gutted about low iron levels

[wishingonastar]

I found out a couple of days ago that my iron levels had dropped to 86 at beginning of September and midwife hadn't told me until next appointment on Thur just gone. Had to go to daycare for another blood count and levels have dropped again to 79.

Surgery prescribed twice a day iron pills but daycare doc was concerned and has increased to three times a day. Hopefully I won't react too badly but I know many ppl do

I've checked the lists of iron rich foods but most of them make me feel sick so I've got to hope the pills bring it up swiftly as only have 4 weeks til due date and I won't be allowed to birth in midwife unit if they're not much improved.

This is my last baby so I'm gutted I may face losing out on birthing unit experience all cos midwife sat on my results for basically two months when I could have been correcting it all this time. It also explains why climbing up a small flight of steps is a struggle and I'm constantly lethargic!

 

[Love4you]

I've had the same problems this pregnancy. I'm always anemic but my level dropped to 8 and my ferritin was a 6.
I tried the iron supplements but they didn't do anything except cause constipation.
I ended getting IV iron infusions at the hospital. Much more effective and I feel so much better.
Maybe ask your doctor?

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

If the tables aren't working try spatone it's so much better/gentler on your stomach and 2 sachets a day in orange juice is easy to do.
I went down to 8.5 but got back up to be 'allowed' a homebirth last time.

This time ive dropped to 9.6 and felt awful and they've really made a big difference. I'm testing on the 9th and fingers crossed I make it up to 10.5 this time!

Good luck

 

[Iren_iren]

One more vote for spatone
My levels were not critical, i think they dropped to 106 at some point, so 3 weeks of spatone twice a day, pregnacare prenatal vits once a day and regular boots iron+vit C two tablets a day i was back to 111 and now after 3 more weeks 117

Hope your levels will increase with what your doctor prescribed, but worth trying at least spatone

 

[MnGmakes3]

I was also anemic my whole pregnancy and they prescribed the largest iron dose possible. I hated it and didn't continue taking it as I got severely constipated. I ended up taking colace but that still didn't help.

Just make sure you are balancing out the iron with a softener. Hth.

Xx

 

[Willow82]

I found out a couple of days ago that my iron levels had dropped to 86 at beginning of September and midwife hadn't told me until next appointment on Thur just gone. Had to go to daycare for another blood count and levels have dropped again to 79.

Surgery prescribed twice a day iron pills but daycare doc was concerned and has increased to three times a day. Hopefully I won't react too badly but I know many ppl do

I've checked the lists of iron rich foods but most of them make me feel sick so I've got to hope the pills bring it up swiftly as only have 4 weeks til due date and I won't be allowed to birth in midwife unit if they're not much improved.

This is my last baby so I'm gutted I may face losing out on birthing unit experience all cos midwife sat on my results for basically two months when I could have been correcting it all this time. It also explains why climbing up a small flight of steps is a struggle and I'm constantly lethargic!

I can't believe they sat on the results for two months, that's rubbish.

My levels were 98 which they said was borderline. I'm still on the tablets 3 times per day though. Try not to worry too much about the side effects, I got really worried when I started reading tales of nausea, constipation etc but I haven't had any.

 

[wishingonastar]

Thanks everyone for your input, it's reassured me in some ways. I'm gonna look into spartone. Someone said the injections are awful so I'm hoping I don't end up on them if that's true

 

[loeylo]

I ha borderline low iron at 32 weeks but my midwife was happy to leave me. After birth my iron dropped further and I have been prescribed iron tablets 3x/day. They are horrid - my poop is black!

I have been advised by a really good midwife to try spatone. Gonna try it next!!

 

[stacy1991]

Iv had the same problems I have always been anemic, the dr has put me on iron tablets 2 times a day plus my regular pre natal vitamins, iv had to have repeat bloods done every few weeks, my iron started to rise but has dropped dramatically again, I have repeat bloods in the next week if they are still low I have to have the iron infused drip..

Cant believe the midwives sat on that information for a whole 2months..

Hope your iron levels start rising for you.

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

Another bit of iron related advice that people prob already know but stay away from tea and dairy and coffee 30 mins either side of taking iron and have loads of vitamin c. B vitamins also help with the fatigue.

Let's all get to 11

 

[wishingonastar]

2ndtimeabz thanks...oj gives me horrific heartburn and apparently antacid tablets interfere with iron absorption so I'm gonna do what you suggest and take vit c supplements instead with it. And thanks for heads up on milk and tea

Definitely fingers crossed we all improve our levels. Can't believe how much of a difference low iron makes in how you feel...here's to us all feeling human again

 

[TTCBean]

Try Floradix! It's amazing, I usually take it and then drink a glass of orange juice. Really helped get my iron levels up!

