Iron Supplements During Pregnancy

By LBee Jun 9, 2014

Did anyone have to take iron supplements during pregnancy? If so, did it give you any stomach issues? I'm currently taking Feosol and it's giving me wake-up in the middle of the night acid reflux / heartburn (to the degree I ran to the toilet last night because I thought I was vomiting). I tried googling it, but mostly found that stomach issues are common with iron supplements and that your body should get used to it. I'm getting desperate... does anyone remember if it went away? I'm currently taking Zantac with the iron supplement (+ the occasional tums) and I'm STILL struggling.

So, my main questions are:
1) Did it mess with your stomach?
2) Did you "get used to it?" If so, when??

You might also enjoy...

Tags: (no tags yet)

25 comments

FaithFertility
eggplant / 11861 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I do, but mine is in a timed release pre'natal called Vita pearl it's precaution for a MTHFR gene

It is prescription...
I get sick but I don't think it's from that because I started these about a month before I got prego and they didn't make me sick
illumina
pomelo / 5469 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I was prescribed them at 30 weeks. I only took them for a few weeks and then quit because they made me so nauseous! My iron levels were borderline low anyway, so I figured I could just eat high-iron cereal and spinach with everything and I'd be ok!
Mrs. Oatmeal
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: I was on mega doses of iron near the end of my pregnancy. The only real issues I had were constipation related, and I added in Metamucil for that. I'm wondering if it might be worth trying a different supplement, to see if there's one easier on your stomach? Sorry about all the pain!
looch
wonderful pear / 26210 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I used Floradix, it comes in a liquid and I was able to take it with some orange juice. I am normally constipated, so I just added in a few extra doses of ground flax.
LBee
pomegranate / 3895 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@FaithFertility: It's weird, I looked on the back of my prenatal and it doesn't appear to have any iron in it?

@illumina: I'm really leaning towards doing this as well. My husband is very suspicious about me stopping it as I don't eat red meat and my levels were supposedly not borderline and showed pretty bad anemia.

@redsmarties: I'm thinking I might try to find a pre-natal with iron? I thought I was over all the stomach issues at 30 weeks

@looch: I'll look into this! I do smoothies every morning so maybe I could just drop it into my smoothie!
FaithFertility
eggplant / 11861 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: I think some don't, mine is formulated with extra iron and folic acid
illumina
pomelo / 5469 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: Yeah, I wasn't eating any meat at all then either...made me nauseous as well I think if my iron levels were any lower I would have carried on taking the supplements, sorry to say
Mrs. Oatmeal
blogger / honeydew / 7081 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: that might be a good idea! Also taking an iron supplement with orange juice is supposed to help it absorb better- so maybe try that with a prenatal with iron?
T.H.O.U.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: Apparently a lot of prenatals are stopping including iron.

I just had to go on supplements and my OB said, I bet your prenatal doesn't have it and sure enough it doesn't!

From some research, it appears that there are many "types" of iron so you may want to try a different type and see how that helps?
JessKas
pear / 1693 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I also used floradix and had no issues. I didn't even think it tasted that bad, and it's not supposed to cause constipation like other iron supplements.
LBee
pomegranate / 3895 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@illumina: I'm trying to remind myself that this isn't just a "low energy" thing (like usual), that I could really be risking my health when it comes to birth. That makes it a little easier to stomach. I've tried switching it to the morning (someone recommended night and that obviously didn't work out) and so far I'm feeling better.

@redsmarties: This is why I love HB... I had no idea about iron and orange juice. I'm thinking maybe either the liquid iron with my smoothie (it has OJ in it) or just a cup of orange juice with a new prenatal is the solution!
mdf106
clementine / 828 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I switched to a gentle one. It was significantly more expensive, but worth it.
pmerr
apricot / 491 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I did, and I don't remember having a stomach issue. Still take one now (when I remember/feel like it).
nana87
cantaloupe / 6171 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I also took floradix! And no stomach issues. I bought it off amazon

Eta also don't take iron at the same time as ingesting calcium, it makes it not absorb or something...
LBee
pomegranate / 3895 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@nana87: @pmerr: @mdf106: @JessKas: @T.H.O.U.: Thanks everyone for the tips / feedback!
danda
kiwi / 635 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I started prenatals with iron before getting pregnant and they bothered my stomach. I tried 3x per day rather than one per day to split up the dose throughout the day but really I think my stomach eventually got used to it. I noticed that gummy vitamins don't have iron (helps prevent serious iron overdose issues if a kid gets into it and eats the gummy vitamins like candy).
regberadaisy
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I'm anemic during both pregnancies so needed more iron than what's in a prenatal. I've never had stomach issues due to it.

