Side effects of iron treatment

[meriemdjemili]

Good morning,

I am currently taking 710mg of iron a day to treat my anemia. I have had a pain in my upper stomach, just under my sternum, on the left. Has anyone suffered from this? How long will it last?

Kind regards

[bluebug]

Iron tablets can give you constipation, diarrhea or both, which is why you get abdominal pain.

It will last until you stop taking the tablets.

If the pain is too much during the day one thing you can do is alter the timing of when you take your tablets so you take your last tablets just before you go to bed. This means you take less doses in the day when you are awake.

What compound, so what type of iron are you taking? Ferrous fumarate? Ferrous sulphate? As some people do better with one than the other. However you will have to purchase these yourself from the pharmacist as most GPs/doctors will not alter the prescription they give you.

[Hidden in reply to bluebug]

My anaemia was diagnosed when I had a blood test following a trip to the GP with frequent headaches! If constpation is an issue take some fibrogel or other stool softening preparation each day to make sure. Constipation can get to a dangerous stage if left, so make sure you have enough fibre, and probiotics to keep you gut healthy. I take my iron at night, and now several months down the line I only have 1/2 tablet, each day so it doesn't cause problems.