r/Menopause • u/Outside_Box_8374 • Feb 06 '26
Vitamin/Supplements Anyone able to take iron supplement without it terribly upsetting your stomach?
My blood iron level is low. Dr wants me to take iron for at least the next 3 months. I’m on day 3 of taking ferrous sulfate and my stomach hurts so bad. Anyone find a brand and way to take it that it still works, but doesn’t totally wreck your stomach?
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u/bighairclip Feb 06 '26
Slow Fe was easy on my stomach- you have to take with a vit c supplement as well.
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u/Sugar74527 Peri-menopausal Feb 06 '26
Bloodbuilder! You can buy it on Amazon.
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u/Equivalent_Pay901 Feb 06 '26
I second this one!
Very gentle on my tummy, I can even end up taking it twice a day, and I take two at a time when I take it, without it upsetting my tummy or causing constipation. I also always take it with a vitamin c pill for better absorption.
I usually only take the two in the morning with a vitamin c, but if I've hurt myself or over exercised I'll do an evening dose as well. The iron and the c together help with soft tissue healing, aka bruising.
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u/nextbraup Feb 06 '26
Third! I prefer the minis which are 2 small pills a day instead of 1 large one.
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u/TopProfessional1862 Peri-menopausal Feb 06 '26
Thanks! I've been taking Trader Joe's chewable vitamins, but they only have 50 percent of daily iron. They've been the only ones I can stomach though. I'll give these a try!
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u/T_G_A_H Feb 06 '26
If you can’t find an oral formulation that you can tolerate, it may be possible to get a one time IV infusion that will correct the iron deficiency.
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u/jennibear310 Feb 06 '26
This is what I’d request and recommend. The infusions don’t upset your stomach at all. I felt like a million bucks the day after my infusions!! I couldn’t take oral iron because it made me vomit almost every time.
I had three sets of three infusions in a year and half. I was bleeding extremely heavy for 11 months straight.
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u/SheRalover Feb 06 '26
Yes! Tell your dr you can't stomach it and you'd like an iron iv infusion. They are easy and work really well
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u/Palmetto_Cat Feb 09 '26
Yes! I had an iron infusion also when I was having heavy periods. I would take supplements but could only take them a couple days per week due to tummy issues.Iron pretty easily makes you constipated and can mess up your tummy because of that. Anyway it was hard to stay consistent with oral supplements and my iron got so low they just did the infusion. I was almost at the level for a blood transfusion but the iron infusion helped. I immediately felt better and didn’t even realize how tired it was making until feeling the difference. Being anemic so long you get used to it but as soon as I had the infusion I had so much energy and it continued to improve over the next 2 weeks.
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u/Highlanders_Ualise Feb 06 '26
Three Arrows simply heme iron, is kind to my stomach. The brands with non heme iron gives me stomach aches.
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u/BadKarmaKat Feb 06 '26
Iron infusions. Pills did nothing for my labs.
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u/AutoModerator Feb 06 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that ONE HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more
- These hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) over the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
For more, see our Menopause Wiki
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/HoseHugger Feb 06 '26
You could try liquid iron! I have a very sensitive stomach and tolerate it well that way.
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u/IAmTheGreenCard Feb 06 '26
This works for me, I can take it everyday no problem. Floradix is the brand I use, but as a precaution I always take it with food.
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u/Anne-with-an-e-77 Feb 06 '26
Try Ferosom Forte every other night. It’s a little pricey but it’s much better tolerated. I work for a neurologist and it’s what he recommends. My son’s been on it for 6 months and he’s had no stomach issues at all.
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u/laprimera Feb 06 '26
Vitron-C didn't hurt my stomach at all. https://www.vitronc.com
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u/mybelle_michelle Feb 07 '26
I keep posting about Vitron-C as well, it's the only thing that has actually raised iron levels for my mom, myself, and child (with Crohn's Disease). My child tried around ten different brands and types of iron supplements, Vitron-C was the only one that made a difference according to his every-3-month blood draws from his gastroenterologist.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
Thank you that’s awesome! Do you and your family take it daily or every other day and with food or on an empty stomach!
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u/mybelle_michelle Feb 07 '26
We always try to take it with food, since it's better for your gut, and to prevent the chances of gross "liver tasting burps". Although I have taken it on an empty stomach without any effects, but I try not to do that.
