Iron Pills

[Tarh33lz]

I have had stage 4 for some time now. Last year my GFR dropped to 16 but by March it had gone back up to 24. When I had blood work done in August it had dropped again to 17 and a month later its now at 12. Absolutely the only thing different is my Dr. put me on Iron pills in March. Has anyone else had your GFR drop due to taking Iron?

[Bassetmommer NKF Ambassador]

Hi Tarh,

My GFR stayed the same but my blood work improved and I felt so much better. I do not think that is the cause of your lower GFR. Just for asking, have you been constipated with the iron? It is a normal reaction. So I found I needed to drink even MORE water. It helped.

[Bet117 NKF Ambassador]

Hi Tarh,

Many factors can influence the fluctuating GFR; hydration, time of day the labs were drawn, if you have had a cold or allergy issue- many things. Is your doctor concerned about it?

What is your creatinine level? Has that dropped or stabilized?

All good questions for your doctor.

First step is that your blood work has improved; that is a gift in itself.

Remember that this is all a process.

As far as the constipation if you have it.

Just an idea; call your doctor and ask if he/ she can either prescribe or suggest a stool softener such as colace to make the process easier.

One of my friends who is also a kidney patient was given iron pills and the two were prescribed simultaneously.

Be sure to check with your doctor before taking anything.

I agree with Bassetmommer about drinking plenty of water. Warm water with a touch of lemon juice in the morning has helped me as well.

Be kind to yourself as you are making progress!

[rabbit01]

No I don't think it's anything to do with the iron. Are you keeping well hydrated as that makes a big difference as does eating meat before you blood test. That certainly causes the creatinine to increase and therefore the eGFR to drop