Ferrous Sulfate gives me headaches

[xxkiexx]

Hi, sorry if I've posted this in the wrong section as I dont have Thyroid problems. I've recently had a low iron deficiency confirmed and have been told to buy supplements and take them 3x a day. The chemist recommended Ferrous Sulfate 200mg. I have found that after taking just one I get an awful headache so haven't been able to take the prescribed course. Has anyone else had issues with this while taking them? The only side effects I can find are all stomach related but they don't affect my stomach. Thanks in advance.

[nellie237]

I think the dose you have detailed would be for anaemia not deficiency and should be prescribed and monitored by your GP. I can't make any suggestions about the headaches I'm afraid.

[xxkiexx in reply to nellie237]

She said its cheaper for me to buy them over the counter. £2.50 over the counter vs £9.35 for a prescription. She said take at least twice a day preferably 3 time but I'm only taking 1 due to the headaches.

[helvella Administrator Thyroid UK]

You might find some information here:

helvella - Iron Document

Information collected and linked regarding iron and iron supplementation.

dropbox.com/s/4d885frbic4z8...

It is confusing that you say both that you asked a pharmacist and that the ferrous sulfate was prescribed.

There are quite a number of other iron supplements and dietary sources.

It is important when supplementing iron that you are tested regularly. Excess iron can be, indeed is, dangerous and you should takes steps to avoid that possibility.

[xxkiexx in reply to helvella]

Yes my apologies, I meant prescribed as in that is what the doctor told me to do. I haven't been prescribed tablets, just told to buy them and take them 3x a day and have repeat bloods in 3 months. I havent taken anymore than 1 a day as of yet.

[humanbean]

I couldn't tolerate ferrous sulfate at all.

I prefer ferrous fumarate 210mg. It is sold in boxes of 84, which is sufficient for 1 tablet, 3 times a day, for 28 days. It contains roughly the same amount of iron per tablet as the ferrous sulfate doctors usually prescribe.

Ferrous fumarate (and ferrous sulfate) can be bought without prescription in the UK in pharmacies only (but the pharmacist must give permission).

There are several ways of supplementing iron. I listed the ones I knew about on this reply to another member - ignore the first part of my reply about pregnancy!

healthunlocked.com/thyroidu...

[xxkiexx in reply to humanbean]

Thankyou! I did speak to the pharmacist today and she recommended liquid but they didn't have any in stock. I was going to purchase the ferrous fumarate but she said as it was £7 and I have to take for 3 months it might work out cheaper to get a prescription as the doctor can prescribe the whole 3 months worth. I'm going to call in tomorrow and try and speak to someone.

[humanbean in reply to xxkiexx]

Before I found out - entirely by accident - that I could buy prescription-strength iron tablets without a prescription, I had only ever succeeded in getting enough pills for two months (28 days times 2). Doctors have always assumed that two months was sufficient for me to raise my iron and ferritin levels, and they rarely, if ever, tested my ferritin again to test this theory, they just never prescribed again after the two months iron pills were finished. GPs never tested my serum iron at all - I only discovered that it had been below range in a hospital test once I bought my GP records.

However, once I found out that

a) I could buy my own iron panels from Medichecks which only needed a finger-prick sample,

and

b) I could buy my own prescription-strength iron supplements

I decided to deal with my own low iron, and I've been doing it since 2013. I would never give responsibility for my iron and ferritin to a doctor again, since I am convinced they kept me low in iron all my life, and blamed my fatigue and other symptoms of low iron on attention-seeking, hypochondria, mental illness and laziness.

It took me 21 months of taking maximum dose of ferrous fumarate 210mg to get my ferritin to mid-range. My serum iron was still very low in range. I've mostly stuck to dosing according to my ferritin ever since, since my serum iron is always well below optimal and drops quite rapidly if I reduce or stop my iron tablets.

Good luck.

[xxkiexx in reply to humanbean]

Thats exactly the same as me! I have got a thread on the pernicious anemia board from last week questioning b12 but ferritin was pointed out to me. Had never heard of it before. Found my blood tests from my pregnancies over the last 21 years with the highest being 32 and the lowest being 7. I've been given anti depressants, told to take paracetamol and wait a few months, they wanted to test me for rheumatoid arthritis and then another one was going to refer me to a cardiologist and a whole bunch inbetween. I finally found a doctor that listened, asked questions and helped! It has all been so debilitating and I have questioned if I'm just going crazy!

Thankyou so much for your help ❤

[humanbean in reply to xxkiexx]

You're welcome.