constipation... and been given iron tablets?!?!

[Nikki87]

ok, so I'm 30weeks PG, been suffering from bowel issues since the beginning so was put on lactulose, which mainly seems to be working. however had bloods taken last week and results came back saying that I have low iron, so been given iron tablets to take... 3times a day?!?!
what I'm concerned about is that it will make my bowels worse.... can anyone recommend what I should do/take/etc
TYIA
xx

also posting in general health just incase

try taking spatone instead (from Boots) - is a liquid iron supp you dissolve in juice - more expensive but less constipating

Another vote for spatone here

I second the Spatone, excellent and natural I have already started taking it as a supplement and I am sure I had much more energy towards the end of my second pregnancy as a result of taking it!

can u get it on prescription? im unemployed so can't really afford to get it if its not

iron tablets never gave me constipation- they turned it green ( tmi), but that was it! Maybe try them and see what happens, if you feel you can?

I'm going to take them until my next MW appointment on the 17th, see how i go, then ask her about it, if they wont give me something on script i could buy a couple of packets of the Spatone as only a couple of months left....
i'm actually hoping i get the opposite side effect [sorry if TMI, lol]
Thanks for all the advice guys =]

Spatone made me constipated so I wouldn't recommend it. Its very low iron too, so if you need topping up because you are anaemic, you are better off using what ever the doc has prescribed for you.

You may just have to use a bit more lactulose instead whilst you are taking the iron tablets. Speak to your doc.

Keep take the iron tablets - I ended up with injections!

Try the jelly cubes from Holland and Barratt for constipation. Can't remember the name, but you'll need to check that you can use them whilst pregnant.

I am on iron too and it's never made me constipated yet. I just try and eat as much fruit as I can handle and also dried apricots!

i was given iron tabs at 32 weeks and because it has made me so constipated, i have stopped taken them all together discussed it with GP before he knew the effect and told me i coud stop but he had to give them to me?? and decided to increase my fruits veg and all bran, shredded wheat intake so eat it at lease twice a day and avoided bread!

Good Luck xx

The iron tabs my GP usually prescribes fir me ferrous sulphate which make you constipated. You could ask your GP for something gentler. I had trouble with my stomach with iron tabs. I was prescribde sodium feredetate whcih is a liquid and I find does not make me as constipated. Could be a good solution if your budget doesnt stretch to spa tone.

I suspect that if you have been prescribed iron tabs for 3x a day you have a real deficiency and apricots etc wont be enough. By all means eat as well as possible but its no substitute for serious supplements if your iron stores are low. You need to get them back up, hard tpdo if you are pregnant and you are facing a big iro loss with labour you should prepare for. Being anemic is no fun at all.

I had to take iron tabs 3x day for three months following birth of my son. I was prescribed an alternative that are gentler on you tummy (ferrous fumerate?) these are more expensive though - I explained the constipation issue though and my doctor was happy to prescribe them.

It is important to take them though as it was explained to me that low iron levels can make you bleed more which obviously makes the problem worse (and I felt terrible for months because my iron levels were so low following a PPH which made it difficult to cope with a newborn).

littone its ferrous fumerate that theyv given me... are they actually nicer to your bowels then? they didn't even bother to ring me to advise me you see, I went in to pick up my prescription for other items, and the recpetionist gave me them, asked why/what for/etc and she hadn't a clue!
mama2b5 i'd love to eat all bran and shredded wheat etc, but im a coeliac [gluten defficany] so can't eat them, the closest I have is fibre bread, which the chemist are out of at the moment so i wont get till monday afternoon...
thanks everyone for the advice tho, I'm sure I can adjust things slightly to fit in with me