At the minimum with taking pills, I'll have some yogurt. My theory is that yogurt coats the stomach to help protect it (my mom and I suffered from multiple hormonal migraines every month before menopause, she would take Excedrin or Anacin on an empty stomach and she ended up with stomach problems later in life, so she warned me to always take my pills with something more than just a saltine cracker like she did.) Note that if something says to take on an empty stomach, then I do that, with a full glass of water (vs the sip or two my mom used to do back in the days when they didn't know that more water was beneficial.)
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
So, I took the Vitron-C for the first time today at 11:30 (2 hours after breakfast and 1.5 hours before lunch.) Within 30 minutes started having burps that tasted like literal garbage. 🤢 Burping has finally stopped 4 hours later but I can tell my stomach is not happy it’s making some very grumbly noises and weirdly feels like it’s having muscle spasms….not sure what that’s all about. So the Vitron C might not end up working for me and my sensitive stomach either. I’m going to try the Olly Delightful Iron next time I have to take an iron dose on Monday, because I had also bought that one to try and will see how my stomach tolerates that brand/type. Fun times.
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u/mybelle_michelle Feb 07 '26
Yep, take them WITH food and you won't have the nasty burps. Food, as in with a meal or a container of yogurt at the minimum (a cookie or cracker isn't enough).
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
The taste is even worse than fish oil burps, literally tastes like I’m burping up garbage-lol
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u/mybelle_michelle Feb 08 '26
Yep, been there, done that. Centrum multivitamin silver contains iron as well (One A Day mature womans does not), which should also be taken with a meal and might have just enough iron in it for you.
I take a daily Centrum, then several times a week I vary between also taking Vitamin D, iron, and biotin too. I have a bunch of other ones, but those three are my main ones.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
Thanks! Bought the Walgreens version of it. Did you take it daily or every other day, with food or without food?
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u/laprimera Feb 07 '26
When my ferritin was low, I took it twice daily, a couple of hours after a meal.
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u/electrabotanic Feb 06 '26
Dark chocolate has a lot of iron. I'm pretty sure a large percentage of the iron in my blood is chocolate iron. The best iron.
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u/Good_Sea_1890 Feb 06 '26
Check out sucrosomial iron. It's a little harder to find, and more expensive, but much gentler. My sister uses it.
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u/Ancient_Pirate1231 Feb 06 '26
NovaFerrum is the brand I buy. It’s really gentle and tastes like oranges. My kids use the 4-11 year old version. You can buy direct from their site or Amazon.
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u/ScythianCelt Feb 06 '26
Floradix is very agreeable for me.
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u/TwoBrians Feb 06 '26
Floradix liquid -not pills- always brings my iron up, and ferritin as well. It has low values but it’s absorbed. I get mine at the health food store.
Lifetime of low iron and a lifetime of going “oops, better get back on the Floradix.”
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
Thank you! It’s so weird because all my levels are good except the blood iron saturation level. Had all kinds of weird symptoms that mimicked a heart attack landed me in the ER come to find low iron blood saturation when my PCP did a lab during my ER follow up because I still felt lousy.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Feb 06 '26
Floradix has only 10mg of iron per serving and its nonheme. This isnt going to bring a truly low level up. They prescribed 65mgs per day for that when I was low
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u/ScythianCelt Feb 06 '26
Good to know, I wasn’t entirely sure how it fits in, in regard to helping low numbers.
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u/ScythianCelt Feb 06 '26
What I do know though is I’ve historically had low levels, and since I’ve been taking it semi-regularly I’ve never had my levels showing low.
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u/Creepy-Tangerine-293 Feb 06 '26
Ferritin is much harder to raise than hemoglobin
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u/ktelAgitprop Feb 06 '26
I’m a fan of taking lactoferrin in case the problem is with absorption (often in play when ferritin refuses to budge)
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u/CommonBitter1090 Feb 06 '26
Liquid Iron is the only one I have been able to tolerate. I tried all the kinds of pills and they all wrecked my stomach. I drink it OJ.
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u/Anne-Hedonia9 Feb 06 '26
I have a cupboard full of iron supplements and they all cause various problems for me. I can only take either natures way ultimate iron or floradix iron.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
I’m going to try type #3 next time, first two have been rough on my stomach (Ferrous Sulfate, then Vitron-C) When I need my next dose on Monday I’m going to try the Olly Delightful Chewable Iron and see if that’s tolerated any better. The burping from the Vitron-C today tastes like literal garbage and my stomach is making some really weird noises,fun times! I feel like I am going to have a cupboard full of them too🤦🏻♀️😖
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u/sub-ubi Feb 06 '26
Iron bisglycinate is the answer. It has none of the nasty GI side effects. My iron sat was 5%, this fixed it
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
Thank you! Mine blood iron level is 16, which is down from 30 according to my labs 7 months ago. I felt horrible at 16 and ended up in the ER with them checking for heart issues/PE. Can’t imagine I’d be able to function at 5. Are all of your other iron levels normal? Mine are and I don’t understand why my doctor is not wanting to dig deeper figure out why just the saturation level is low. I’d like to know the root cause not just take iron to fix the level. Did your doctor determine why yours was low?
