So last week they were concerned that I was anemic because of complaints I had. They looked at my recent blood work and noticed it was getting low. Ordered blood work and sent me home. I picked up iron and started taking it on my own. Thought I was doing the right thing.
Well they called yesterday with the results. I am way low.... I told them I had started iron last week, double douses. Because I am so low they want me to take the double dose on top of the prenatal. So I was at least doing that right... But it hasn't been doing me any good! I take all my pills with dinner. Well I can't do that with the iron. It turns out you can only absorb so much at a time. I now have to take the Iron twice a day and the prenatal at a separate time. Oh, and i can not take any of these w/ dairy.
This explains why I am soooo tired. I have been very short of breath (so bad that after my shower yesterday I had to lay down for a half hour... Just from taking the shower!) had very bad cramps in my shins, and a few other things/ ALl can be tracked back to being anemic. Bah!
I tried. You live, you learn. They have no idea how long it before I start feeling better, but I hope it wont take too long!
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
1|1|Robin be very carefull when you go for the c section as with the blood loss your iron may go even lower|teener|teenerzacsneenee@yahoo.com|12:23:47|09/09/2010|
>Posted on Sep-09-10 at 12:13 PM (Eastern)
>by 24.20.40.237So last week they were
>concerned that I was anemic because
>of complaints I had. They looked
>at my recent blood work and
>noticed it was getting low. Ordered
>blood work and sent me home.
>I picked up iron and started
>taking it on my own. Thought
>I was doing the right thing.
>
>Well they called yesterday with the results.
>I am way low.... I told
>them I had started iron last
>week, double douses. Because I am
>so low they want me to
>take the double dose on top
>of the prenatal. So I was
>at least doing that right... But
>it hasn't been doing me any
>good! I take all my pills
>with dinner. Well I can't
>do that with the iron. It
>turns out you can only absorb
>so much at a time. I
>now have to take the Iron
>twice a day and the prenatal
>at a separate time. Oh, and
>i can not take any of
>these w/ dairy.
>This explains why I am soooo tired.
>I have been very short of
>breath (so bad that after my
>shower yesterday I had to lay
>down for a half hour... Just
>from taking the shower!) had very
>bad cramps in my shins, and
>a few other things/ ALl can
>be tracked back to being anemic.
>Bah!
>I tried. You live, you learn. They
>have no idea how long it
>before I start feeling better, but
>I hope it wont take too
>long!
>
> (\__/) (='.'=) (")_(")
>I would rather have a mind opened
>by wonder than one closed by
>belief.
3|2|Been warned I may need a transfusion after the c-section due to the iron and the blood thinners.|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|12:40:29|09/09/2010|
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(='.'=)
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
2|1|Do not drink tea or coffee with your pills either.. they both prevent your body from absorbing iron|Kristy|mi3zons1@yahoo.com|12:27:11|09/09/2010|
"Women should not have children after 35. Thirty-five children are enough." - anonymous (Only 28 to GO!) 4|2|Good to know - Thanks.|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|12:40:52|09/09/2010|
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(='.'=)
(")_(")
I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
6|2|Yep! been there too. It was hard giving up tea so I was just careful to really space out when I took iron and had a little tea. (m)|sunriver|sunriver@gmail.com|12:41:56|09/09/2010|
Also eat foods rich in iron and I had to look this up because I couldn't remember but there are some foods that help the body absorb iron and I will copy/paste that info:
Iron Absorption Enhancers
* Meat/fish/poultry
* Fruits: Orange, Orange Juice, cantaloupe, strawberries, grapefruit etc
* Vegetables: Broccoli, brussels sprouts, tomato, tomato juice, potato, green & red peppers
So eating those things while you are taking the pills should help. I feel for you. I had that with every pregnancy and it got really bad every time.
