Has anyone taken Feosol iron supplements and

[luvwinnie]

are they LARGE? I can't swallow large pills. Just found out I have low iron level (32). I am also waiting for Celiac bloodwork to come back so it COULD be related to that if I have it.

 

[Christine]

I have a vial in my cabinet that I wish I could send to you!!

No, they are not large--slight smaller than the oval shaped Motrin.

My iron level is at a 5!

I could not take them because it gave me a hive on my chest--just like the ibuprofen did. It's kind of a good thing that I found that out as I thought I had a ibuprofen allergy. Now, I may not. Feosol and Motrin have a similar (actually almost identical) coating.

Right now I am taking one Flintstone's with Iron a day plus one packet of Spatone Liquid Iron. Last test, my iron increased to 12!

 

[MagicalMom]

OMG! I was just going to post about iron pills. My pills aren't very large, but they are making me feel so miserable.

My iron serum level is 21 & saturation was a panic low at 5 so I am taking the pills 3 times a day. I take them with meals but am feeling so yucky.

Have you asked if you can get them over the counter or if he can get you smaller pills? Can it be broke in half?

 

[luvwinnie]

Yikes, CHrisine, did you ever find out WHY it's so low? This could be a good excuse for DH to take me to Outback for a filet mignon, lol.

 

[luvwinnie]

OMG! I was just going to post about iron pills. My pills aren't very large, but they are making me feel so miserable.

My iron serum level is 21 & saturation was a panic low at 5 so I am taking the pills 3 times a day. I take them with meals but am feeling so yucky.

Have you asked if you can get them over the counter or if he can get you smaller pills? Can it be broke in half?

CHristine said they aren't large, so I should be ok, but the side effects are scaring me! Maybe I'll try eating more red meat and spinach for now!

 

[Christine]

Yikes, CHrisine, did you ever find out WHY it's so low? This could be a good excuse for DH to take me to Outback for a filet mignon, lol.

Well, I had the celiac panel and all was well.

I then had a colonoscopy and upper endoscopy. They did find bleeding in my stomach that they attributed to ibuprofen use. I have not taken it since December. My gastroenterologist does not believe that the stomach bleeding is the sole cause of my anemia. Possibility of the stomach bleeding, use of Prilosec/Nexium, and my monthly period! I *think* the stomach bleeding is okay now but no real way to know. I've cut back on the Prilosec and am taking as much iron as I can without ripping my guts up!

It was finally good to see it go up.

 

[MagicalMom]

taking as much iron as I can without ripping my guts up!

I just told DH this morning that I felt like my guts were being ripped up. I go Monday for a pelvic ultrasound to see if it could be fibroids.

 

[Christine]

CHristine said they aren't large, so I should be ok, but the side effects are scaring me! Maybe I'll try eating more red meat and spinach for now!

For what it's worth, I took ONE Feosol and it didn't bother my stomach.

The Flintstone's also doesn't bother my stomach.

I would like to recommend two products:

Spatone Iron+. I purchase this on-line from a company call Sea-Bands International (they are out of Rhode Island). There has been a good study done that this iron is very absorbable. It comes from an iron-rich spring in Wales. It is put into packets. You just mix it in some juice and drink it. Absolutely no side effects. A one month supply is $18.99 to include the shipping costs (they FEDEX right to your door). Sometimes I take two packets a day if I can get it in.

Floradix - Can be bought a most health food stores and on-line. This is another liquid iron supplement that has herbs added for better absorption. You take two tsp. per day. It also is gentle but more pricey, IMO, then using Spatone coupled with a daily multivitamin. But, it's fairly easy to get.

High does iron supplements are very harsh. That's why I've gone the route of taking lower dose and just increasing slowly.

Some things to keep in mind: spinach doesn't really work but other greens do. You probably can't eat enough meat to give you what you need once you become deficient. Also, take your supplements away from tea, coffee, or dairy products as they can severely inhibit iron absorption.

If you don't have a celiac issue, try some Total Raisin Bran also. Look for ways to put iron in your diet so you don't have to take those huge doses.