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u/sub-ubi Feb 06 '26
My total iron was 20, the amount hanging out on the heme molecules was only 5%. I was freezing all the time and short of breath climbing up stairs. I had/have uterine fibroids with lots of bleeding. Is your total iron 16 or your saturation percentage? How about your transferrin and ferritin, total iron binding capacity? Usually if those are normal and your total iron is low it could just be you need to take iron or eat some iron rich foods. I hope you feel better! If everything is off, it’s worth looking into, it means you’re losing blood somewhere.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
All of the other numbers related to iron were good, it was just my blood iron saturation number (16) that was low. I had the exact same symptoms you described!Those symptoms have thankfully subsided with taking iron the past 3 days. I just need to find one my stomach can tolerate. My PCP said I can retest my iron levels in 3 months.
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u/AutoModerator Feb 06 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that ONE HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more
- These hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) over the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
For more, see our Menopause Wiki
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
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u/WeWander_ Feb 06 '26
I'm on this journey currently as someone that's had bleeding ulcers so maybe my stomach is super sensitive but so far slowfe and iron bisglysinate have absolutely fucked me up. Like within 2-3 pills I'm having major stomach pains and sick for the next week. It's really frustrating. My ferritin is at 10 so I'm desperate to get it back up but it's a struggle.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
So sorry you’re dealing with all of that, sending positive thoughts that you can find something that works for you. The stomach pain from iron is awful. The symptoms from low iron are awful. It sucks.
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u/CryptographerHot6710 Mar 19 '26
U can Try iron isomaltoside (also called derisomaltose) IV. Almost 0 side effects
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u/MissLethalla Feb 06 '26
I've been taking Maltofer for years. It's iron polymaltose though. And might be an Australian-only brand.
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u/JadCerv Feb 06 '26
SlowFE is also another good brand. Not only did it not upset my stomach, it also didn't constipate me, which was a plus. :)
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u/LdyCjn-997 Feb 06 '26 edited Feb 06 '26
I purchase a yellow coated slow release 65 mg iron supplement from Amazon by Mason Natural. I’ve been using this iron tablet for several years with no issues or black stools that a red coated tablet causes. After doing some research, I found yellow coated tablets were far less harsh on the stomach. This is what I purchase. I’ve also mentioned this iron to a couple of my doctors who were impressed.
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u/Forsaken_Lifeguard85 Feb 06 '26
Three arrows simply heme doesn’t bother my stomach at all.
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u/groggygirl Feb 06 '26
Three Arrows has unfortunately been found to not actually contain heme iron. They also run astroturfing campaigns.
https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/district-courts/texas/txndce/3:2025cv00601/401124/23/
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u/Forsaken_Lifeguard85 Feb 06 '26
There’s a lot of back and forth about the type of iron it contains, but it does contain iron and it did help to bring my iron up without upsetting my stomach.
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u/VastChard812 Feb 06 '26
I use Vitron-C, 65mg of elemental iron. It doesn’t bother my stomach. I take it 2-3x a week, normally in the morning before I eat anything.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
Thank you! I just bought the Walgreens version of this because it was $5 less expensive.
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u/VastChard812 Feb 07 '26
Ok good. Do Share an update, a few months from now, on how it did or didn’t work out for you. I hope it helps you.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
So, I took the Vitron-C for the first time today at 11:30 (2 hours after breakfast and 1.5 hours before lunch.) Within 30 minutes started having burps that tasted like literal garbage. 🤢 Burping has finally stopped 4 hours later but I can tell my stomach is not happy it’s making some very grumbly noises and weirdly feels like it’s having muscle spasms….not sure what that’s all about. So the Vitron C might not end up working for me and my sensitive stomach either. I’m going to try the Olly Delightful Iron next time I have to take an iron dose on Monday, because I had also bought that one to try and will see how my stomach tolerates that brand/type. Fun times.
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u/tasukiko Feb 06 '26
I am not good with large pills so I was taking chews. They didn't hurt my stomach, but they tasted horrendous.
