Iron Stores
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Pregnant
Forum Name: Pregnancy
Forum Description: Pregnant! Wanting to chat to other mums-to-be (or dads-to-be)? Share your thoughts, experiences, and ideas... This is that place!
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=6984
Printed Date: 22 August 2025 at 3:54am
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Topic: Iron Stores
Posted By: mamanee
Subject: Iron Stores
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 1:40pm
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Apparently the normal range is something between 21 and 150.
Mine was 3.  
The midwife said that basically baby had sucked EVERY last little bit of iron out of me. So five iron pills a day it is for me! I was on three a day, but she said cause I've had no side effects, to take more. I've been on them for nearly two weeks now and what a difference! Have so much more energy, no more restless leg syndrome and I can finally enjoy this pregnancy, for another few weeks at least. Oh I'll have something else to complain about soon though. I'm sure of it. |
Replies:
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 1:43pm
| That's how low mine were at my last bloods and I would have told the midwife to get bent if she wanted me to take 5 a day! lol. I have to take 2 and that's bad enough for lovely constipation, never had an issue when I was only taking one. |
Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 1:50pm
Five a day does seem like heaps to me too! Three and I noticed a 'bit' of change in my err.. toileting, but I think five will definitely have an effect! The bottle says five is for a therapeutic dose. Luckily I have a huge bottle of them cause they were expensive! 
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 2:14pm
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Wow that's amazing! Mine have never been that low but I've still noticed the difference. -------------  |
Posted By: mummy_becks
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 2:28pm
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The lowest mine got were 5, I took 4 tablets 2 in the morning and then 2 at night and thats when I remembered to take them. Take Vit C with them (easiest to take with a glass of juice) as that helps with the toileting. ------------- I was a puree feeder, forward facing, cot sleeping, pram pushing kind of Mum... and my kids survived! |
Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 2:29pm
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My iron stores were great when I had my first bloods taken, and then at my 28 week bloods they were obviously bad but my previous midwife didn't let me know, so when they came back bad a second time my new midwife said 'Didn't your last midwife put you on iron tabs??' 'NO! I didn't even know!' So they progressively just got worse throughout the last couple of months. On the up and up now though so that's good.
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Posted By: caraMel
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 2:39pm
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Its an awesome feeling when that iron kicks in though eh? I started back on mine again a month or so ago and I can't believe how energetic I feel now.
Makes me wonder how I ever managed to function when they were so low! ------------- Mel, Mummy to E: 6, B: 4 and: 
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Posted By: emmaohara
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 3:09pm
| Can't imagine how tired you must have felt with a reading of 3, mine was 12 and I almost fell asleep on the toilet at work, and I was on pregnacare which I have since found out is useless, heres to iron tablets and energy!!! |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 3:21pm
| Are restless legs a sign of low iron? I'm expecting my iron to be low and I find most nights my legs are restless. |
Posted By: mamanee
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 4:19pm
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I had chronically bad restless legs nzpiper. I was kept awake by them all night every night and even during the day they were bad. After four days on iron tablets, they were so much better.
I was told to take magnesium for them but it didn't help. Surprisingly, I didn't notice or feel that I was that tired even though my iron was so low. I thought I was just tired cause of the restless legs. Now I know better! Oh and my midwife prescribed me the iron pills that have vitamin c as well (healtheries ones) so the toilet isn't too bad for me.
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 5:58pm
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I always get bad restless legs when my ferritin ( iron stores) are low too. Also I crave ice to munch on, which is also a symptom! Nothing to do with pregnancy!
I found floridix helps heaps, cos iron tablets make me majorly constipated, only prob is its expensive. |
Posted By: BaAsKa
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 7:38pm
I had extremely high iron!! at my first bloods at 6 weeks pregnant it was 198!! and my MW was shocked with how high it was then i had them done a month or so ago and it is now 145!
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Posted By: BabyOnBoard
Date Posted: 24 April 2007 at 10:30pm
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Oh wow is that why I get the restlessness? I get that in my legs ALL day long. My MW described it to me as cramps, but it doesn't feel like it. Can it spread to your arms because I'm getting the same sensation there? Even now as I'm typing this. . . . ------------- http://lilypie.com">  
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 25 April 2007 at 8:24am
| That's random about the legs, I've had low iron on and off all my life and I've never experienced that at all. |
Posted By: MyMinis
Date Posted: 25 April 2007 at 10:23am
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im hoping my mw says she'll give me script for iron tablets my levels are low as im starting to get tired even after a good night sleep. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
http://tweetytweety85.bebo.com - bebo |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:03pm
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Just thought Id drag up this old thread lol.
