially lower. its much better absorbed

You can buy iron tablets quite cheaply over the counter xx

@DueNumberTwo That’s what I thought she would have done but her message says she’ll give me it at my next appointment which isn’t for 3 weeks 🤷🏻‍♀️ And I can’t get hold of her to get one sent through to the pharmacy! More than happy to pay for it, just wanted to make sure I was taking something suitable 😊

@Appzy That’s great, I had heard about the iron tablets having some pretty nasty side effects 😊 Not fussy about paying for them, I’ve just ordered them from Boots 😊 3 for 2 just now for anyone else taking them!

@bookish83 I had gone to my local Lloyd’s pharmacy in my village first to see what they recommended and they wouldn’t sell me anything because I’m pregnant 😂🙈 told me they could only serve me any medication or supplements with a prescription 🤷🏻‍♀️

@RWK29

Oh no! I bought some post partum. I'd be sending someone else in .... they are exactly the same as prescription FF.

@bookish83 Its fine, I’ve ordered some Spatone that should do me just now 😊 DH works away for a few weeks at a time and I’m avoiding everyone else where possible because of Covid or else I would have sent him to the pharmacy for me 🤣😅