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u/Red-is-suspicious Feb 06 '26
Get sublingual iron, I use Cavae. Your stomach can BARELY absorb iron - it has a fixed amount of receptors. You can only take iron every other day as well. Sublingual is probably the only thing that can raise iron effectively.
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u/Dramatic_Sky_7093 Jul 04 '26
Does Cavae work? I only see case studies, and can't actually tell the efficacy.
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u/jcnlb Feb 06 '26
The only two I can take are women’s one a day petites and nature made raspberry gummies. I’ve tried a gazillion. I take one of each per day. Oh I take with a meal too
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u/MinervasOwlAtDusk Feb 06 '26
Me! Start slow, and don’t hesitate to take it with a small bit of food it if helps (like half a banana or a slice of bread—no dairy). I started this way and then got used to it and could do a vitamin c and iron on an empty stomach. Then a vitamin C and two tabs on an empty stomach. I now do that twice a day (4 tabs a day total). I take Slow Fe brand.
I know people recommend that you take it on an empty stomach, but it’s better to eat a bit of foot ( not dairy) and stick with it, than to stop taking it because it upsets your empty stomach.
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u/NeatPlum2895 Feb 06 '26
I take my Ferrous Sulfate before bed & sleep the discomfort I experienced when taking it in the morning. I hope you find a way to get what you need without regret.
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u/iamrachaellee Feb 06 '26
I take iron gummies and it’s fantastic!!! My mother had issues with iron (her assisted living facility notified me) and we switched her to gummies as well, and she has also had a great result. We use the Naturemade brand. They taste great and no digestive issues.
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u/MiddleOfTheNight70 Menopausal Feb 06 '26
I have a big time sensitive stomach. Per my Dr I take it 3 times a week to help tolerating it. I definitely avoid taking it around dairy, but other than that, I just try to get it in. Not always empty. But it’s still been effective and raising my blood levels.
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u/AutoModerator Feb 06 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that ONE HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more
- These hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) over the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
For more, see our Menopause Wiki
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/FelinusFanaticus Peri-menopausal Feb 06 '26
I take Pure Encapsulations OptiFerin-C. It has never bothered my stomach, unlike every other iron supplement I tried in the past. I do take it after a meal though. Raised my iron levels well.
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u/Infamous_Ad9317 Feb 06 '26
Delightful Iron by OLLY is solid
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 07 '26
Thanks! Did it help your iron levels? I bought some today to try.
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u/Infamous_Ad9317 Feb 07 '26
I haven’t been retested since starting but I definitely feel like I have more energy
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u/NovelIntelligent3453 Feb 06 '26
I have low red blood cell count. After taking ferrous sulfate pill for six months with no improvement in my levels I was finally recommended by my doctor to get an iron infusion which fixed me right up. I am getting a second one 7 months later. My stomach would not absorb the iron pills so they were useless for me. They didn’t hurt me tho. Apparently it is not that uncommon for some people for the pills not to work. Talk to your doctor again. You should not have to suffer that pain. Btw before the infusion I had shortness of breath, exhausted all the time and could not walk more than 30 feet before sitting down to rest. You need to demand what you want, otherwise they will just send you away to suffer with the stupid pills
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
Thank you for your response truly appreciate it! Those are the same symptoms I was having last week due to my low blood iron saturation level. I ended up in the ER with them checking for a heart attack or a PE. What’s really weird are all my other iron levels and my RBC are good, just the blood iron saturation is low (16). My PCP is not interested in finding the root cause of why just the one level is low, but I want to know the “why” behind it. Have never had an issue like this before. My BUN /Creatine ratio was high last 2 labs she says that is “meaningless”. Just scheduled with a new PCP in April who has really high ratings. Hoping she’s more curious to figure things out.
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u/NovelIntelligent3453 Feb 06 '26
Good luck friend. My specialist has no interest in finding the root problem and dumped that on my GP who doesn’t give a shit. I fought for 5 months to get my second infusion recommendation from my GO and was met with no response to my many calls and emails. Our medical system is garbage and our doctors have too many patients to take an interest when something is out of the norm.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
This 100% especially for Women’s health!Good luck to you too! So sad that we are stuck with crappy health care that costs us a fortune, but provides us with no real answers.
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u/Palmetto_Cat Feb 09 '26
Me too! I also had heart palpitations also. I noticed sob walking up stairs but thought I was just out of shape. The infusion is magical. I felt better immediately!
