lowish iron how long till supplements help?

[hettie]

So my bloods came back with slightly low iron levels. Not enough for any drastic treatment, but I feel very tired and crappy (28 weeks btw). I have started taking spatone, but how long can I expect to wait before I get some energy back?

when my iron dipped, I think the thing that really helped my energy was eating beef (steak, burgers, chilli, anything) and spinach salad about every other day for two weeks. I could almost feel my body powering up. sorry if you're veggie and that's a gross and unhelpful thought!

I had a fairly instant lift from Spatone - maybe a day or 2. Make sure you are also eating well (high calorie food), and keep re-hydrated.
Hopefully you will perk up soon.

I found Floradix to be the best, most digestible and fast acting iron supplement. You get it from health food shops and it's full of all sorts of great stuff. It's pretty fast acting IME.

Hi there
How low is your iron? I was told by the GP that the liquid formulations wouldn't cut it, and mine was low but not rock bottom. I've had this twice and both times within 4 days or so could really, really tell the difference. So if you don't feel better you might want to ask about the gentlest on the tummy tablet. I have ferrous fumerate, which I understand are hte most expensive but they worked well for me!

I've found on iron tablets it takes 3-4 days or up to a week to feel the difference, depending on how low I am to start with. I would certainly be prepared to take it easy for the next few days. As valbona says it helps if you eat iron-rich foods too. Plus take your supplement with orange juice as this boosts its effect, and don't drink tea/coffee with milk in for half an hour either side of taking it, again to maximise the effect.

Something I was told was not to drink tea or coffee as it inhibits iron absorption. I drank green tea instead and was put on ferrous fulfate which helped bring up levels from 6 to the more normal level of 12.

are you taking 2 sachets of spatone at a time? it's a fairly instant pick-me-up for me.

hi OP sorry it's really not a good feeling 'lowish iron'; what made it worst for me is that I was told you're not 'actually' anaemic. made me feel like a whimp.

i was put on 2x ferrous sulphate at about the same stage of pg as you. my next test(about 3-4wks later) came back showing no change. it did have an initial effect on me; in that i felt less crap for a few days. then back to square one.

i'm on floradix now, and have been for about 4 days. today i've been feeling significantly better.

I think the effectiveness of the different supps will vary because some people absorb iron better than others. Ferrous Sulphate is- I have been told by many! incl MW- not as easily absorbed as liquid form ( such as Floradix).

hopefully your body absorbs iron well.
dried apricots, oj, beetroot(!)all good things.

Also IME Spatone not very effective.

Floradiix, Floradix, Floradix!

I was quite significantly anemic with both my pregnancy and Floradix improved my levels very quickly and made me feel loads better.

yes actually, as per last poster; don't think i made the case strongly enough for floradix.

oh pants... went and got some spatone as midwife said easy on tummy! Oh well, if I'm not feeling the effects in a week then maybe onto the floradix it is? Is this also easy on the stomach?
BTW thanks for all the messages- you are a lovely lot !

hettie, you're more patient than me. i'd ditch the spatone for now, use floradix for a few weeks and then maybe spatone after that.

but of course just my opinion... this is my 3rd pg and have had same prob every time. IME this, plus infamous third trimester fatigue is a killer,so would try to avoid that combo at any cost.

I just wanted to suggest that, together with whatever supplements you're taking, you add three kiwifruit a day on top. Someone suggested it to me and the effect has been fantastic. The very high Vitamin C content in kiwi helps you absorb more of the iron from the supplements (and also your food) and this really gives you an energy boost. And the natural, gentle laxative properties of kiwis mean that you're less likely to get constipated..... something of a hazard with iron tablets.

Lots of fluids completes the picture... better hydration really gives you a lift.