anemic and supplement recommendations? « Back to Group Discussions

[jessmn]

My OB's office just called me, two weeks after my last appointment, to tell me my blood test from that appointment came back as low hematocrit. So first off I am highly irritated that I have been wandering around the last two+ weeks completely exhausted, weak, heart palpitations, trouble focusing, and feeling our of breath. I just haven't felt myself and I figured it was that I'm 30 weeks pregnant with twins! That seems like it could be pretty normal. I don't know why they didn't call immediately upon getting the results, especially since it can cause pre-term labor, which I am already at risk for with twins. argh.

At any rate, I am supposed to take an over the counter iron supplement, ferrous sulfate, at 325mg 2x per day on an empty stomach but with a citrus juice to help absorption.

I am also supposed to get a stool softener, she said colace or docusate sodium, 100mg 2x per day.

Any recommendations? Pills and I do not get along, I was hoping there is a powder or liquid out there...

I want to get this tonight after work since it takes about a week to start working. Thanks!!

[cathochick]

My midwife recommended Floradix. It's a liquid supplement and much easier on your system than the ferrous sulfate pills. Another option is dessicated liver capsules.

[brooklyn_warbler]

Floradix is the bomb!  I took it with my second and could totally feel a difference if I forgot to take it.
 

[jessmn]

Originally Posted by cathochick 

My midwife recommended Floradix. It's a liquid supplement and much easier on your system than the ferrous sulfate pills. Another option is dessicated liver capsules.

Originally Posted by brooklyn_warbler 

Floradix is the bomb!  I took it with my second and could totally feel a difference if I forgot to take it.
 

okay, good news! Now is this a good substitute for what and how they told me to take iron? Maybe I should ask the pharmacist...?

Did you have to take a stool softener on top of this as well?

[TIFF4NY]

jessmn: DH is a pharmacist and he's okay with me taking floradix instead of the rx'd iron/stool softener combo I've been given. I will ask him for sure what he thinks about the stool softener when he gets home and get back to this thread with his opinion.

[jessmn]

Originally Posted by TIFF4NY 

jessmn: DH is a pharmacist and he's okay with me taking floradix instead of the rx'd iron/stool softener combo I've been given. I will ask him for sure what he thinks about the stool softener when he gets home and get back to this thread with his opinion.

Awesome, thank you! Do you just take the dosage of Floradix as on the label? (I haven't picked it up yet so I don't know what it even says.) I am super excited there is a liquid version. I should really learn how to take pills properly...

[firespiritmelody]

Originally Posted by jessmn 

Awesome, thank you! Do you just take the dosage of Floradix as on the label? (I haven't picked it up yet so I don't know what it even says.) I am super excited there is a liquid version. I should really learn how to take pills properly...

I'm on floradix too (and I'm extremely anemic ) The dosage is much smaller because it's sooooo much more absorable. I take their capsules because I couldn't stomach the taste of the liquid in my last pregnancy, but other mama's have said it tastes fine to them lol. Anyway, the dosage on the box of capsules is 1 - 2 10mg pills per day - per my mw's rec I'm doing double that and taking 4 pills (2 in the am, 2 in the pm - at least an hour apart from my prenatal or anything else with dairy/calcium)

I'm also taking a probiotic and I find that the combo has made it so that I haven't needed to take a stool softener, especially not daily. I did pick some up since I know from previous experience that I'll likely want to have that on hand for after the birth anyway but I haven't had to take it at all yet, though I've considered it this week. HTH.

[brooklyn_warbler]

I have never needed a softener with floradix.  You may want to start taking it with a shot of juice after in case you dislike the taste (although I grew to find it palatable).  If you do OJ the C is great for absorption anyway!

Remember, take with C, don't take with calcium/your prenatal or calcium-rich foods, and don't take with caffeine for best absorption.
 

[stormysky]

I also use floradix. With my previous preg, I used the liquid and it was OK (I just used it during the last trimester). This time I tried it during the first trimester and couldn't handle the taste, so I was afraid to buy it again (it's expensive!), so I decided to use the tablets.

[jessmn]

Originally Posted by TIFF4NY 

jessmn: DH is a pharmacist and he's okay with me taking floradix instead of the rx'd iron/stool softener combo I've been given. I will ask him for sure what he thinks about the stool softener when he gets home and get back to this thread with his opinion.

