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Low Iron, how do you improve?

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 3/4/2009 7:39 PM (GMT 0)
Hi all,

It seems I have some low Iron levels, not anemia at this point, but enough that the doctor wants to put me on iron.  I do think some of the symptoms I've been having might be related to low iron, but iron tablets in the past were very hard on my stomach and that was before I was dx'd with UC.  So I'm wondering if there are other nutritional or over the counter drinks, supplements, etc to improve iron levels? 

I'm also flaring at this point and for a few days trying generic cortenemas twice a day to control it.  Also back into the spinach and sun flower butter after my vacation, but I plan to keep my diet varied and have red meat for the iron.   

Anyone else had low iron, what were your symptoms, and how did you improve it?

Thanks!

potato

 

Posted 3/4/2009 8:08 PM (GMT 0)
I have low iron. I am always exhausted, my heartrate is high, I am out of breath easily and I am cold. I've been taking these capsules by enzymatic therapy called ultimate iron. They don't upset my stomach like some of the other iron pills I have tried. I don't know any drinks that would help with iron, I do know certain foods are rich in iron - most of them I don't care for but I do enjoy clams and oysters. I looked on google and found tons of sites with info on what to eat to improve iron. You need to take a lot of iron pills, more of the iron is not absorbed. I take about 150mg a day. smilewinkgrin Ask your doctor.
Posted 3/4/2009 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
My doctor put me on the iron that's in my signature. The Niferex ones. They're easy on my stomach. They also have folic acid and B-12 tho. They're by prescription only, but they're about $12 without insurance for 2x daily 30 day supply. OTC iron made my sick to my stomach, but these ones have never made me sick.
Posted 3/4/2009 8:23 PM (GMT 0)

Those are exactly my symptoms, for about 3 months, sicklygirl.  Plus head ache, tongue soreness, light headedness and shakiness.  It might even be the cause or contributing to breakage of my hair.

I have googled some nutrition sites and what to eat (heme and non heme) plus Vit C but I've been hoping there might be some kind of drink or some miracle food combination that really helped somebody. 

I don't know what kind of iron my doc prescribed yet since I was on vacation when he prescribed it and I'm avoiding filling it.  I don't honestly want to take it.  But I will give it a try if that's what will help all these symptoms.  I'm feeling too worn out to even ride my goofy stationary bike for 30 easy minutes.

Thanks for responding tho... hope you feel better.  

Posted 3/4/2009 8:29 PM (GMT 0)

Thanks Indiana.  I'm glad to have the name of the iron RX.

One problem is I have an HMO, which means limitations on what they use.  Also, it's a pot luck on which doc I see, but at least the last one had the presence of mind to do an iron blood test when I told him my symptoms. 

(He also told me that I appeared to be a type A personality when he saw me with my food journal, which was an interesting assumption on his part, LOL!)

I'm even considering buying blackstrap molasses, whatever the heck that is, or maybe cooking up a bunch of chicken livers (YUCK!)

Posted 3/4/2009 8:39 PM (GMT 0)
blackstrap molasses is suppose to be very good for low iron. I have a friend who bled all through pregnancy and never had to take an iron supplement because of blackstrap molasses. I find plain molasses to be very strong, I think that blackstrap molasses is even stronger, but I'm not sure because I haven't tried personally. She would mix it with milk and heat it up. Maybe that would make it tolerable to consume in larger amounts--molasses milk.
I really like breads that have molasses in them. So that may be another option, although I'm not sure if cooking in that way would reduce some of the iron benefits.
Posted 3/4/2009 8:53 PM (GMT 0)
There is no quick fix for low iron. Eating foods that are high in iron or iron fortified helps. Iron supplements can help too - but finding one that doesn't cause cramping is difficult. Last time I used the SlowFE without problems.
Posted 3/4/2009 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
I thought about trying blackstrap molassas too. idea

I ended up not getting it because I figured I wouldn't know what to do with it.

Hope you feel better soon too!

Posted 3/4/2009 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
I have had this problem for years.  I take Slow Fe.  It is easy on the tummy.

Posted 3/4/2009 11:58 PM (GMT 0)

potato said...
Thanks Indiana. I'm glad to have the name of the iron RX.

One problem is I have an HMO, which means limitations on what they use. Also, it's a pot luck on which doc I see, but at least the last one had the presence of mind to do an iron blood test when I told him my symptoms.

I asked about food with iron and my GI told me that at my low level that I would never be able to get enough from food to bring my iron back up. I told him how the OTC iron was making me sick so he prescribed me that particular iron so it wouldn't bother me. I guess you can ask your doctor. It wouldn't hurt. Being as cheap as it is, I'd hope they'll give it to you.

Did they check your folic acid and B-12 levels?
Posted 3/5/2009 3:31 AM (GMT 0)
I take Tandem, which is a prescription. I've always had a really hard time tolerating iron, but after about three weeks I adjusted and am doing okay with this one.
Posted 3/5/2009 4:54 AM (GMT 0)
Eat alot of red meat, and take iron
Posted 3/5/2009 5:02 AM (GMT 0)

I still haven't picked up the prescription but I was able to find out what was prescribed, generic Feosol, Fer-In-Sol, which I need to look up.  The doctor who prescribed it wasn't my regular doctor or my gastro, so I'd rather check with them first, especially since I was told that I'm not anemic but my iron levels are low.  

And no, they didn't check my B12 or folic acid, Indiana.  Maybe I'll mention it when I make a call to my gastro. 

I still want to be on vacation and not have to figure this out anymore!  Thanks for all your help, all!

  

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