 

[Christine]

I just told DH this morning that I felt like my guts were being ripped up. I go Monday for a pelvic ultrasound to see if it could be fibroids.

One day I took some "baby" iron thinking it would be gentle. It was called Fer-Gen-Sol drops or something. My lower abdomen (pelvic) area was in such pain for 24 hours, I thought I had something seriously wrong with me. I wouldn't be surprised if the iron is causing your troubles.

 

[luvwinnie]

Well, my brother wants to make me liver for dinner...never tried it but it's an excellent source of iron. THe supplements sound horrid.

 

[Christine]

Well, my brother wants to make me liver for dinner...never tried it but it's an excellent source of iron. THe supplements sound horrid.

Yep, liver will do it!! But I won't eat it.

I just found the link to the Spatone that I order:

http://www.sea-band.com/spatone.htm

And this is from PubMed:

Spatone Iron-Plus is a naturally occurring mineral water from Trefriw Wells Spa in Gwynedd, Wales, UK which contains approximately 0.3 mg of iron per ml as ferrous sulphate. The water has been taken as a tonic since Victorian times. Iron absorption from Spatone Iron-Plus was measured in a whole body counter after labelling the water with [59Fe] ferrous sulphate. Absorption studies were carried out in 13 subjects. Mean absorption for 10 ml of Spatone Iron-Plus taken on an empty stomach was 23 percent. Absorption was related to body iron stores as assessed by serum ferritin. In subjects with a serum ferritin concentration of <10 mu g/I, absorption was approximately 40 percent but was <10 percent in subjects with ferritin concentrations of approximately 200 mu g/I. This study indicates that Spatone Iron-Plus provides iron in a highly bio-available form.

 

[MagicalMom]

I wouldn't be surprised if the iron is causing your troubles.

Oh it is the iron, I'm sure. They are just checking for fibroids because my
H & H is also pretty low & can they think fibroids could be the cause.

 

[Christine]

Oh it is the iron, I'm sure. They are just checking for fibroids because my
H & H is also pretty low & can they think fibroids could be the cause.

Did they check your ferritin? I saw you had a serum iron (which is fairly unreliable) and a saturation done. Apparently "ferritin" is the new gold standard for iron deficiency.

My H&H was also low but the Spatone corrected that part fairly quickly. Now my iron stores are building up too.

Oh, I also had the pelvic ultrasound done to rule out fibroids and that was all clear. The doctors keep trying to blame this all on my periods, but I think they are fine.

 

[luvwinnie]

Hoping my Celiac test is back tomorrow, hate waiting!!

 

[MagicalMom]

Did they check your ferritin? I saw you had a serum iron (which is fairly unreliable) and a saturation done. Apparently "ferritin" is the new gold standard for iron deficiency.

My ferritin was 3.

 

[Christine]

My ferritin was 3.

Ummmm....bad.... Do you feel like crap?

I know I have for years. The first thing I noticed was that I could not not exercise well anymore. Now that my ferritin is going back up, it is finally starting to improve. But, for awhile, I thought I was going into old age VERY early.

 

[MagicalMom]

Ummmm....bad.... Do you feel like crap?

I know I have for years. The first thing I noticed was that I could not not exercise well anymore. Now that my ferritin is going back up, it is finally starting to improve. But, for awhile, I thought I was going into old age VERY early.

Ya know, I'm just used to it I think. I really rather eat my ice & be tired than take these crappy iron pills but I guess "ya gotta do what ya gotta do" huh?

 

[MagicalMom]

Hoping my Celiac test is back tomorrow, hate waiting!!

I know waiting is the worst. Hopefully everything will turn out fine.

 

[luvwinnie]

Any idea what cereals have the most iron?

 

[Christine]

Any idea what cereals have the most iron?

I believe that all of the Total cereals are fortified with 100% of the RDA. Of course, how much of that you actually absorb is unknown as milk is a "blocker" of iron (and so are wheat products for that matter).

Next time you go to the store, just look at the ones that say 100% of the RDA. I think there is a new Kellogg's one that might be out there.