Please Help !!

[maggimoo1515]

Hi All,

I am new to this group so please forgive me if this sounds stupid but I am desperate!! I have just been diagnosed with severe Anaemia and prescribed Ferrous Fumarate 210 mg 3 times a day. They are making me feel sick but I can just about cope with that. I am also getting shocking headaches, migraine proportion where no pain killer will touch them. I know its the pills as I did a test and alternated taking the pills and on the days I didn't take them, surprise, no headache! Has anybody else experienced this??

Problem I have is the Dr. Firstly she is saying headaches are not a side effect even though the leaflet says " if you experience any other side effects let you're Dr know". Secondly I can't get an appointment until Tuesday so they have advised me to stop taking them until then but I am tired, breathless, dizzy. I have to go from room to room and sit down. Surely to not take any iron for 4 days while I am like this is not good. I have no confidence in the Dr, can anybody please recommend anything that I can buy over the counter. Any help greatly appreciated.

[Hidden]

Hi maggimoo you could try spatone liquid iron from amazon they have some good deals on it just now,have a look it would be my choice of iron supplement.report your side effects using the yellow card system your doctor should be listening to you,lots of people have side effects from meds.Best of luck x

[Marz]

Did you have other tests done - B12 - Folate - Ferritin - VitD ? Taking VitC can help with the uptake of iron supplements.

Are you on any other medications ? Supplements ?

There is a website ..

irondisorders.org

[Nackapan]

I had problems. I now alternate iron supplements .

I take 210 ferrous fumerate every other day 1 tablet

I uses spartone.

I also uses solgar gentle iron.

I discussed all this with the Gp

She put me on 326 mg ferrous fumerate mixed with folate I coukdbt tolerate that

I have ongoing headaches/ heD nerve pains

I also found improvements when my vit d kevek was raised.

You do get headaches as a symptom if anamia too.

Discuss with your doctor but meantime spartane az already suggested by Thrines and iron in s multivit ? And maybe solgar.

Up your meat abs eat with vit c.

Small portions over the day better fir absorbtion. Aksi reduce caffeine ad inhibits absorbtion. Take any suppkenentvaway from caffeine

It does take time to get levels up .

[Gambit62 Administrator]

maggimoo. please note that although this forum has anaemia in the title its a bit of a misnomer and it is actually about an autoimmune disorder in the gut that attacks the mechanisms that allow you to absorb B12 - leading to B12 deficiency - one consequence of which is a specific type of anaemia in which red blood cells are larger and rounder than normal - which is different from the type of anaemia you have which is iron based.Many people on the forum do also get iron deficiency because the absorption problems can also affect absorption of other micronutrients, such as iron.

Have you tried speaking to the dispensing pharmacist - pharmacists are often more aware of side-effects and potential interactions with other drugs or supplements you may be taking and can also provide advice on alternatives that may cause fewer problems.

[Parlay]

That’s exactly what the ferrous irons do to me, spatone is very gently but wasn’t enough to get my tanked levels up. I used undefatted desiccated beef liver tablets, they were amazing, you need copper to methylate iron and the ratios are perfect. I took them with orange juice and in 3 months my levels were climbing. They also have the perfect amount of naturally occurring folate.

[Bellabab in reply to Parlay]

I use liver pate and a clementine and that seems to work for me.

[Griffin33 in reply to Bellabab]

Sorry. Just wondering how liver pate helps?

[Bellabab in reply to Griffin33]

It contain 5.5 mg of iron per 100grams.

[12bars]

Hi Maggiemoo, I also take Spatone which I fined quite gentle, not all the time though just as a top up regime along with Folic acid supplements meant for pregnant women. I don't do this all the time just for a week every few months or when my body tells me I am lacking.

[Gen89]

I take ferrous fumarole 210mg every other day for low ferritin levels. But I am not anaemic. I have had low ferritin levels for years and in the past was advised three tablets daily but I always gave up on taking them due to the consequent bowel problems. My GP advised every other day as there are some studies now which say this is better for absorption and also people are more able to continue with this dose. So far I have been ok on every other day and am waiting for a blood test in a months time to see if there is improvement. If you are very anaemic you may need more than every other day. Another option which I haven’t tried is an intravenous iron infusion. A family member has had this several times and found it successful with no side effects. Not sure how possible it is to get an infusion in covid times and I think it would mean a hospital visit which is probably best avoided at the moment. Discuss options with your GP.

[Gen89]

Also your GP should be investigating why you are so anaemic if there is no dietary cause. And just to be clear I take one tablet every other day now not three. Hope you feel better soon.