taking iron tablets and the drawbacks

[clairemax1988]

I am 33 weeks pregnant and started taking iron tablets 2 weeks ago, I have to take 3 a day and have heard that this must be because my iron levels are really really low.... I have been trying to eat as much iron rich foods as I can but I hate green leafy veg. the only thing I can stomach is broccoli, however I don't want to be stuck taking these tablets for the rest of my pregnancy, is there anything that I could take or eat that would help me out...?

Im using Spatone iron drink supplement. Its just a powder that you add to fruit drink twice a day. About £4.20 for two weeks worth, and it doesnt taste that bad and you dont get so many of the side effects as you do with the tablets. You can get it at chemists or supermarkets and its ok for us preggy ladies.

I have the same problem. I'm 31 weeks and my last blood test showed that my iron level has dropped quite a bit so the I'm on 2 tablets a day. My GP said that I will probably have to take them until I give birth but I'm not convinced so going to speak to my midwife. Just dont like the idea of popping pills for the next 9 weeks, plus the side affects the tablets give are horrid. I have been trying to eat a lot more red meat and green leafy veg like spinanch. Rather it iron naturally then taking pills.

I'm taking Pregaday and it has actually made me really ill. My iron levels were 10.5 and they're supposed to be 11, so I wasn't that deficient in the first place, and I think 100mg of iron each day (which is one tablet's worth) is excessive when you consider that 'normal' iron supplements that you buy at the supermarket are 14mg a day and that is 100% of your RDA!!! I have had the most painful constipation, followed by diarrhoea, so I have stopped taking them and will be discussing with the midwife at my appointment tomorrow. My constipation was so bad over the weekend I was basically holed up in bed and taking the max dose of lactulose. Awful!

Try Floradix iron liquid. It's available from places like Holland and Barrett.
It is wonderful. You take it 2 times a day (make sure you gulp down orange juice or milk afterwards, cos the aftertaste isnt great), but the thing is that only a small percentage of iron tablets are actually absorbed, and the rest is just discarded by your body, which is what causes the severe constipation.
But the liquid forms are absorbed at a rate of something like 85%, which means you dont need to take quite such a high dose, and the constipation is virtually zero.

Hi, I would second spatone. I was px'd pregaday(which may be an alternative also as its only 1 tab daily) for the last 4 weeks of my pregnancy and they made me so ill, but with the spatone I felt relatively normal.

Try to avoid caffiene as it can make it difficult for your body to absorb iron, and if you can stomach it, drink plenty fruit juice(or anything rich in Vit C) as it helps your body absorb the iron.

Red meat, pulses, fortified cereals and bread are all good alternatives if you dont like green veg.

Congrats on the pregnancy and good luck.

I would second floradix, it contains a form of iron called ferrous gluconate which is more easily absorbable and does not cause constipation unlike the ferrous sulphate that is usually prescribed in tablet form. This can cause dreadful constipation and is not that well absorbed.

It may help taking orange juice with whatever supplement you decide to use as vitamin C is essential for absorbing iron.