 

[Willow82]

2ndtimeabz thanks...oj gives me horrific heartburn and apparently antacid tablets interfere with iron absorption so I'm gonna do what you suggest and take vit c supplements instead with it. And thanks for heads up on milk and tea

Definitely fingers crossed we all improve our levels. Can't believe how much of a difference low iron makes in how you feel...here's to us all feeling human again

I was amazed at how much difference low iron made. In my second trimester, I felt utterly exhausted, no energy, breathless and weak. I wasn't sleeping and I had restless legs in the evening. Now, I feel amazing! Considering I'm 35 weeks, I feel like I'm really enjoying the pregnancy and don't want it to end.

Hope you start feeling better soon, it took a couple of weeks for me to start feeling that the tablets were making a difference.

 

[wishingonastar]

2ndtimeabz thanks...oj gives me horrific heartburn and apparently antacid tablets interfere with iron absorption so I'm gonna do what you suggest and take vit c supplements instead with it. And thanks for heads up on milk and tea

Definitely fingers crossed we all improve our levels. Can't believe how much of a difference low iron makes in how you feel...here's to us all feeling human again

I was amazed at how much difference low iron made. In my second trimester, I felt utterly exhausted, no energy, breathless and weak. I wasn't sleeping and I had restless legs in the evening. Now, I feel amazing! Considering I'm 35 weeks, I feel like I'm really enjoying the pregnancy and don't want it to end.

Hope you start feeling better soon, it took a couple of weeks for me to start feeling that the tablets were making a difference.

You've described EXACTLY how I feel! We've moved house within last few days as well and that's pretty much finished me off!

Did you also get large amount of swelling in feet, legs and ankles? Mine have ballooned and now I can only just squeeze into a pair of trainers so im considering getting larger cheap footwear. From some stuff I've seen online this could be linked to low iron level too. It would make sense as with first I had untreated low iron and massive swelling, with second I was on iron pills and had no swelling

Never really reached the enjoyment stage of pregnancy with this which makes me sad so I really am looking forward to picking up. Only thing I have really enjoyed is strong movements which I didn't have in other pregnancies due to placenta position

 

[Willow82]

No, I didn't have any swelling thank goodness. I guess it effects everyone differently. I had no idea that it was linked to restless legs but that went away a couple of weeks after taking the tablets.

I still can't believe they sat on your results. The doctors rang me two days after having the bloods done to say that I was anaemic.

I've had pretty strong movements this time around as well. Despite having an anterior placenta again, I've felt this baby so much more than my last one!

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

https://www.health-alternatives.com/meat-protein-nutrition-chart.html

Found this which is really useful when looking for iron rich things to eat, baked potato with 3 bean chilli has to be the go-to meal. Or maybe some kind of butternut squash, spinach and goats cheese tart? I love food lol.

I've not had any swelling, more just a sore inflamed mouth/tongue.

 

[wishingonastar]

Ouch...I've gone off food mostly but if you're still foodie a sore tongue would be the worst!!!

Yeah I'm really annoyed as I've lost two months of putting it right, and my two children have had a mum whose done the bare minimum and is always too tired to play much or have much enthusiasm so they've missed out on their final months of the time I could dedicate just to them. I've done my best but I'm sooo tired all the time that I'm aware my best hasn't been great. I now have zero energy to unpack boxes so we're living in chaos. I even had to go buy them new school uniforms because I couldn't face searching for the box with them in. My MIL kindly helped me pack the day we moved as she could see there was loads not done but it's left us clueless where anything is...it's funny but rubbish...lol

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

It makes you feel so awful you can't do more and then I get so snappy and therefore more frustrated. My oh joking calls the iron my anti-bitch medicine lol.

Good luck with the eventual unpacking. I feel your pain, it's lovely when people help. But it's bad enough when people put things away in the kitchen in the 'wrong place' never mind multiple 'boxes of mystery'!

 

[wishingonastar]

Haha I like that...anti bitch medicine! So true!

 

[2ndtimeAbz]

So got my results back after Mondays test. Up to 103 I need to be 105 to get into the birth centre but it's moving in the right direction so midwife has booked me another test for the 2nd dec.

However, there is new 'guidelines' going through the ethics board that will allow levels of 100 to birth there. So if they get approved beforehand I can birth there anyway! How daft is that?!

So hopefully levels will keep moving in the same direction or I'll have to choose between going to hospital or birthing at home "against medical advice" ppft! :/