Someone will have a better answer I'm sure. When I was pregnant, I never did well with pregnancy vitamins or the hard iron pills bercause they would me sick. I took Flintstones with iron instead. When I needed more iron than I could get from the Flintstones, I got the chewable iron supplements from the Vitamin Shoppe. I didn't have to take it all at one time and would take 1/4 or 1/2 of the pill as needed throughout the day.

Perhaps you could stir Metamucil into your OJ. It is not gritty, all smooth and just a bit thicker. If you did that a couple of times a day plus take some Magnesium ( not citrate), you and your bowels should be happy campers. I agree on using a smaller dose but taking it a twice a day to make things easier on your stomach.

The iron supplement I tolerate the best is SlowFE and I tolerate it better if I take it with a vitamin C tablet rather than a glass of orange juice. I don't know why a tablet works better for me than juice but it does. I also slowly introduced more fiber into my diet and I now have no more problems with constipation as long as I eat the correct amount of fiber.

You might also try talking to your doctors about getting iron infusions. They were much easier for me to tolerate than iron tablets. I think they work faster, too.

Like morz, I would suggest an iron rich diet.

chisue - I was concerned about your disappearance and was reading the posts on my phone as everyone was asking about you. Sure glad to see you and hope all is well while you continue to recover.

Ah-hah! The KT comes through again! Thank you all.

I had some lovely cooked spinach last night -- Green Giant microwave bag. One of those is enough for three meals for me. This low fiber diet won't let me have a lot of proteins I normally think of as high in iron. Maybe a *little* liver? (Maybe there is a very mild liver-sausage.) I know I need iron to get back up to at least 11. I'm pretty weak.

Daisy -- I think it was the "Slow FE" I was trying to remember. Thanks. I'll try it with the C tabs. I'll ask my MD about infusions; that seems fastest, best answer to me.

Adellabella -- I'll also have DH look for "chewables".

Chisue, there are also foods you don't want to take with iron, like caffeine and maybe dairy. If you search online you can probably find a list of those foods. After you take your iron you might want to wait maybe 2 hours before having any of those foods. I hope your iron levels return to normal soon. I think it takes awhile.

Daisy -- DH came home with the Slow FE. It's 45 mg. I think I'll try it tomorrow to see how I tolerate it. I don't need another night of upset. I only drink a half a cup of coffee a day and ginger ale.

Still going to finish my spinach tonight!

How often are they checking your hemog. Since this bleed? If the bleed has stopped and you follow docs orders you should see an elevation in a few days. Be careful standing up, get up slowly, also be careful bending over. Keep your stool soft by taking a stool softener, no stimulant.. Feel better soon.

I've been on iron pills for months now and have little trouble with constipation. My doctor recommended gluconate iron pills....got them at Walmart. I have also read that you should take them with vitamin C for best absorption so that's when I take my vitamin C pill. Do be careful about taking them with other meds because iron can block the absorption. I take my thyroid first thing in the morning, take the iron pills a couple of hours later and wait a couple of hours to take any other meds mostly supplements.

Don't take Metamucil or similar fiber supplement with your medications or vitamins, either.

Annie, on the cooking forum always uses cast iron cookware. She's said that her doctor says that her iron levels are healthy, and he and she attribute it to the cast iron.

This is the one I just started on. I don't go for an iron test for another three months so I can't give a true yay or nay for how it increased (hopefully) my iron levels. It causes no stomach upset or irritation at all. And that's on an empty stomach. I take it with half a juiced lime.

http://www.purelabvitamins.com/single_product.php?ID=7

Georgysmom - if you are having a trouble with constipation you can try taking some magnesium glycinate. It helps to relax muscles.

edited to change the type of magnesium - typing before thinking.

Yes, there is a less constipating form of iron. It can be given as an injection, in the buttocks, every 3 months. It will stain the bottom though and give you another set of 'eyes'. Vigorous walking helps them to fade a little but they never ever go away completely. Many Drs won't perform these injections for fear of being sued.

The iron is also absorbed faster than by tablet.

If you prefer tablets, if you take them with food it will be a lot easier on your stomach.

Interestingly enough, I recently ate a large quantity of Silver Beet and my bowel movement looked exactly like it did when I took iron tablets. (Same colour.) (But not constipated.)

I firmly believe in the power of leafy greens for the relief of iron deficiency (and a small amount of red meat).

When I was pregnant, my hemoglobin was running pretty low. I couldn't stomach the iron supplements at all. My certified nurse midwife suggested desiccated liver tablets from the health food store -- they did the trick. I spaced them out over the day and took them with OJ.

Cookie.....I'm not having problems. My doctor brought up the subject when first putting me on iron and said to look for the iron pills with gluconate in order to avoid said problems. I lost two units of blood in May and have been dealing with anemia ever since. I feel good but don't have the stamina I'm use to having. I will be on iron for another three to four months. So far, so good as far as constipation goes. I agree with tete a tete......leafy greens, especially spinach and red meat which I don't eat enough of. Raisins, dried apricots, dates, chick peas, liver, all high in iron.

I second Georgysmom's recommendation for iron pills with gluconate. When I needed iron supplements for anemia that was the only iron pill that worked for me and didn't create bowel problems.

I take Proferrin with a Vitamin C tablet. It's best to talk to your pharmacist, but I haven't had any problems taking this iron supplement.

Georgysmom, oh, I read it wrong as having a little trouble. I Hope your energy level picks up soon.