Anemia

[Justine86]

I think that I may have Anemia (will be visiting the doctor shortly to find out for sure) and was wondering if anyone here has iron deficiency, what your symptoms were, and what supplements you are currently taking.

[rincaro]

The best iron supplement I've found for anemia is Floradix. It does have honey in it though, so it's not technically vegan.

My symptoms were lightheaded-ness, fatigue, pale color, muscle weakness, etc. Basically I just felt like I needed a nap everyday just to cope.

[catswym]

i just take an otc iron supplement 65mg iron * 2-3 daily. i've been on this regimen for the last 4months and will continue since my recent bloodwork shows i'm still severely anemic.

i felt SOOOO tired, like i literally could not walk down the street. very pale and muscle weakness also.

what do you like best about the floradix, rincaro? where do you get it, how much do you have to take?

[missleigh]

For those who choose to omit honey, Floradix comes in a honey-free version called Floravital. It's in a pink box, rather than a red box. I like the Flora irons because they are a non-heme plant source, so it's harder to over do it as far as supplementation. Supplementing with too much iron can be a bad thing!

[rincaro]

Oooh thanks missleigh - I did not know that.

I think I took a capful twice a day for a couple of weeks to get my stores back up and then went to one capful a day. It tastes wretched but it works.

I probably should pick some up this week. I've been off it for awhile and I just gave up caffeine. (slaps self on forehead in a d'oh moment).

[Kimberly]

Yup, been anaemic on and off since my teens. Symptoms: paleness; faintness, especially when standing quickly from a resting/sitting position (this is caused by low pressure), nausea from the faintness, a quickness to get overheated. I take ferrous gluconate, 324 mg 2X a day, but I am pretty bad right now. I would not suggest taking any iron supplements until you have blood tests done--too much iron can be toxic.

[ynaffit]

my hair seemed to be falling out more than usual. mine was due to poor diet. my iron is okay now and i only rarely take supplements.

[Tofu-N-Sprouts]

The best iron supplement I've found for anemia is Floradix. It does have honey in it though, so it's not technically vegan.



I tried the Floradix liquid but OMG is it NASTAY!! Maybe just me? I dunno, but I went back to the capsules I had been on... they're not supposed to be absorbed quite as well, but I could NOT swallow the liquid...

I am perpetually anemic anyway - haven't actually come across a suppliment that "works" well for me yet...

[catswym]

hmmm... i just looked at a website for floradix and one serving (two tsp) is only 10mg of iron. i'd have to take 13 servings a day to equal the two tabs the i'm minimally supposed to take. i guess i'll stick to the pills.

[Kimberly]

my hair seemed to be falling out more than usual. mine was due to poor diet. my iron is okay now and i only rarely take supplements.

Oh gawd, I forgot that. Once when I was really, really badly anaemic, my hair felt out in huge clumps. I remember after days and days of this an episode where I ran my hand through my hair and took out a handful. I broke down crying.

[Kimberly]

hmmm... i just looked at a website for floradix and one serving (two tsp) is only 10mg of iron. i'd have to take 13 servings a day to equal the two tabs the i'm minimally supposed to take. i guess i'll stick to the pills.

I think it has to do with absorption and/or the type of iron you are taking. I think a typical person needs anywhere from 14-33 mg of iron a day. When we are anaemic, we obviously need more to get our levels back up, but we are not getting the full amount from those tablets. I am taking two 324 mg tablets of iron right now, but I know I am not getting that entire amount. My guess would be that Floradix is better absorbed, and at 10mg it may be a good supplement, though not necessarily the best option for those who have very low iron levels and are trying to raise them.

[rincaro]

I tried the Floradix liquid but OMG is it NASTAY!! Maybe just me? I dunno, but I went back to the capsules I had been on... they're not supposed to be absorbed quite as well, but I could NOT swallow the liquid...

I am perpetually anemic anyway - haven't actually come across a suppliment that "works" well for me yet...

Oh it is awful. I hate the taste of it. I always swig it and have a big glass of water to wash it down immediately.

