Hi
I'm not sure if the abdominal pains I've had are as a result of the iron I've been prescribed plus seemed to have a bit of diarrhoea this evening. The pains felt a bit like premenstrual ones and as my hormones are all over the place it could have been that although I'm not officially due on.
I usually get constipation from any sort of iron but I read the side-effects online and they say that some people get diarrhoea.
I wonder what others' experiences are?
I can't take ferrous fumurate at all, not even in multivitamin pills, I get terrible bloating and upset stomach and would spend all day and night on the loo! Sorry if too much information but it gives me the opposite of constipation.
I'm taking Vitabiotics Feroglobin Plus liquid at the moment which is fine if I take it with food but I don't know how effective as not had any bloods since starting it. I was also fine on Floradix, shame it's so expensive.
Thanks for that potnoodle. It wasn't tmi for me but useful info! I've tried Floradix too but that made me constipated so I'm interested to know whether other iron products make you have bad stomachs and diarrhoea or whether you normally get constipation from iron. Oh and is the Vitabiotics Feroglobin Plus liquid from health shop or prescribed - thanks!
Hi, I get bad stomach cramps, sometimes like menstual and other times like trapped wind on FF especially if I'm sitting about all day, GP told me this can happen when you're not used to it but its been going on now for about 6 weeks. Hopefully it'll ease.
Thanks Ariesgerl - I don't know if I could abide it for 6 weeks! But yes, that sounds similar to what I've been experiencing. Hope you'll feel better soon.
I was fine on ferrous sulphate taken with vit c, but ferrous fumerate is wreaking havoc. Bloating, grumbly tummy, some diarrhoea, wind etc
Thanks HarryE - that's useful to know.
It is strange, how different forms of iron affect people. I took ferrous sulphate and it felt like I had swallowed red-hot acid. I threw them away in the end. But I cope okay with ferrous fumarate.
Thanks for that - yes, I suppose we all need to find what works for us.
I tried Spatone, 2 per day (low dose liquid ferrous sulphate), and 20mg per day iron bisglycinate. Both gave me quite severe abdominal pain and diarrhoea. There's no way I could have carried on with them to see if the effects went away!
Floradix wasn't so bad, similar but milder effects at times, but after 6 months my ferritin had barely moved at all. Also stained my teeth really badly.
I now take Proferrin, which is a haem iron supplement, like the form found in meat. It's supposed to be much better absorbed and I've found it to be basically side effect free. Bit expensive though, I buy from America and it's about £35 a month for the maximum recommended dose.
Has it been helping with your iron levels? Or have you not yet been tested since starting on it?
Have several times suggested haem or ferritin iron supplements but I have not noticed many people with experience of actually taking them.
Rod
My ferritin went from 17 to 34 after five months on Proferrin. The first couple of months were at a lower dose until I established that it really wasn't going to do horrible things to my insides! I now take three a day.
Not too bad considering a double dose of Floradix for 6 months only increased my ferritin from 13 to 17.
Probably about time I was tested again - it's been a few months since the last test.
Hi - I've not been tested yet. I've only just started the ferrous fumerate. Oh sorry thought that question was for me. Thanks for the feedback acc!
Thanks acc. I've used Spatone and been told it doesn't have much iron. But it made me a bit constipated when I took it every day but thanks for the other recommendation.
If you are not vegetarian, get a good feed of liver every week. 30% of the iron is absorbed.
My employee gets constipated from liver. Can be offset by eating foods like beets and apples. Heinz Beans in tomato sauce work too. I've been eating these recently after watching the How It's Made video on YouTube. Amazing. 4 million cans per day!
I don't eat meat, gabkad. Beans, yes, of course, if you're constipated! There was always that old childhood chant which I'm sure you know 
I'm actually having the opposite though, which is unusual from an iron based product but I suppose I can then take the Vit D3 and calcium which do make me constipated and get the right balance, perhaps!
The Vitabiotics Feroglobin Plus liquid is available in supermarkets, Holland and Barrett but cheapest on Amazon. It does stain badly though so I always take it with soluable Vitamin Vitamin C which rinses my mouth out too!
I was going to try iron bisglycinate but now having read this maybe I won't.
Thanks again, Potnoodle.
My ferritin level at the end of February this year was only 11(15-300) and my very considerate doctor prescribed Sodium feredetate in liquid form (Sytron) as I have never been able to tolerate iron tablets. My last result at the end of October was 71 (15 - 300) and I do feel so much better for it.
Thanks minsterlady. My ferritin level was 10 so about the same. In what way has it made you feel better out of interest? Thanks
The first thing I noticed was that my fingernails were pink instead of blue-tinged - my lips too! I no longer felt so tired and my energy levels increased. I have always had a slow heartbeat and this has increased slightly but just overall I feel more like the 'old me'.
Hope you get sorted soon.
Thanks. Yes, the fatigue is one of my worst symptoms so would welcome that but don't want an increase in heart-rate as I associate that with panics and anxiety.
Considering my resting heart rate can be as low as 48/50 the increase was only slight to a more regular 50 or maybe 55 at most. I don't know whether this was due to the Sytron or with the increase in levothyroxine.
Ooh, that's a form I've never heard of! Any side effects from it or was it completely fine?
Carbimazole side effects
Citalopram side effects
Levothyroxine - side effects 
Ferrous sulphate tablets and upset stomach 
Scared of side effects 
