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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

problems with iron tablets

18 replies

HooperMummy · 04/02/2010 13:30

Following a blood test a few weeks ago, I was prescribed ferrous sulphate tablets for anemia (my level was/is 9.7). They were truly terrible and made me hugely constipated and had me doubled up in pain so I stopped taking them.

I spoke to my midwife about it today (am now 32 wks) and she suggested Spatone (which I have heard mentioned positively on MN before) and said she would get in touch with my GP to prescribe me some.

However, I have just had a phone call from my GP surgery and apparently I have a prescription for ferrous fumerate syrup waiting to be picked up.

I have suffered very badly in the past with problems with my digestive system, which both my midwife and GP were aware of before they prescribed the tablets, and I am really worried that the syrup will be just as bad as the tablets. It just doesn't seem like any of the health professionals I deal with take me very seriously when I tell them about previous health complaints. I asked the woman who phoned whether the syrup would be gentler on my stomach and she said I "just had to take it".

Has anyone else had experience of ferrous fumerate syrup? Is is just like the tablets with respect to side effects but in liquid form? I know the dangers of not treating low iron levels during pregnancy so I just want to find something that doesn't have me writhing in agony.

OP posts:

ruddynorah · 04/02/2010 13:35

the dangers of low iron in oregnancy are debatable. plenty evidence suggests a level around 9.5 is very healthy and shows a good strong placenta. in fact, it even suggests you are less likely to have a PPH as your body protects its low iron reserves.

each to their own, but i was quite happy on a 9.5 level in two pregnancies having read so much about it.

ruddynorah · 04/02/2010 13:37

here

Original poster

HooperMummy · 04/02/2010 13:43

Thanks for the reply ruddynorah - I didn't know any of that! My midwife and GP made sound like I would bleed to death after giving birth if I didn't treat it.

Although I do feel quite washed out, I can certainly live with it - I am heavily pregnant so I don't think there is much I can do to avoid feeling like this anyway! Provided that the baby is getting everything it needs, I'm not too bothered.

The problem is that this is my first baby and I have a completely non-existent support network so I never know what to do...

OP posts:

ruddynorah · 04/02/2010 13:53

yes. i was told the same. i felt shocking for a while, they gave me iron tablets. then it turned out to be flu

my midwife commented on how amazingly healthy my placenta was, even though i was 2 wks overdue with an iron level of 9.5. this was contrary to one consultant i saw when i felt ill with -anaemia- flu who wanted me to have iron injections every other day for 3 weeks.

ruddynorah · 04/02/2010 13:55

i mean the midwife when i gave birth. she showed me my enormous healthy placenta and went on and on about it!

Original poster

HooperMummy · 04/02/2010 14:13

thanks so much for your advice - I feel SO much better! There is such scare-mongering surrounding pregnancy in general these days that I should probably have expected this...

OP posts:

missedith01 · 04/02/2010 14:27

I was 9.6 a few weeks ago and started to get very breathless, so the GP prescribed ferrous sulphate 200mg tablets, three per day.

I'd taken them before and they'd made me feel really awful, so I took Spatone (which I bought myself) for a while and that did ease the breathing problem. Once I was feeling a bit more normal I started taking one iron tablet per day and now I'm back up to 10.5.

The consultant says he wants me on 11 for the big day, but I prefer to take one iron tablet and feel no side effects than take three and be unable to eat anything else (which would not be good for my intake of other essential vitamins!)

I believe biscuits are high in iron .

ellabella2 · 04/02/2010 18:32

If you go to a health food type shop you should be able to find some 'gentle iron' tablets. They are combined with other vitamins such as Vit B's to help the absorbtion of the iron and reduce the side effects ferrous sulphate can give you.

I'm taking them at the moment as i'm border line aneamic and have had no ill effects at all

JasHook · 05/02/2010 10:49

I was given ferrous fumerate tablets (Pregaday) from my GP after a blood test. My DH says he has noticed a big difference in my modd and energy levels! Plus have had no adverse digestive side effects. Everyone's different. Go with what feels best for you on all counts!

ArcticFox · 05/02/2010 10:57

I don't think Spatone is prescribable on the NHS which is probably why they prescribed you something different.

Different formulas of iron can affect you differently so it might be worth a try.

Also, make sure you never take iron tablets on an empty stomach.

roary · 05/02/2010 11:55

I had a very similar problem, except the reverse - iron made me have horrendous diarrhea and it was awful. Ferrous fumerate was MUCH better and causes almost no problems. They don't prescribe it in the first instance because it is much more expensive than other varieties!!

Spatone is not prescribed because it is not strong enough to make a substantial difference to your iron levels if they are very low. Fine to maintain, if you know what I mean, but not to raise! You could try every other day with the Spatone and an iron tablet and see what that does to your iron levels.