Hang in there! V 8|3|Thanks for the list, V!|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|12:47:00|09/09/2010|
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(='.'=)
(")_(")
I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
5|1|Anyone know how ong to wait before/ after dairy, tea or coffee to take the iron? |RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|12:41:46|09/09/2010|
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(='.'=)
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
7|2|I would space it out a couple of hours.|sunriver|sunriver@gmail.com|12:42:51|09/09/2010|
At least that is what I did, but call your Dr and ask that one to be sure. :0) 9|3|Since I wake up a few times an hour (it seems!) every night, maybe I should take some Iron in the middle of the night. |RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|12:48:11|09/09/2010|
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(='.'=)
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
10|1|Not pregnant--but am anemic|flyerfan|flyerfan3@comcast.net|13:33:27|09/10/2010|
A little diferent for me but alot the same! I was diagnosed with severe anemia--they are still trying to find out why but nothing certain yet. My count got so low (7) that they gave mw a blood transfusion a week ago of 2 pints of blood. Doc prescribed iron pills 3 times a day. So, I have been doing the pill juggling just like you. I take them with OJ so that gives me the absorption boost--I hope. They told me not to take with any other pills or high fiber foods plus the no dairy. Since I take Lipitor, Paxil, Atenolol, a baby aspirin, flaxseed oil and Vitamin D daily, it has been a juggling method for sure. Doc also said liver was the best meat to eat but I eliminated that right away. She then said eat lean beef---since I have been on cholesterol pills forever, I always stayed away from beef and ate mostly chicken and fish. I suppose the liver and beef would be best for you too. DH is in his glory as he loves beef! If you need a transfusion it isn't bad, just Long. It took 6 hours fro me to get my 2 pints of blood. Thank heavens I like to read and the helipad at the hospital was right outside my window so I saw alot of action there! 11|2|I have had this problem in the past because I had digestive issues, but never this bad. I wonder if they will let me keep my baby when I have the transfusion.... 6 hours seems like a long time to be away from him when he is just born. That would be hard on me. It sounds like chances are high it will have to happen. Did you find friends to donate blood? Or did you use what they had on stock?|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|13:42:32|09/10/2010|
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
12|3|They should let you keep the baby|flyerfan|flyerfan3@comcast.net|18:41:11|09/10/2010|
while the blood drips. I see no reason why not unless you have problems accepting the blood. Thy took my blood pressure every 15 minutes every time they changed the bag for 2 times and then about every 30 minutes after that. They said if I ran a temp, which they checked every time they did the blood pressure that they could give me Tylenol but I never had a temp either. Maybe you will only need 1 bag instead of the 2. There was another lady there when I was and they gave her 2 bags also. Maybe that is the norm now. I know that I had 1 bag many years ago after the delivery of my first son back in 1965 because I lost too much blood that time. I found out about 4 PM on Thursday that I was to be at the hospital the next morning by 9AM and be all signed in etc. so I just took the blood from the bank. I have O+ blood and Dh and sons both have B of some kind. DIL does have 0+ but she had just given blood at work because no one knew this was going to happen with me. Guess I have a real mixture of blood in me but it is amazing how much better that I feel now. DH is having fun telling me every time that I do something "dumb" that I got "stupid" blood so at least we are having fun with it. They check the blood rather closely now before giving it to someone so I trusted it. My first transfusion was before they tested for hepatitis in the donations so I sweated through a hepatitis test a few years ago but it was negative. Good luck with your transfusion! 13|4|I was talking to my neighbor who is a cadro surgical nurse a little while ago and he said he trust the blood supply so I am not worried about that. I guess we will just have to wait and see whathappens.|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|18:48:23|09/10/2010|
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(='.'=)
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I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.
14|1|Robin, try not to worry too much :) I am anemic too and with my son, I was on 4 iron pills a day on top of my prenatal and that barely improved my iron count. Everything turned out fine and I still take my irons pills today.|Ranalt|ainebailey@gmail.com|20:33:48|09/10/2010|
it may seem like a pain to take the pills many times throughout the day, but there are worse things.
Take care,
Life is like a cup of tea,
It's all in how you make it.
Lisa
Check out my DD work:)
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LoveMankind
15|2|Thanks... I just hope he will be ok through ll of this. I also hope i can get some energy soon and walk 1/2 a block without being short of breath! lol|RobinsCrazyWorld|robinmarie72@gmail.com|20:36:58|09/10/2010|
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(='.'=)
(")_(")
I would rather have a mind opened by wonder than one closed by belief.