Low iron & I hate the tablets

Unfortunately the pills are the only way to get the best amounts. Boots do a tiny one, it’s 14mg and it’s really easy to swallow and gentle on the tummy. Foods like spinach, dark chocolate, lentils eggs leafy greens are high in iron but you’d need to eat a lot to get your 14mg 😂 x

My iron levels were 109 & I started taking spartone which I bought from Boots. It’s a liquid drink (25ml) with vitamin C & has an apple flavour. Taking one of those a day mixed with a little bit of orange juice has increased my levels to 122. You can’t get spartone on prescription but if you can find a deal in Boots it’s worth getting 😊

Yea I took spatone too, much easier I bought mine off Amazon xx

Spatone (the one with apple) is the best!!

@Joy that’s the one I had. Made it easy to drink and no need to mix it with anythingx

I’m ridiculously anemic too and on 210mg 3 times a day from the doctor but I can’t actually swallow tablets so I crush mine into powder and add to a ‘shot’ of water and this seems to work for me x

Another vote for spatone! The only thing that brought mine back up! Tablets didn’t increase mine at all and just made me constipated 🙃

If you don’t like the pills you could try liquid iron, it’s also not very pleasant but if you take it with some orange juice gets rid of the taste pretty quickly, your body also absorbs the liquid easier, it’s worked much better for me than the pills

I was on ferrous fumerate two a day they wanted me to take but was making me sick. So midwife said to take one tablet every other day I take it with fresh orange juice (helps absorb it) then hour after I will have something to eat it’s best to be taken on a empty stomach. Still makes me feel sick a bit but feel better once I’ve eaten

I couldn’t tolerate the tablets, the liquid iron, but have been tolerating 1 x sachet of Spatone each day with fresh orange to help it absorb? (It’s better than nothing!) My iron levels aren’t amazing, but I’m vegetarian and IV iron is a big no go for me 🙃😬.. Food is a good way to get them to increase quickly too.. (red meat, chickpeas, spinach..) xx

I’m on the liquid version and it’s actually quite nice, but like previous comments try take foods that are high in iron. I’ve read that caffeine and certain things prevent iron from getting absorbed too, so maybe have a little read and see what to avoid etc. I recommend the liquid version though, it’s miles better xx

Drinking blackstrap molasses helps! I’ve not had to take iron supplements but many people I know are taking the oral spray (from Better You company) for helping absorption

I started eating a lot of spinach and veg and mines gone better my midwife said because it was very low 🤷🏻‍♀️🫶🏽

I used those tablets twice a day for 3 months with taking them with lots of orange juice but the level kept going worst... At the end, they realised my body doesn't absorb them, even though i have a good level of B12 etc. They are finally giving me an IV iron infusion (ferinject) and I can tell it's working already! I have the second and last round tom morning. You should convince your midwife to get the IV, it's the easiest way... good luck x

@Issy thank you I’ll try the boots one if I can get the gp to give , hubby went to get it today and said I was pregnant 🤦🏽‍♀️ needless to say the pharmacist refused to give it to him . I had a spinach smoothie today but I don’t really like the rest so just need to try and get those tablets I guess 😩

@Laura oh wow I’m on 90 and I thought it wasn’t that bad 😅

@Mhairi were in the same boat when it comes to red meat im pescy so looking for other ways but lots of comments recommending Spatone so I might try it

@Ayca /i-cha/ I’ve had a few nurse friends suggest this I’ve just been scared as I don’t want too much .. also my iron levels are 90 so I thought it’s not too low as they said 77 is the starting threshold

@Jojo the spatone is much more tolerable! I’ve been asked to try up to the two sachets, but at the end of the day, one sachet is better than not taking anything! 😅 xxx