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Has anyone had this as an issue? What did you do to help it? My Dr has suggested I increase my Elevit to two per day & we'll see how I'm going at my next appointment. Should I be eating anything different? More of something, less of something? I've got no idea what it means other than it *may* have something to do with iron intake.
I had low haemaglobin with my first three pgs, Sarah, and was on Fefol (iron supplement) from the get go with my last two. With DS2, it got quite bad, I was on 4 a day and yet I still almost wasn't allowed to birth at the birth centre, as it posed an 'unacceptable' risk. Do you find yourself craving red meat? I swear I could have eaten a huge slab steak raw every day, my craving for it was so bad! Lol! With the Fefol and an increase in my red meat intake, I managed to keep the levels just above thier minimum requirements.
Hey Sarah - you may already know this, but it's a good idea not to take your vitamins at the same time as caffeine (interferes with absorption), and things like iron are absorbed better if taken with vitamin C - so a glass of OJ goes great!!
I didn't know about the caffeine, but I don't have any anyway (or very little, chocolate only & very limited coke) and I always have them with orange or pineapple juice.
As for the meat Sush, the thought of it makes me shudder. I am so not a big meat eater & my Dr always has concerns about anemia, but I've never had an issue. The only thing I've been wanting is bacon, would that count?
I don't think so! Lol! I've always loved my steaks super rare anyway, but the craving for red meat when I was pg was unbelievable! I would look at raw meat in the supermarkets and drool. My XH used to joke that I was becoming a vampire!
Your elevit should give your iron intake a bit of a boost. Just be careful though coz it made me tired and I had a few dizzy spells, too.
Hi Sarah
Low Haemoglobin is usually caused by low iron. Red meat is a good source of iron. If red meat is not for you then leafy green vegies can help. If you decide to take iron supplements then be careful as they are known to cause constipation. A liquid iron supplement is usually more expensive but is absorbed better and usually causes less problems with constipation.
Oh yeah thanks for the reminder, Alan! Lol! yep had problems in that dept too!
LOL Sushee
It can really gum up the works hey hun
It's even lower now at 96 (not sure what it should be ??). I've been put on Ferrograd C, so will be taking that along with my Elevit. Has anyone else taken this?
What effects can it have on labour / birth and the baby?
should be between 100 & 170, least thats what i was told by the dr as my count was 104 & they put me on ferrograd c too. i was also sent to have some tests done to look into anaemia.
ferrograd c - as alan said, can cause constipation. make sure your water intake is high and have some juice around as well. i found (sorry tmi) it actually made my trips to the loo better, but thats probably as i was more conscious of what i was eating and drinking.
i didnt notice any changes during pg, but as it was my first labour im not sure if it made any difference.
hope this sort of helps!
96 is not too bad. It will not have any effect on your baby. The only concern is if you have a heavy bleed this will drop your haemoglobin even lower and if low enough would require a transfusion
Cool thanks Alan :)
And thanks Ash as well.
just bumping this up to see if someone can help me, I was told 115 was lowest they like it to be mine was 101 at 28 weeks, tried the ferro grad c but the pains were crippling from :redface: gas and constipation then the tar like :redface:#2 started, so we dropped them and took fefol which is lsightly lower concentration I can manage 3 days out of 7 with no pain any more and its unbearable...
anyway level have now dropped below 100 not sure of exact level as OB was called away during appoint but he wanted me to increase to 2 tablets a day...well I took them wed thur fri and 1 sat spent sat and sun in so much mpain I visited local hops thinking I was having contractions the tightenings and pain were so bad and intense, as I hadn't taken any since sat morning my TMI bowels started to work a little yesterday and today tar and more tar..and the pains have eased
I cannot bear beingin that pain for the next 2 weeks c-sect schedualed for 27th Oct is there anything I can do ????
I hate iron tabs... And I am low with my levels again, so back on the Ferograd C... Only been on them a few days and trying to increase my water intake to try and stop the constipation before it starts...
I think there is a liquid Iron supplement you can take that is less "cloging"... Cant remember where I read about it... Good luck hun.
Floradix is the herbal iron booster you can use.
Make sure you are also getting enough B12 (meat, eggs, or a tasty supplement by Thompsons)
Dried fruit is a great natural source of iron. Dates, dried apricots and sultanas will help you out, and also negate the effect of consti-making iron tabs!
Hope it gets better Rach!
rach i take spatones liquid iron (thanks melbel) and its great, you can take two sachets when pregnant it comes in a orange and white box and then individual sachets, box of 30, highly recommend
thanks girls might see what our IGA stocks tomorrow, its 64km to nearest woolies etc...
I heard the liquid iron is great, failing that I took FAB tabs and had no probs..goodluck
Rach -If you can't get anything where you are I could try and get some to post to you
Nettle tea is meant to be really good for iron. It's available online at Natures Child (and probably other places too) if that's easier than driving lots of km's.
Also, remember to take your fibre. Metamucil or something to help keep things moving if you go back on iron tabs. My OB had me on Fefol towards the end of my first pg and I found I had to take metamucil tabs as well.
Hi Guys
Thats all good info thanks.. I got told on Fri mine was at 106 which freaked me out. Also told to double up on elevit but not sure why I cant just take an iron tab?
they also said they would check it again at 36 weeks (im 27 now) sounds like you guys get it checked more often - should i request this?
rach i got the spatones from chemist warehouse, i believe they do online orders as well
AJP I had a look on there and pharm direct but neither list it as a product
going to look here and if none mum said she will look in rocky and post to me tomorrow
also hit the benifibre today so hoping that loosens other stuff up enough to get rid of pain
thanks girls
ReggieB I had mine checked when I did glucose test so 28 weeks or so, then not again till last week which was 35 weeks I think its on my b/t form I am doing this week as well and mine was 101 and is lower so no I didn't get it checked regularly....
Spatones is very good, I second/ third all recommendations of it.
I know you are all taking this seriously already, but I wanted to add my vote to the "do what you need to do to get your levels up" voices. My haem was not great in pg, and then I bled A LOT and ended up with a level of 70 post birth. I needed two transfusions and I can tell you they are really not ideal (although I am so massively grateful now to people who give blood!).
Another tip I have heard is to cook in a cast iron pan- some extra iron gets absorbed into your food that way too.
Good luck!!
jess you sound the exact same as me! dont wish it apon anyone, although also very gratefull to those who donate! ive recommended spatones to a preg. friend to make sure she keeps her levels up to avoid what i went through
my OB did say I could have a iron injection so if things still feel ugh next tuesday when I see him I will ask again
My levels are 119 the OB said I had to start taking the Ferro Grad C again. I have taken it in the past quite succesfully and without issue (prior to being pg) but being pregnant just taking one tablet blocks me up, unable to go to the toilet but have the feeling of needing to so I was taking a weaker iron suppliment instead which obviously wasn't helping my iron levels but wasn't blocking me up. I have tried on and off to take the FerroGrad this pregnancy without luck. So in a desparate effort to take the FerroGradC because I know how well it can improve my iron levels quickly, the lady at the Pharmacy bless her cotton socks told me to take a dose of Benefiber each day. So I take my multi in the mornings and a dose of Benefiber. At night just before bed I take the FerroGradC and I am happy to report that a week of doing this and I've taken the FerroGrad 7 nights now and I'm as regular as clockwork. No constipation all thanks to the Benefiber. Amazing!
Just got told mine is 117 but Ob didn't seem too concerned.
I might look into taking some additional iron so I'll be keeping an eye on this thread.
coffeegal thats good to know, I am going to give the benifibre a few days to fix me up then try tablets again...