Im on 5 iron pills a day aswell, my levels were severly low according to my MW. I cant swallow pills so this has been a mission for me! Ive been crushing all 5 at night and having them in a bowl of cereal with yoghurt, amd so far i havent had too many toilet issues. Ive also been taking floradix, but its past the "use within 4 weeks" mark now so I havent taken it for a week. Its too expensive aswell, I cant afford another bottle right now. Im hoping my iron levels are back up now when i see my MW tomorrow, ill be so pissed if they arnt as I have beebn taking the pills! And having a floradix and eating more red meat! ------------- |
Posted By: MumsyMoo
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:49pm
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I had the same problem... And pills weren't having the desired effect.
I had to get jabs in my bum (x2) I've still got the bruises from the injections and one of my bum cheeks is stained brown from the iron hahahahaha.
Hope you don't have to get that! ------------- My wee girl is the love and light of my life!
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 7:41am
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Yeah my MW said she doesnt want to have to send me for them as she said they are quite nasty
Im feeling a bit nervous about my MW appointment today, Im so hoping the pills are working! I dont want an injection ------------- |
Posted By: tropics
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:43am
interesting...im thinking im low in iron, ive been sick with a cold and have just been majorly fatigued since then so am on rest for the rest of the week, had my tests yesterday, obstatrician thought I may be anemic inf out over the next few days...what are the symptoms and how long does it take for those iron pills to kick in? ------------- http://lilypie.com">    [/url]
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Posted By: gypsynita
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:47am
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hmm... i haven't had a blood test since my very first appointment at 6 weeks - but i'm absolutely exhausted all the time, wonder if that's why??
good to know about the vim c with iron - definately have to try that out. even on my multi vitamin i'm having loo "issues" !! lol  ------------- Anita Mum to Cian (Aug 08), Josh (Jun 10) http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Kellz
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 11:02am
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Even 1 iron tab a day makes me really constipated. I took Floridix 3 times a day after I had Isla and it really helped bring my iron levels and Hb back to normal range.
OT- Gypsynita we lived in Ohope til last Oct. Isla was born is Whakatane Hospital. I would move back to Ohope forever if we could! Love it there! |
Posted By: Daizy
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 11:37am
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My Iron levels got really bad during the end of my pregnancy. I tried to tell my midwife and was told just to eat more red meat. It wasnt untill a week before I was due that she discovered they were way to low and was going to have to birth at the hospital. After having No1 in only a few hours the fear then was I wouldnt be able to make it to the hospital in one piece (1hrs drive) and really didnt want to have the baby in the car!
It was a mad panick trying to get my iron up - Iron injections (wern't as bad as I expected but do still have bruises) - Loads of pills and floradix - lots of red meat and veges - and lots of orange juice. Surprising things were still ok in the bathroom. Luckily we got the levels back up in record time and we safely had our wee girl in the maternity ward near home with no problems at all. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 3:21pm
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Yep if you are feeling totally wiped out and ur feeling a bit dizzy at times then your most likly low in iron, most pregnant women need some form of iron supplement while pregnant.
I was feeling REALLY tired, no energy, dizzy spells etc then once the iron pills kicked in after about a week I felt SOOO much better, I have way more energy. ------------- |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 4:23pm
| Flordix is good for non-constipating. Spiralina is also good for bringing iron levels up. |
Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 4:26pm
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Yeah the floradix is good, maybe thats why I had no probs with constipation while I was taking it..I have had a bit of loo trouble since last night and I havent had floradix for about 5 days cos its past the "use in 4 weeks" thingy. ------------- |
Posted By: cat007
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:13pm
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Taking lots of vit C when on iron pills helps the absorption of iron into your blood stream. Ive been told that you should always take them together or otherwise the iron doesnt do much by itself because it harder for your body to absorb it from the pill form compared to iron from red meat & veges. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  [/url http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 23 April 2008 at 7:55am
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Yeah, my doctor said to have a glass off Orange juice about 1 hour before you take ur pills, cos something slightly acidic in your tummy help the iron absorb.
And dont drink coffee or tea or coke etc for at least 2 hours after you have taken the pills. ------------- |