Can you switch brands or go luquid Vs pill or vice versa?
LuLu Mom
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts

Jun 9, 2014

Yes, it made my hearthburn go crazy and constipated as well. it eventually got better
Fronkinzankinsbride
kiwi / 550 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I am not pregnant yet but I've found that I'm very sensitive to iron in multi vitamins. I usually throw them up. There are a few I've found that have worked for me so far.

While taking the gummy vitamins which don't contain iron I additionally took Megafood Blood Builder, which tastes like shit but never made me throw up. I have acid reflux and heartburn in general but I don't think these aggravated anything.

Now I take mini pre-natal vitamins that are supposed to be good for iron sensitivity. I can spread them throughout the day or take them all at once and haven't had any issues.

Megafood Blood Builder
http://www.amazon.com/MegaFood-Blood-Builder-90-Tablets/dp/B000F4ZRCC

Rainbow Prenatal Petite
http://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Light-Prenatal-Petite-180-Count/dp/B002CPRLH6/ref=sr_1_4?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1402332295&sr=1-4&keywords=rainbow+light+prenatal

I'm interested in trying the liquid supplement though. Does it taste awful?
LBee
pomegranate / 3895 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@Fronkinzankinsbride: I'm going to order the liquid kind so I'll update you when I get it. I'll also look into the links you provided! Thanks!

@LuLu Mom: I was starting to wonder if I was crazy - no one else was reporting this heartburn issue!
jape14
pear / 1586 posts

Jun 9, 2014

After my glucose test last week, my doctor mentioned that I was slightly anemic and needed to add an iron supplement for the rest of my pregnancy. I had really bad constipation and heartburn in the first tri, so I was really nervous, but so far (~1 week in), I haven't had any issues. I've been taking the Solgar Gentle Iron (3 capsules/day - 25 mg/each), which I got at Whole Foods. My doctor suggested taking them at a different time of day than my prenatal, and with some orange juice to help with absorption. I take my regular prenatal (I take rainbow light) at night and the iron in the morning - maybe you could switch your schedule and see if that helps?
Mrs Green Grass
pomelo / 5628 posts

Jun 9, 2014

Some reflux meds can inhibit iron absorption. Or really focus on taking it with food ( no dairy ). Anemia is a risk factor for pre-term labor, so do yake it seriously!
LuLu Mom
GOLD / wonderful olive / 19030 posts

Jun 9, 2014

@BakerBee: I could never be sure if the heartburn was a separate issue than iron though. Even after I got used to the iron I suffered from heartburn to the end. So it could just have been a very unfortunate coincidence! I think I suffered from just about every side effect of pregnancy
LemonLong
pear / 1698 posts

Jun 9, 2014

I'm anemic so I am taking iron. I do one pill a day and it's the slow real release kind. I've had some constipation and that's it. Are you sure the heartburn/acid reflux is related to the iron? It's a common side effect of later pregnancy. My first pregnancy I didn't take iron and I still had reflux (the throwing up in your mouth feeling) every night.
LBee
pomegranate / 3895 posts

Jun 9, 2014

Thanks everyone for the advice! I think I just need to change medicines and/or just deal with the acid reflux. I can surely deal with heartburn for 10 more weeks at this point.

@LuLu Mom: I'm wondering if mine is a coincidence too. I'm 30 weeks so I was probably due for it.

	Today	Monthly Record
Topics	0	0
Posts	1	0

Hellobee Boards

Iron Supplements During Pregnancy

You might also enjoy...

Reply

most popular tags

most recent archives

Recent Blog Posts

Recent Board Posts

Classifieds

Deals

Today's Leaders

Pregnancy

Today's Posts

Site Basics

Features

Series

The Team

More