worried about anemia and iron tablets!!!

Replies

• mamapink

  Mar 21, 2009 5:30AM

  Hi hun,
  
  Try not to worry too much, the main thing is that it has been picked up and you are taking the iron tablets for it. The result should be pretty quick, and you can help the absorption by making sure you don't have caffeine at least half an hour either side of taking the iron supplement. Vitamin C is good to help your body absorb the iron I think too.
  
  My iron levels have been low on and off during this pregnancy so I have been taking pregnacare plus an iron supplement as advised by my midwife. I've also tried to increase my intake of iron rich foods. Take care xx

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• chloe123

  Mar 21, 2009 5:35AM

  thanks , its just that they are already making me feel quite sick i was thinking of maybe taking pregnancare and a lower dose of the iron i will ask the pharmacist when i go in later x

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• Lambchop80

  Mar 21, 2009 5:37AM

  I wouldnt worry, they wouldnt give you anything you cant take. I was given iron tablets a couple of weeks ago and they worked really quickly, unfortunately I got an upset tummy and sickness as a side effect but thats not the case with everyone.
  
  MrsW 38+2

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• icecreamloverpissedoffwithBE

  Mar 21, 2009 6:58AM

  I've been on iron tablets for the last 8 weeks now due to it being low, they started me off on 2 tablets a day which made me feel really ill and killed my appetite, so then i cut down to one a day - it helped but not much so
  I asked them for the liquid form of iron which is much easier on my system...
  
  I also have an iron rich diet to help - i avoid bread as it inhibits iron absorption, but have lots of cereals with fortified iron in, and tinned beaked beans are full of iron too, spiniach has iron in it but it stops you absorbing it, orange juice is good to help you absorb it, and red meat is a good source of iron
  
  this sheet can help
  http://www.healthcastle.com/iron.shtml
  
  xxx

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• chloe123

  Mar 21, 2009 7:19AM

  thank you, i dont have any caffeine in my diet at all and i dont eat much bread really, ahve found myself eating a ton of tinned manderines though! do you think it is worth me going on pregnancare and having one iron tab? do you think that would help? plus eating all the other stuff are weetabix good for iron does anyone know??

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• PrivateInformation

  Mar 21, 2009 9:33AM

  vit-c obviously you need to absorb the iron, But doesn't have to be pure orange it could be Grapefruit juice, blackcurrant juice (not diluted) which helps also if you have heartburn/acid,, an tomatoes/Juice, so if you ate brocolli an tinned tomatoes (which contain more vit-c than fresh tomatoes) with a meal that would be great,
  
  Just things like calcium an fiber enriched foods/drink reduce the absorbency/effectiveness of the iron! even cereals but its best to take iron on empty stomach, so leave it an hr either side of taking the tablet before you eat/drink anything other than water, vit-c enriched juice! eggs are good too although to much yolk can reduce the effectiveness of iron absorption,, its bloody conflicting
  
  I think you'll be fine to be honest hunnie, we do get tired in late pregnancy an the anemia will make you tired, but baby gets first dibs on the iron, an you get whats left over, i think if your not like me an your body doesnt feel like its gonna give in or you carnt breath, your doing ok!!! i dnt think taking pregnacare an 1 iron tab will be affective because i think the pregnacare only has about 18mg (could be wrong), where as your 200mg (ferrous sulphate?) ones contain about 85mg of iron, did they say what your hb or ferritin levels are??

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