And Breathe...............

[SwimLyn]

Hi Everyone,

Since my last post I have taken the advice of Sue & Madlegs & all the other kind comments & increased the Pregabalin to 125mg & have slept through the majority of nights with only a few 'hiccups' which are usually due to my own over indulgence of food & drink over the festive period.I've noticed that many people are posting about Iron Bisglycinate so have jumped on the bandwagon & bought some to take 25mg daily .I'm now wondering if ok to take with the multivits ,Vit b complex & Vit C that I take daily or am I just going vitamin crazy in my endeavours to keep RL at bay ?

Hope you all had a 'restful' not a 'restless' Christmas break although that maybe just my end of the year optimism & hopeful for a breakthrough in 2025 in the diagnosis & treatment of this debilitating condition that affects us all on this forum.

[SueJohnson]

That's great that you are now able to sleep through the night.

Since your ferritin was 204, you really don't need the iron tablets although some think that getting it over 300 will help. Your choice. If you do take them take them with 100 mg of vitamin C or some orange juice as that helps its absorption. Take it every other day as more is absorbed that way, preferably at night at least 1 hour before a meal or coffee or tea and at least 2 hours after a meal or coffee or tea since iron is absorbed better on an empty stomach and the tannins in coffee and tea limit absorption.

If you take magnesium (or magnesium rich foods), calcium (or calcium rich foods) or zinc, even in a multivitamin take them at least 2 hours apart since they interfere with the absorption of iron. Also antacids interfere with its absorption so should be taken at least 4 hours before the iron or at least 2 hours after.

Don't take your iron tablets before or after exercise since inflammation peaks after a workout. Don't take turmeric as it can interfere with the absorption of iron. If you take thyroid medicine don't take it within 4 hours. It takes several months for the iron tablets to slowly raise your ferritin. Ask for a new blood test after 3 months.