IRON TABLETS

Miss_Strawberrie · Jul 30, 2011 5:53AM

Ladies im after some advice...

Iv been really poorly recently with an ear infection which resulted in me being very sick and rushed in to hospital with dehydration. Six bags of saline later and no keytones i was allowed home. A few days after that i had some bleeding and had to go back in for monitoring, they couldnt find anything causing it so again i was sent home.

That was 3 weeks ago and a week gone Thursday i went to the midwife for my 28 week check up and she took some bloods then rang me the next day to say i was anemic and to pick up a prescription for iron tablets.

I didnt take them straight away as i was finishing my second course of antibiotics to try and clear the ear infection i went to the drs on Friday to check infection has cleared and he gave me another sick note for work for anemia. Now im soooo tired and the least little thing wipes me out but i do have a 3 and 1/2 year old who also contributes to this

but im guessing its mostly down to being anemic and poorly

The thing is iv read loads of horror stories about how bad iron tablets make you, iv been prone to constipation throughout this pregnancy anyway and im wondering which is the lesser of two evils :roll:

What would you do??

30somethin · Jul 25, 2011 10:58AM

Deffinatley take the iron, I'm anaemic and also have a 3 and half year old and the tablets do constipate you but you have to just make sure you drink loads of water and fresh juice, eat loads of fruit and veg and it shouldn't be too bad. Thing is you don't want to be anaemic when you come to give birth I think there are higher risks of heavy bleeding etc my sister was anaemic and had heavy blood loss and was very close to having an iron transusion which apparently is quite painful, don't know but that's what she was told.

I've been taking iron tablets for the last 2 months but some days I take 2 sachets of Spartone instead as its totally natural and a bit easier on the tummy.

I think you'll notice the difference if you take them as I have, anaemia can make you feel sick as well as tired so I'd say you'll feel better all round if you're on them.

Tigerlily13 · Jul 26, 2011 2:46PM

I'm on them too, and yes they do give you constipation but wouldn't not take them as like 30somethin says, you really don't want to be anaemic when you go into labour. I've actually just been changed to a different type to see if they help my bowels work better so if you're not happy at first ask for different ones! And start eating lots of spinach!

xxx

Br2B · Jul 27, 2011 9:16AM

I'm on iron tablets too - but I'm only 11+3!

I'd say definately take them, and try and get some foods with iron in them in to your diet too. My current favourite is strawberry, apple and banana smoothie with fresh spinach in it. I know it sounds (and looks!) really gross, but it just tastes like a normal smoothie and gets all that fruit and spinach in me! Much easier than trying to eat spinach every day!

I've been taking them for about a month now and I haven't suffered with constipation yet.

xFran82x · Jul 27, 2011 9:19AM

Hiya, this is my 3rd preg and I've had to take iron in all 3. The tablets don't agree with me at all so I'm taking Spatone, its much easier on the tummy as pp says.

TulipRose · Jul 27, 2011 9:48AM

Hi

You need to take the iron or go back to discuss an alternative - don't not do anything.

I like you had horrendous constipation before the iron tablets and I now take lactulose twice a day to maintain things and even with iron 3 times a day I am fine.

I think its worth a go as a lot of people are fine with it and if you know you are struggling with constipation there are things you can do.

Hope it works out x

Miss_Strawberrie · Jul 27, 2011 10:01AM

Thanks ladies

I expected to hear a load more horror stories so its nice to hear some positive ones too.

I hadnt thought about trying to give birth feeling like this! i think im in denial 10 weeks away isnt as far as it seems!

I started to take them yesterday along with the folic acid she also prescribed. I have some lactulose on standby

How long did it take for you ladies to start feeling better?

TulipRose · Jul 27, 2011 10:18AM

Hey

Actually it only took a few days to get the edge off my tiredness which was great.

I think because I tried to up iron in my diet and mine had come from a bleed (bad bleed from piles ironically!) so once that stopped my levels tipped back up nicely.

(The internet is especially good for horror stories!)

Br2B · Jul 27, 2011 11:11AM

I started to feel a little better within a week or so and much better after two weeks.

Glad you've started taking them - hopefully your level will go back up now and you'll be fighting fit for the birth!

Tigerlily13 · Jul 27, 2011 12:25PM

I never actually felt anaemic so don't know how long it'll take you to feel better! xxx

30somethin · Jul 27, 2011 3:03PM

I noticed the difference after about a week, I felt much less tired and was actually sleeping better too which I hadn't realised was probably being affected by anaemia too. I got my appetite back too which I'd lost almost completely and felt much less sick and light headed. All symptoms I hadn't realised were probably relating to anaemia as I hadn't had low iron at all in my first pregnancy.

I hadn't actually thought about asking Dr for Lactulose, might do that this week.

MrsP · Jul 28, 2011 3:31AM

I didn't realise it was slightly low iron that made me feel so tired, but after a week of iron tablets I felt much better. I found though that instead of constipation I am so much more regular then I was, not to the point of it being too much the other way, but just that I always go twice a day!

I always take my pills with food, but never breakfast - don't know if that makes a difference at all?!

Miss_Strawberrie · Jul 28, 2011 10:26AM

oh i hadnt realised that one of the symptoms was a loss of appertite. iv been struggling with this but because of my dehydration have been forcing myself to eat and drink. Hope that starts to improve too soon.

Iv been taking my tablets around lunch time drinking fresh orange (which i read your supposed to as vit C helps to absorb the iron??) and so far no problems - only on day 3 though

yunacat · Jul 30, 2011 5:53AM

yes you are right about the vit C, make sure you've eaten something when you take the iron x x x

IRON TABLETS

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