[catswym]

I think it has to do with absorption and/or the type of iron you are taking. I think a typical person needs anywhere from 14-33 mg of iron a day. When we are anaemic, we obviously need more to get our levels back up, but we are not getting the full amount from those tablets. I am taking two 324 mg tablets of iron right now, but I know I am not getting that entire amount. My guess would be that Floradix is better absorbed, and at 10mg it may be a good supplement, though not necessarily the best option for those who have very low iron levels and are trying to raise them.

probably your 324mg is not pure iron anyway, that's probably the amount of the gluconate or sulfonate form it's sold as. mine is the same, and that makes it 65mg of elemental iron.

anyway, why would you guess that the floradix would be better absorbed?

and i concur, it seems like a fine choice if you're not too anemic and just need a bit to keep yourself up. esp if it's non-constipating like it said! :surprised

[Hailey]

I have been severely anemic for a number of years. I was prescribed iron, but stopped taking them early on because they gave me severe cramps. Apperantly the cramps will go away after taking them for a few weeks(but the doctor never mentioned it). Every once in a while, when my iron is REALLY low, I will start to get really hot, sweat, and lose my vision(goes blue, blurry, and patchy), kinda embarrassing when it happens in public. I really should start taking the supplements again...

[Kimberly]

Yes, you really should keep on top of it. Once you get your levels up to normal, you can get by taking much less and then you won't have trouble with cramps or constipation. Plus, there are several different kinds of iron supplements; maybe you need to try a different kind?

[Hailey]

Yeah, the last time I went to the doctor(a few weeks ago) she told me about taking different types. However I don't know which type I had been taking before(I was prescribed the iron 6 or 7 years ago). I will probably head over to the drugstore within the next couple of days. Are iron supplements vegan? You will have to excuse me if this is a stupid question, but I really am not into taking supplements so I have no idea.

[Banana1]

I was severely anaemic last year - took 6 months to restore my iron levels to normal :dizzy:

Was very ill - I was fainting, hair falling out, chronic fatigue, nausea, dizziness...not good :sick:

I was taking a massive dose of iron every day - I forget what it was though. Now I am full of beans (literally :p ) :hamster:

[*Star*Lass*]

Will ur everyday multinutrient not supply u with enough iron? I just had blood taken yesterday to check my iron and ferritin, will find out next week. It's just to check really cos i've been veggie for 16 months now, and i had it checked after the first couple of months, and it had dropped to the boundary. So more than a year later.... i think it's time to get it checked again :p I have been sleeping a lot lately though, especially taking 3-4 hour naps in the evening. I always look pale, so it's hard to tell with that one, but my eyes have been looking purple in the corners..... is that a sign of anaemia?

[catswym]

Will ur everyday multinutrient not supply u with enough iron? I just had blood taken yesterday to check my iron and ferritin, will find out next week. It's just to check really cos i've been veggie for 16 months now, and i had it checked after the first couple of months, and it had dropped to the boundary. So more than a year later.... i think it's time to get it checked again :p I have been sleeping a lot lately though, especially taking 3-4 hour naps in the evening. I always look pale, so it's hard to tell with that one, but my eyes have been looking purple in the corners..... is that a sign of anaemia?

i don't know about the purple but...

as far as the multivitamin goes--a lot don't even have iron b/c men typically shouldn't take a multi with iron so you have to make sure yours has it. and if you've been taking that regularly and are still anemic then, obviously, it is not supplying you with "enough". if you are anemic it's best to get a high does to get back to normal and then you can probably maintain with a lower dose.

i'm hitting the 6month mark of supplementing with high levels of iron and i'm still very anemic. hopefully things will get better soon.

[*Star*Lass*]

as far as the multivitamin goes--a lot don't even have iron b/c men typically shouldn't take a multi with iron so you have to make sure yours has it. and if you've been taking that regularly and are still anemic then, obviously, it is not supplying you with "enough"

My multivitamin has 15mg or 107% RDA of iron, but it says it's as an amino acid chelate/complex??? And i don't take it regularly :-/ sometimes not even once a week. Arghh i keep telling myself i should, but then i stop. I'm just a bit doubtful about taking them.

[catswym]

that's actually 107% RDA for MEN, less than 100% for women since the RDA is 18mg for them. and once a week isn't going to do much.

i've been taking iron sulfate (yours is probably iron gluconate, which is just as good) which contains 65mg of elemental iron twice a day for months.

see what your test results are and then what your doctor tells you to do.

[*Star*Lass*]

My test results came back normal, so somehow (no idea how!) i've been consuming enough iron in my diet. I don't even eat veggies everyday, and then when i do, they're not always the typical iron containing dark green veggies. Oh well, i'm happy!