Anyone had problem with anemia?

[nickjr]

When I had my bloods checked at 28 weeks it showed that i was anemic. My doctors surgery didnt pass on the information so i didnt hear about it until my next apointment at 32 weeks. Midwife only realised when I mentioned that I was so tired I could hardly get out of bed!

Anyway, she got me the iron tablets that I need and said i would have my blood checked again at 36 weeks. When I went back at 36 weeks I had to see a different midwife. She refused to test my blood again. I only wanted to know if it was ok now as I have a terrible problem with constipation. I would rather not take the iron if I dont need it. Also, havent been able to take as many as I was prescribed as i just feel too sick to swallow tablets.

Tomorrow I go back to see the midwife for my 38 week check, I am wondering if i should try again to get them to check it or is it too late???

I am so worried I will go into labour and not be able to go to the toilet!

 

[rocemom]

I had low iron that corerected its self about a year ago.
When I was retested at 27 week I have it again.
I have to go on Rx but it explains a lot on why Im so tired I can look at OH in the morning and say Im hungrey and roll over and go back to sleep.
Hopefully with the Rx Ill start feeling better and so will you

Withnot being able to go to the toliet they will give you stool softners and once you enter they dont let you eat so that could be a blessing.

 

[Lil C]

why did she refuse to take your blood? I'm anaemic and had my blood checked again last week and it's a lot better.
With regards to constipation, plenty of water, orange juice and milk helps. I've not really had a problem there as I'm constantly thirsty so maybe try that? X

 

[surprisemummy]

ive just been told im anaemic too. i havent picked up my perscription yet but i feel totally fine :S i dont have any of the simptoms except the being pale ( but i live in scotland so that didnt seem odd to me lol ) i hope the tablets dont make me sick as ive heard they can. i dont fancy being constipated either ! xx

 

[claire99991]

i had my bloods done at 28 weeks no one botherd to tell me until my 34 week appt so nice of them!! anyway i was put on iron tablets i can only manage 2 a day instead of 3 cos i feel sick but i start the day with a big bowel of bran flakes (this has 30% of your daily iron in them and fibre to help you go loo) i figure that with 2 iron tablets will be better, they havent said when they will retest my blood i will ask about it at my 38 week check, i think it takes a good few months to get bk to normal espeically if your only managing a smaller dose like me, try fresh orange juice for the constipation honestly i didnt think it would work but orange juice and bran flakes gets things moving again,

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[babybaillie]

Im anaemic too, but also have other blood problems. if ur at all worried make an app with ur gp or practise nurse and have a ful blood count done, while u wait for ur mw to do it.

 

[lynnikins]

im expecting my full count 28wk blood test to come back showing me as anemic caus i know i am normally when not pregnant but at my booking and 16wk blood tests i was taking pregnacare ( and had been taking it for 14+wks by my booking appointment as we were trying for this baby ) at the time they were done so it would have skewed the results to show my iron levels within normal range but im not taking it anymore caus it makes me very queasy and ive had all the symptoms return

 

[nickjr]

I am not sure why she refused to check my bloods again just said I didnt need it and to take the tablets until i deliver. She really wasnt very nice. I think she has been brought back from retirement because they are so short staffed!

Anyone else have any ideas for the constipation? I had hyperemesis for the first 24 weeks and can only just manage certain foods now. I cant eat wheat due to allergy and cant manage the orange juice as its just to acidic. I had lactulose from the doctor but that made me sick too.

I am so fed up! It feels like midwives just wont listen.

 

[lynnikins]

try prunes or dates hun they are natures way of getting things moving, when i was consitpated prior to having ds my mum made me have smoothies made from natural yogurt, honey, prunes and branflakes,
also Kiwifruit is good

 

[MiissMuffet]

I have to up my iron tablets to 2 a day now

 

[werdendemutte]

Hallo Ladies,

my very first post here. I live in the United States and my husband and I are expecting our first child in February!

However, I too was found to be anaemic and the iron tablets made me sick and horribly constipated. I stopped taking the pills.... Now I am using "Floradix liquid iron". It is taken before a meal and it doesn't cause nausea or constipation. I asked my obstetrician about it and he said it perfectly fine to take instead of the pills. The liquid iron is made by a german company (I am originally from Germany otherwise I would have never known this stuff) but it is available online in the US and I am pretty sure also in Britain. It's not exactly cheap (about $30 for 750 ml) but honestly, I have enought trouble with constipation without the iron tablets, no need to make it worse.

 

[jmac]

I think you need to ask at your 38 week appointment. I dip in and out of anaemia even when not pregnant but have been on iron tablets since 24 weeks during this pregnancy. I got my bloods checked at every appointment since then (24, 28, 31, 34 and 37) as first type of iron didn't do trick as expected and further tests revealed I was deficient in vitamin B12 (common pregnancy anaemia quirk) and needed injections for this.

At 36 weeks it was decided type of iron I was on wasn't sufficient and tablets got changed with a view that if things hadn't picked up by 39 weeks (this week) then I'd have to go for an iron infusion. Luckily, I've avoided this but it is definitely worth you raising this again and maybe getting liquid/infusion solution (which might help you avoid the constipation situation - to be honest, my body settled after a few weeks and I found eating certain other foods helped avoid it).

The main reason that there's this thing about building up your iron is to make sure that if you lose significant levels of blood during delivery your stocks are not entirely depleted and that you're not left overly weak after birth.

Sorry, this is a bit long!

 

[nickjr]

I wish I had found this forum earlier. There are so many lovely and helpful people on here.

The midwife was not very helpful. A different midwife again! I havent seen the same one twice. All she could suggest was trying to eat more fibre, which I cant and plenty fruit. She also said to just keep trying to take the tablets as these are the ones I need. I need to get 3 down a day, not much chance of that!

I couldnt face prunes so got some apricots to try. Oh the joys of pregnancy!
Will just have to hope I dont have a problem with bleeding.

 

[jmac]

Absorption of the iron will be better if you take it with foods rich in vitamin c at the same time. If you're struggling to eat vitamin c solids (eg green veg etc) you could maybe try taking them with a glass of OJ? Also, avoid having tea, coffee, wholegrains and milk around when you take tablets as these hinder aborption.

Which tablets have you been given? I was on ferrous sulphate x 3 per day but they weren't doing the trick so got put on ferrous fumarate x 2 a day. Maybe you could ask if you could switch so at least that'd be one a day less that you'd have to squeeze in.

There's a thing called Spatone which I think is a liquid iron mix that you can buy from health shops which might also help. There's a lady on here called Red Poppy who knows all about it and swears by it (I think she secretly works for them although she denies it...lol...) - might be worth you PMing her for some info?

 

[Lil C]

could u try orange juice with soda water? That's the way I've been drinking it as it pulls my cheeks in on it's own!!

 

[nickjr]

Ooh good idea Lil C, i will give that a try.
I have ferrous fumarate x 3 a day. Midwife said they are the ones I need and wont change them.

 

[jmac]

I read somewhere that fumarate are the ones recommended by current guidelines as they give the best absorption. Good luck!

 

[Pingu]

I am on 3 iron tablets a day and have found the taking them with orange juice helps with sickness and constipation.