low iron - ok to supplement the supplement?!

[showmethemummy]

am 33wks pg. have been on 2x ferrous sulphate per day for about 5/6weeks now, hb levels have gone no-where if not slightly lower. ferritin at last check 13. mcv also too low according to mw

am thinking of also taking spatone or floradix- would this be bad??

Who is thinking you should supplement the supplements? You or your MW?

I am on 2 ferrous sulphates a day too.

Wouldn't take anything else without their say so as there are quite stern warnings on the instructions about iron overdose, no? I might be wrong - thought I read on it somehwere it can be fatal?

On the printed patient label they have stuck on the box it says 'KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN - OVERDOSE CAN BE FATAL'

I am not sure what elese can be done if your iron levels are still low?

Mine were only just kept on the cusp of ok with DS2 using Pregaday.

you shouldn't take any more iron on its own. You could try talking to your GP about changing your supplement (ferrous sulphate is not the best way to absorb iron, only about 20% of it actually reaches your blood stream) or switching to a multi-vit/mineral with extra iron.

Are you taking plenty of vitamin C-containing foods as well? Vitamin C is essential for proper iron absorption.

am taking tabs with orange juice, eating dried apricots and lots of oranges etc.

tbh, gp seems either unwilling or unable to prescribe another form of iron. asked for floradix from start. she claims she could not prescribe it (something about it not being on their system). i think she also doesn't really want to be treating me because even though iron low (11.4)i'm not anaemic. she said that ferritin levels were not considered until recently, so i would not have been treated then.

anyway have bought floradix, and will take that instead, as mw suggested it in first place.

Best to do what the doc says if I were you.

unfortunately doc and MW seem to disagree on this one. MW thinks really important to sort it out, GP treating it as nothing. are you saying take nothing?? why did she prescribe the supplement if there is nothing wrong? . this is cheesing me off because clearly there is some professional disagreement here and i am piggy in the middle with all the horrible symptoms which accompanies low iron/ferritin; and the prospect of struggling to bf again since low iron affects your milk supply too. And also have lovely side-effects of taking this type of supplement, and NONE of the benefits.

agree that taking floradix INSTEAD of iron sulphate is better - and GP is being abit cavalier, if you ask me. MW seems to be more on the ball. The last thing you need is to be borderline anaemic while pg; not only do you feel crap but there is a minor risk of baby having less iron than it should if your iron levels get really low - and nobody wants that!

Seeing as you are not anaemic, in fact even if you were, if I were in your position and concerned about iron levels I would stop taking what you are currently taking and start taking Floradix or Spatone instead. (I actually took spatone because I couldn't stomach the iron tablets, and also I read a lot about it being more easily absorbed in this form)

By the way my Dr and Midwife also said that they aren't able to prescribe the Spatone or Floradix, you just have to buy it yourself, so your Dr might not be just being difficult or not bothered, there's just nothing else she can prescribe.

If they're not on the NICE list of acceptable medications (I think that's who runs it now), they can't be prescribed, you have to buy them yourself.

My level was around 10.4... even after about 10 days on two spatone a day and even after that 2 different midwifes came up to at antenatal classes to tell me that they were worried I was very anaemic!

I am taking ferrous sulphate one day and 2 spatone the next - as the ferrous sulphate was giving stomach problems every day... still pale and unhappy and going back to the GP to see what else I can take... any suggestions as to what to ask for would be welcome!

bigpreggybelly sorry about angry rant. am just very frustrated with GP who is generally extremely reluctant to prescribe anything, anyway. something i can appreciate, but feel a bit like running out of time here...

thumblebells have been told by MW and two local pharmacists that floradix is available on prescription. the pharmacists did also say gps might be reluctant to prescribe due to cost .

thanks for advice; have actually decided to take the floradix instead [as you said TB]. Bought it yesterday.I was on it in early pg and all was fine. Am feeling quite stupid now for coming off it. just thought by end of pg will need small bank loan to fund...

lucy101 i tried spatone quite sometime ago and it made no difference to me. floradix does seem more effective.

sorry mrsmontano - as per your advise too! thanks for comments; i also saw no reason to carry on taking something which wasn't working.