Anaemia in pregnancy. How long did it take for the Iron suppliments to help?

[laweaselmys]

I am on day four of the tablets, they haven't made me ill (although black poo is definitely unpleasant) but I feel like I'm not getting any better at all. I've gone from just being weak and struggling to concentrate to not being able to stand up for more than about 10 minutes without serious dizzyness/inability to focus eyes/basically about to faint.

Surely if not helping the tablets ought to be doing something to stabilise my symptoms?

I'm 32+5.

I'd be interested to hear too - I'm 28 weeks and have been told I'm anaemic which explains the breathlessness and dizzyness I've been feeling for two weeks.

I'm also on day four but haven't really seen any difference apart from being even more constipated than I already was...and I didn't think that was possible.

spatone was recommended to me by a mw. Its supposed to be absorbed better than the tablets.

I think I felt better in a week - much better in about two.

Breathlessness and slight dizziness normal for anaemia I think - inability to focus and feeling like you're about to faint sounds potentially serious. Can you get your GP to check you over to make sure it's just the low Hb?

I have to go to work this afternoon but I'm going to take tomorrow off and go and talk to them because I'm a bit worried about seeming to get worse.

If it's going to take two weeks for me to feel much better though, I'll be almost off on ML by then!

Try carob powder - can get it in healthfood / wholefood shops - have a teaspoon full with breakfast and perhaps another with a yoghurt or something as a snack - I got my iron levels up 3x as fast as expected having this with iron tablets so was able to drop the iron tablets asap. Completely natural - just easily absorbed as its a proper food rather than a supplement...

countrylover - my MW decided the tablets were making me worse and I should try something else (am going to GP tomorrow to decide exactly what) Maybe it's worth talking to your MW/GP and doing the same? Not sure though if you have stayed the same in which case I guess the few weeks advice would make sense, but I was only mildly anaemic to start with! Don't know what your position is, but wanted to let you know.

It took a full week on 3 tablets a day for me to feel a little better and at least 2 weeks to feel normalish again. My mw told me that low iron levels lowers your blood pressure as well. My bp was low during pregnancy but even lower when I was anaemic. I felt like I was going to faint all the time. It is hellish but the tablets do work -eventually.Luckily I didn't get any side effects with them. Being anaemic was the worst part of my pregnancy - and then I ended up anaemic after ds was born and had another 2 hellish weeks waiting for the iron tablets to kick in whilst bf a newborn.

Spatone helped me a lot - about a week? Much easier to take (mixed in orange juice), no stomach cramps, and faster acting. Boots were doing a 3 for two, I still take some now, for feeding.

i had the constipation problems with iron tabs try holland and barret they natural and carry on taking them until after you deliver. they seem to be working for me and no constipation.

i had the constipation problems with iron tabs try holland and barret they natural and carry on taking them until after you deliver. they seem to be working for me and no constipation.

Floradix iron solution (from Holland and B) seems to be helping me where Hb tablets (3 a day) didn't

I had no idea that low iron = low BP. Now I'm worried cos 2 days after I started iron tablets my legs have swelled up beyond belief. They have been fine all the way though up till now. Seeing consultant tomo so hope my BP isn't high or I could be in trouble!