TIFF4NY or any others who take it - what dosage do you take? The one on the bottle or a conversion of what your doc recommended? I was finally able to get it tonight and I'm confused about what to do. My doc said to take ferrous sulfate 325mg 2x per day, which is like, 2 full capfulls according to the salesperson at Super Supplements. Any thoughts on this? Maybe I should wait and consult a pharmacist.

[TIFF4NY]

Originally Posted by jessmn 

TIFF4NY or any others who take it - what dosage do you take? The one on the bottle or a conversion of what your doc recommended? I was finally able to get it tonight and I'm confused about what to do. My doc said to take ferrous sulfate 325mg 2x per day, which is like, 2 full capfulls according to the salesperson at Super Supplements. Any thoughts on this? Maybe I should wait and consult a pharmacist.

I usually just go by the recommended dosage. I asked DH and he said to take the equivalent of the elemental iron amounts. Just get them as close as possible. You can find the amount of each on the back of the box/bottle.

[cathochick]

I'm following the adult dosage on the bottle.

[jessmn]

Thanks! I think I will just play it safe and take the dosage on the bottle. Plus it's so expensive I would be buying it pretty dang often otherwise!

The first time I took it I felt terribly sick, so the next time I ate a little bit and took it with a bit of orange juice and didn't experience the same sick feeling. I think that's how I'll take it to make it more bearable, although I didn't find the taste to be too horrible.
 

[BaileyB]

I just picked up my floradix yesterday! haha. I mix it with orange juice. I don't think it is so bad. I took a dose of what they prescribed you for iron and it felt like it was eating a hole in my stomach. I also didn't need a stool softener when I took floradix in my first trimester. The adult dose on the bottle is 10 mL twice a day. It has to be refrigerated once opened and I think it only lasts 4 weeks in the fridge. Mine was $30 for an 8.5 oz bottle. Kinda pricey but way worth it.

[brooklyn_warbler]

I'm not anemic this pregnancy, but certainly my iron is not HIGH as a third tri mama either.     So I am going to pick up some Floradix at our coop on Monday.  I want to bulk up my iron stores in these last few weeks.  I lost quite a bit of blood after my son's birth (probably because it was such a fast labor) and I felt like I was run over by a truck! 

[MountainMama15]

Hey everyone. I have struggled with menses-related anemia for decades.

The reason drs ask you to take 2 iron supplements per day, is to ramp up your iron levels quickly. Then after 2 weeks or so, they usually have you drop down to the regular dose.

So, 325mg of ferrous sulfate twice a day to start then switch after a few weeks to once per day.

Similarly, if you are taking Floradix, start with your adult dose am and pm then after a week or two (when you start to feel the positive effects), drop down to the adult dose once per day.

Now, I am taking a yellow dock, nettle and RRL infusion/tincture made by my midwife. Like Floradix it is highly absorbable. Love it, even the funky taste. If you are on the Big Island of Hawaii, Oahu or in the SF Bay Area, I can point you to some likely sources of my midwife's brew or something close to it. Otherwise, Floradix (I have done pills and liquid) is a good bet.

MM

[jessmn]

I'm seeing some results from the Floradix already, so that's great! I had noticed that my fingernails were all white, but I didn't realize it had to do with iron. Now they have a bit of a purple tinge to them at the base and I realize how different they had looked. I feel a ton better, too. I had a little triage visit today and they ran my iron, which is still low but better than before (I think it was 31 hematocrit today).

Does Floradix make your urine neon yellow? I drink a lot of water so that my urine is normally pretty clear, but now it is neon even if I drink a ton of water. I'm guessing it's the Floradix, considering the color of it. It's very strange!

[brooklyn_warbler]

Originally Posted by jessmn 

Does Floradix make your urine neon yellow? I drink a lot of water so that my urine is normally pretty clear, but now it is neon even if I drink a ton of water. I'm guessing it's the Floradix, considering the color of it. It's very strange!

Yep, that's you excreting out the excess B vitamins. :)  I'm surprised you  haven't noticed it before with prior vitamins or your prenatals! 

[jessmn]

Originally Posted by brooklyn_warbler 

Yep, that's you excreting out the excess B vitamins. :)  I'm surprised you  haven't noticed it before with prior vitamins or your prenatals! 

crazy! I had noticed that no matter how much water I was drinking, I couldn't get it totally clear, so I guess that was the prenatals. Now it's like NEON haha!