Heartburn after iron tablets

[Bibijuju]

Currently taking ferrous fumerate as I have low ferritin - however when I take my tablet it gives me terrible heartburn and also some nausea. I’ve been taking it at night to try and help with the side effects as they were making me feel so sick during the day however the heartburn is awful at night and I’m having to take Rennies. I heard Rennies can reduce the effectiveness of the tablets so I’m at a bit of a loss, does anyone have any advice?

I have GD so I was taking my 200mg ferrous sulphate tablets mid-afternoon, with an orange (not orange juice), 2hrs after lunch. The tablets are coated in sugar and I didn't get any side effects.

I recently changed to take it in the morning at around 6:30am, 2hrs before my breakfast, with Vitamin C effervescent tablets dissolved in half a cup of water. It's been fine so far as well.

I would suggest that you give your midwife a call and ask them for some advice to alleviate the side effects. Think the instructions for my tablets do say that if you get side effects, you can try taking it with some food as long as it's not one of those listed as reducing the effect (tea, milk, eggs, whole grains). Also my midwife told me that if I get nausea I can change to taking 1 tablet every other day.

Hope it helps. Good luck!

It's a lot better if you can take the iron tablets just before or with food as (I believe) they help absorb it and will reduce some of the heartburn. Additionally make sure you don't take it with milk as that can prevent it being absorbed.
Apparently a glass of orange juice can help absorb iron tablets so you could try this as well

Ask them to change your iron tablets as you can’t tolerate them. Ferrous fumerate feels like rips my stomach and bowls to pieces so in both pregnancies I have had ferrous glucoate prescribed by the doctor instead. I can take 3 times the dose of these and it got my iron up so much faster. Tell them you can’t tolerate the tablets and ask your doctor for an alternative.

I used to take them an hour before food with orange juice but the sickness feeling and heart burn was awful. My midwife told me just to take them with meals and it made it a bit better.

Thank you all! Will try with food and see if that helps :)