healthy lifestyle

[gela217]

doing good feeling ok...... weight loss is 1lb a week. sometimes more sometimes less. but evens out by the end of the month. Then i'm told me i have got a anemia. Very low, my iron levels are 4 should be 80. imagine my horror when the doctor told me while laughing, at me being out of breath. But hey .....

so my question is does anyone know anybody that has managed to take iron supplement 3 times a day. without having terrible side effects, constipation is my fear. Its taken me so long to get into high fibre, low fat, good protien eating habits.

I can just about manage to take 2, but honestly can't figure out where to fit the third tablet in.

Information sheet says to should not be taken within one hour or two hours after eating or drinking tea, coffee, milk, eggs and whole grains, these products can reduce the absorption of iron.

help anyone.......

[suzybenj]

obviously diet is a good place to start, but also understanding how your iron levels got so low -i.e. another health problem that needs to be addressed?? The tablets are awful - I know - i don't want to go against doctors advice - but I did find liquid iron better - not a great taste - but the absorption was quicker and less of the nasty side effects. I did have it on prescription for a while. Maybe have a chat with pharmacist and see what they suggest. I have also taken a commercial product - floradix which is expensive super vitamins and there is a version with iron.

Best of luck with it - and hope you feel better soon.

[Itsallanadventure]

I have the same issue, diet is a good place to start, so have look at the iron rich foods and see what will fit with you. I couldn't manage that amount of iron for exactly the reasons you said, they also made me really nauseous in high levels, which i found worse than the tiredness, but you do need to get your levels up initially. Drink plenty of water, that might help with the constipation, spatone is another good natural source of iron and I never had any issues with that one, tea does inhibit the absorption so i usually take a multivit with iron tablet first thing, with orange as vit c helps absorption, then have peppermint tea cos i do like a hot drink first thing! And i have a cup of tea later. And i find that this again has no adverse effects, but for me this is a maintenance thing as i have had anaemia on and off for years. You might find that a mix of approaches does the trick or go back to your gp and ask for a different formulation or a lower dose. The liquid is good but a bit sweet for my taste. Good luck.

[gela217]

Thanks for your comments. The doctor says it's natural progression for a women of my age. 47...... Hard to take, my levels haven't been checked for a year and half. Even though I have been to doctor every couple of months. With tiredness and abdominal pains, depression and stomach acid. I didnt agree but what can you say. That Was there diagnosis. It is frightening to have such low iron. I have six weeks before I have levels rechecked.

[suzybenj in reply to gela217]

- dont you just hate when they say that. My GP is lovely but every-time i saw her she gave me a lecture on the menopause and how being this age meant blah blah...i am not trying to delude myself but really!! I switched GP in the end I got so fed up.

Anyway = really best of luck with this - I guess get the iron levels up and then really try and maintain that with diet. When your iron levels improve - you will also feel better.

[Sarahd56 in reply to gela217]

dont think this excuse, your age is a proper diagnosis.im 57 and have never had low iron levels. low levels can be from blood loss, hidden , and a slow bleed, maybe a small ulcer as you say you have stomach acid.i would go back and be pretty well in the docs face about getting checked out properly. im not a medic but id certainly want a better answer than what youve been given

[Hidden]

Hi gela217,

Perhaps you should talk with your GP about other ways of administering the supplement.

I thought - perhaps incorrectly - that you could get it in depot injections and patches these days.

[Itsallanadventure]

Injections are usually given when pregnant and iron levels are critically low, and they are uncomfortable to say the least! Never seen patches though. Most iron deficiency is treated orally, though how much is absorbed and how much is excreted is debatable.

[gela217]

thank you all, i thought i was over reacting. with all the reading i have done, i can't see how much will actually be absorbed. im only on day 2 of ferrous sulphate. To keep healthy eating i would have to wake up during the night to take a tablet. bit fed up cause i've got no other choice right now. feel bit deflated now. oh well 6 weeks and then i will see.

[legs2013]

After pregnancy my Iron levels were very low, I was unable to take iron supplements due to side effects. My doctor told me that I could make it up by eating lots of green vegetables, which worked. Some 16 years later I still have lots of green vegetables. Take last night for example I had a plate of cabbage, broccoli, green beans stir-fried in a little water, then seasoned with black bean sauce. This was very tasty and very low calorie,