How low are you iron levels and what is the treatment you are on? Anyone had a transfusion while pregnant?

[Geepers]

I know low HB levels are common in pregnancy but just wondering what different treatments you are all on.

I had my blood taken today and the dr rang earlier wanting me to be seen in clinic with a view to having a blood transfusion. Seems slightly dramatic to me but he is prone to the over-reaction.

Also if anyone has had a transfusion while pregnant, what were you HB levels at that point?

Blimey, never heard of a transfusion at this stage. Did he say what your hb was? My friend had a low level of 8, I think, when she was about 26 weeks. She was very dedicated in taking the iron pills (and putting up with the side-effects) and using spatone at the same time, and she managed to raise it to over 10. I thought that was very good going in the third trimester.

A friend of mine was threatened with transfusions a few times throughout her pg but managed to keep iron levels just high enough on iron treaments alone

My levels are 8.4 and I am 21 weeks so don't seem overly low to me, but I'm not a medical professional. At 12 weeks they were 9.8. I am very breathless and lightheaded but no more so than any other pregnancy I have had.
I suspect I will be seen in clinic and they will just monitor it. My dr always seems to err on the side of caution.

Last year after the birth of twins my HB was 6.6, and I really did feel like death compared to how I feel now and had a couple of transfusions then whch made me better.

Get yourself on floradix asap it works far better than iron tablets.

I am new but just wanted to let you know that I had iron infusions (venofer) when pregnant. I had to go to the ante natal ward 3 times a week and each time have a canula fitted so that the venofer could then be infused into my bloodstream via a drip.

I must point out that my iron levels were very low and towards the end of my pregnancy I was on double strength packs!

I found it really helped and it meant that I got a lovely lie down for an hour with a cup of tea and a mag. It also made my skin very tanned looking as venofer is the colour of bovril.

It was quite common to see women having these infusions on the ante natal ward. (I am in the NW by the way).

I have 3 children (2 of them under 3) and when I feel run down or harrassed, I long for those days LOL!

lambanana , are you a fellow merseysider?

you can also take spatone to help keep your levels up

if you are not sure about the transfusion, then ask for everything to be explained again, and make sure you are comfortble with what is being suggested

Hiya

Yep originally from Liverpool but live in Ormskirk.

Have lurked for a bit on here so I recognise your name!

Took the plunge to post tonight - am I doomed? Ha Ha!

Was on floradix at first but it didnt hit the spot.

my mum ( whos a midwife) informs me that normal hb level should be around 11.5 and thats what you should aim for. mine was 10.2 at 35 weeks and im on double iron prescribed by gp. she said that 6 is very low and would require a transfusion.

Thanks everyone. I am already taking Floradix and Spatone, and iron tablets probably half the week. I can't take them the other half the week as I need to let my bowels relax or I end up in agony from constipation.
Will discuss it properly when I get the appt at the hospital. Sometimes Google isn't much help ;)

Oh about the horrid bowel thingy - with venofer there is less constipation.

I was offered a blood transfusion after my c-section. My hb was 7.9 after birth, and 14 beforehand. They couldnt understand why it had dropped so quickly without losing much blood. My midwife advised me not to have the transfusion, as they tend to offer them to people with a 8 or below, and so I was only just under that and to be honest felt perfectly fine. They gave me iron tablets which I stopped taking after 3 days, but my blood levels were back to 10 within 10 days without doing anything special.

lowest mine has been was with dd2 and that was 8 iron tablets were hideous and made my excruciating piles worse

you're sucked in now, lambanana!! i drive through ormskirk, frequently

geepers
On my last preg I had 3 transfusions. All in the third trimester. I was fainting by 8 weeks and iron tablets all the way through until my levels dropped lower than six. Transfusions in my opinion are better than tablets. They don't give you black pooh or a bad stomach. It takes 20-30 mins then you are bouncing. You do have to take someone to the hospital with you or they won't let you leave alone.Also its not a full blood transfusion they only put iron in. I should mention I am normally anemic anyway.

After being told yesterday by my GP that he thought a transfusion would be necessary, I could just cry now.

Overnight I had got used to the idea that I'd get that and I'd feel better, but I the hospital rang and I won't be seen in clinic for another 2-3 weeks I've just tidied for ten minutes (I set the timer or I'd I'd stop after 3 minutes!) and I am so out of breath and lightheaded and sicky feeling.

I swear I am never doing this pregnancy thing again. I don't even get the pleasure of a baby at the end for feeling like this for months. I feel knackered, my skin is so dry it's peeling, I can't walk to the end of the road, I can't iron or cook coz I faint if I stand too long. I'm feeling very sorry for myself today

Sorry to hear this Geepers.

I take it that as you won't be seen for another 2-3 weeks, then the transfusion isn't classed as an emergancy. So, in the meantime is it possible to go full steam ahead on iron rich foods and supplements?

I would also ensure they re-check your hb before they transfuse. I would have thought this was a common sense procedure, but you never know!

Also, are you taking iron with oj? The vit c helps the iron absorption. Don't take the supplement or eat a meal with tea, as that can hinder absorption.

geepers the iron transfusions are really not that bad and much pref to daily tablets once you have had them you will instantly feel better and it should last till the end of pg. Trust me but the hospital SHOULD not let you wait on that low iron for 2 weeks phone the hospital again and say you fainted and nearly fell down the stairs or something and you can't wait 2 weeks. Also I have been anemic since 13 but on this pg I am 30 weeks I have needed no iron because I bf and built up my stores by not having the monthly visitor. so there is no guarantee you will feel this bad second time. Hope you feel better soon.

Also on the plus side when you go into labor you will probably be so grateful that the constant feeling unwell is soon to be over that by the time you start to feel the labor pain you will be delivering. Small consolation I know. But seriously the doctors should not be making you wait 2 weeks.

My HB was just over 7 after my c section but I didn't require a transfusion. It was talked of at one point early on but they gave me iron tablets instead. I took them for a few months after and my iron levels did creep back up.