Iron just will not increase!!

[Twinkletwinklelil]

Backstory; I carry thalasemia, always a bit anaemic
pregnant and need to increase my iron.

been taking double dose of iron due to doctors advice, then the consultant told me it’s not necessary…
had bloods taken.. went up 2 points. Not enough

what can I do?

Trying to eat iron rich foods, take orange juice with the iron tablets..

8 letters: infusion

Iron infusion.

Use cast iron cookware. I use it all the time and it's great. If you've not used it before it can take some getting used to and you need to make sure it's seasoned properly before you use it. You should definitely give it a try

Forgive me, but I've googled a bit of info for you to save me from typing it all out 😄

Cast iron cookware can increase the amount of iron in food, which can help with iron absorption. However, the amount of iron that's absorbed depends on a number of factors, including:

Type of food: Acidic foods with high moisture content, like applesauce and spaghetti sauce, absorb the most iron.
Cooking time: Foods that are cooked for longer absorb more iron.
Type of iron: Non-heme iron, which is found in plant sources like spinach and eggs, is less well absorbed by the body than heme iron, which is found in beef, fish, and poultry.
Age and size of the cookware: Newer cast iron skillets may add more iron to food.

Have you googled The Iron Protocol? They have a really useful facebook page too.

Time as well - it takes ages and ages to raise iron levels. Don't drink caffeinated drinks within an hour of taking your iron as they block absorption. You know about the vit C that is all i can think of, sorry.

This was me in my 2nd pregnancy.

When you're pregnant you're blood building (increasing your blood volume by up to double). Blood tests look at iron concentration. If your concentration is staying about the same, that means the iron supplements are working, otherwise your levels would be dropping.

You just have to be patient and keep taking the pills. You'll see your levels rise in your third trimester once you've finished blood building.