I have anemia.

[BlueJeanGal]

Does anyone know if there is a best time of day to take iron?

[Badger2024]

Personally I take it in the morning as soon as I wake up as it’s best in an empty stomach. Be sure to take it with vitamin C like orange juice so it gets absorbed. I just take an iron tablet that already has vitamin C with it then take with water. I take ferrogradumet-C If you’ve never taken iron supplements before maybe start by taking every other day in case they make you very constipated. Need to drink lots of water. Don’t have anything to eat until at least an hour after taking. That includes milky drinks or antacids

[Dana66CKD]

According to Fergon iron supplement instructions, can take with food but not with dairy. I drink coffee in a.m. with half/half, so I wait 1-2 hours after drinking to take iron. I also take with acidic/vit. C foods for increased absorption. I take 1-324mg tab M&F. Daily dosing was causing GI pain.

[orangecity41 NKF Ambassador]

I take vegetarian iron pill and instruction is to take with a meal.

[WYOAnne NKF Ambassador]

Iron supplements can be hard on your stomach I was always told to take it with food but not dairy. When you have CKD you may have anemia that doesn't respond to iron pills. With me I had to take PROCRIT injections weekly. Blood tests will show if you are responding or not.

[Dana66CKD in reply to WYOAnne]

Hello WYOAnne, are you still receiving procrit? I take Fergon 324mg 1-2x per week. Couldn't tolerate daily but didn't make alot of difference in H&H.My H&H are low, but not yet severe. I have noticed since being on plant-based diet, my iron stores dropped to their current level within a year, so I started eating animal protein (one meal), 5X/week out of 28 meals/week last year, because my leukocytes & monocytes (wbc) were low. Signs/Symptoms included lightheadedness, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, & memory deficit. What I've read is dietary defiiciency can contribute to low wbc count, so I increased animal protein meals to 1 meal daily, out of 21 meals/week. S/S have subsided thus far. I limit the animal protein to 2 ounces with other foods. I am stage 2 ckd. I have labs scheduled for Sept appt. '24 to recheck GFR, CBC, etc.

[horsie63]

When I need it I get iron infusion with my dialysis. I also get Mircela with dialysis when needed.

[barbara55109]

I take it twice a day with all my other meds. I have a ileostomy so I don't get the gastro effects others see.