I know someone who had an anemia-induced hemorrhage, so I personally would not mess around with this too much. Of course there are lots of unnecessary scare stories and I'm sure that some people with low iron have no problem, but my view is always to be a bit risk averse.

If the syrup is a disaster then you can stop taking it and let them know again - it may be that injections are the way forward for you as they should not upset your stomach.

hannahsaunt · 05/02/2010 12:07

Fumerate is easier (not least because dose is 2x day rather than 3x) on the nausea - I switched over a few weeks ago. My iron was 9.5 and having had a previous PPH, big enough to need transfused subsequently, I do need to keep taking them. Still exhausted, increasingly breathless though and they are retesting my haemoglobin as I type to review.

Original poster

HooperMummy · 05/02/2010 15:26

Thanks everyone. I think I'll give the fumerate a go and see if I have any more horrible side-effects. Truth be told, it would be lovely to have more energy and not feel so breathless so it's probably worth a try...

Of course, I don't think my levels are particularly low so I'm not going to stress out about it

OP posts:

Bexybear · 05/02/2010 20:46

Hi hooper mummy

am in the same boat (hb 10.1 at 31 weeks) and have had awful nausea all pregnancy. The ferrous fumerate tabs made me feel even more vile so i switched to spatone. Unfortunately second blood test (2 weeks later) showed my Hb now 10 so Spatone had only maintained not increased. Wierdly GP was quite chilled said 10 wasnt bad (though I feel flippin awful - cant image how it must feel if you are 9.5) she said fine to just take the fumerate tabs 3 or 4 times a week and supplement with floradix/Spatone. Am about to switch to floradix and try taking the tabs again...oh and plenty of these

hope it works for you hoopermummy and hope your HB hasnt gone down hannahsaunt

HelishAngel · 23/02/2010 04:09

I'm 34+5 with wee one no 4. My midwife said they want my Hb up to at least 9.6 to be considered for delivery in the MLU or at home. It is now 8.2 but I have malabsorption syndrome due to previous bowel surgery. Currently on the ferrous fumerate syrup (yuk and double yuk but hey we do what we gotta do) after already taking masses of SpaTone for weeks on end. Great stuff but I personally just have to take lots of it for it to do anything other than maintain. They said if I start fainting etc they'll sort me out with more radical infusion...great! I actually feel ok!

There is no way I'm going consultant led over this! No chance and I've told them so! So I'm trying to get it upped/sorted before the big day to save them hassling me even more!

OP, I found it helped to have a peeled orange at the ready after taking the syrup to get rid of the taste quickly (think sucking on rusty gates...not that I've done that recently) and for the Vit C to aid absorbtion. Hope you get on ok with it. To date I haven't had any digestion issues with it and I'm a wee delicate flower when it comes to all things belly and bowel ...

All the best!

teach72 · 27/07/2010 11:30

31 weeks this week, prescribed Ferrous Fumarate last week.
Side effects including black poo, which I've seen is common?
Also, some breathlessness, feeling bit lightheaded and most frustatedly, feeling quite sick after taking them.
Am kinda comforted to see am not alone here!
Seeing midwife this week for advice, wonder if she'll suggest any others that I've read about here and in other discussions / places?
This is my first contribution to MumsNet, must participate more!

merlin8878 · 27/07/2010 17:14

I'm 32+1 and I've been taking ferrous fumerate liquid since I was 14 weeks.

I had ferrous sulphate tablets with previous 2 pgs and they made me feel so ill. With DD2 I took them for a week then refused to take them as they wouldn't change it for anything else (I was told 'you're pregnant, thats all you can have). After she was born I had a pph.

This time around I'm under consultant care and I asked if there was something else I could take when I was told I was being put on iron early in the hope I wouldn't get anaemic this time. Ha!

Unfortunately, my iron levels are still falling despite being on it and also taking spatone on advice of mw. 3 weeks ago my level was 9.5, but I can't be re-tested for another 2 weeks. I've got all the classic signs and more of anaemia and feel wretched.

My dosage was upped to 10mls 3 times a day. The effect of that was almost instant! I've never been so bunged up. I had to bite the bullet yesterday and go to the GP to get something to help me go!

NovemberAli · 27/07/2010 21:49

I've been taking ferrous fumerate after Hb level 10.1. Was quite constipated at first and went back to GP who prescribed me Lactulose to take as well (gentle laxative)and I seem to be doing okay now - just a bit of a balancing act!

Oh and your iron absorption is decreased if you eat/drink tea, eggs, milk or wheat 1 hour before and up to 2 hours after taking tablets so bear that in mind if you can avoid them. Vit C on the other hand increases absorption so take them with a big glass of orange juice!

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