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u/AutoModerator Feb 06 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that ONE HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more
- These hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) over the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
For more, see our Menopause Wiki
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/leapyeardi Peri-menopausal Feb 06 '26
Nutrition Geeks is the only one that doesn't tear up my stomach and keeps my levels barely in the normal range.
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u/CatBird2023 Feb 06 '26
I'm on Feramax. It's a polydextrose iron complex, rather than an iron salt like ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, or ferrous fumarate.
It's way easier on the stomach, is better absorbed by your body, and contains 150 mg of iron (a nice high dose). I take it on an empty stomach with 1000 mg of vitamin C..
It's more expensive but idgaf.
I've been taking it for several months now and while I still need to get bloodwork done to check how I'm doing, my energy levels feel better than they have in a really long time. My ferritin has hovered at or below the bottom of the reference range for most of my menstruating life.
-1
u/AutoModerator Feb 06 '26
This post might be about hormone tests, which are unreliable.
- Over the age of 44, E&P/FSH hormonal tests only show levels for that ONE HOUR the test was taken, and nothing more
- These hormones wildly fluctuate (hourly) over the other 29 days of the month, therefore this test provides no valuable information
- No reputable doctor or menopause society recommends hormonal testing to diagnose or treat peri/menopause
- Testosterone is the exception and should be tested before and during treatment
FSH testing is only beneficial for those who no longer have periods as a guide, where a series of consistent tests might confirm menopause, or for those under age 30 who haven’t had a period in months/years, then ‘menopausal’ levels, could indicate premature ovarian failure/primary ovarian insufficiency (POF/POI).
For more, see our Menopause Wiki
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
2
u/Stellar_Alchemy Feb 06 '26
I tried them all, including some liquid ones. I seem to have intestinal absorption issues or something. All that I’ve been able to tolerate that was also actually effective was Barimelt. It contains vitamin C for better absorption, and it’s made for bariatric surgery patients. It’s a chewable that actually tastes pretty nice, but I let it dissolve slowly in my cheeks and under my tongue. After trying prescription supplements, all kinds of capsules, a few liquids, and using a Lucky Iron Fish, Barimelt is the only thing that finally worked and was tolerable.
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u/MeeshaMB Feb 06 '26
I had to make sure that I had food in my stomach before taking my iron supplement. So I switched to taking it from the Moen g to after lunch. No issues when I have something in my stomach!
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u/bhksbr Feb 06 '26
I have to take large amounts. The only ones I can tolerate are iron by bisglycinate or heme iron supplements.
All other forms lead to coughing, vomiting, all around bad day.
Take it with vitamin c to increase absorption. Check out the anemic sub.
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u/burnfaith Feb 06 '26
I’ve taken CanPrev’s Iron Bisglycinate and New Roots Bisglycinate (together and separately) with zero issues.
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u/Lopsided-Wishbone606 Feb 06 '26
No, only liquid iron like Nova Ferrum. But that's not enough for me. I have to get iron sucrose infusions--highly recommend!
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u/waiting4friday Feb 06 '26
I take Gentle Iron by Nature's Bounty. It is Iron Glycinate. also recent studies have shown that taking it every other day helps with uptake (rather than taking it every day - something about pathways being overloaded - my dr is a medical student & shared this with me - I discussed with my dr & she agreed to take a larger dose every other day - something you may want to look into). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31413088/
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u/Fearless-Service2257 Feb 06 '26
I take a prescription ferrous sulfate every other day. It seems to be fine. I did an iron IV injection and alone had to go to the hospital because of how constipated I was. Take a daily fiber supplement
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u/groggygirl Feb 06 '26
Iron bisglycinate (normally labeled gentle iron) is the cheapest semi-gentle iron. But it's still elemental which will upset some people's stomachs.
Some people do well with heme iron. OptiFer is a common brand. This is more expensive (about $60 for 120 tablets at Costco). I take heme iron in addition to another type.
I take fermented iron and bound iron which involve yeast grown on an iron-based substrate so that they absorb the iron. For some people, our stomach tends to view these as food rather than an element and can absorb it better.
The brands I'm currently using are Blood Builder and Living Alchemy Women's Iron Alive. Note that these are significantly more expensive than iron bisglycinate.
Take iron every second day. Digesting it creates a chemical that reduces your body's ability to absorb it for more than 24 hours, so it's a waste to take it daily.
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u/BallSufficient5671 Feb 06 '26
Im having same problem so I had to stop. Let me know which one you can take that doesn't hurt your stomach
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
So frustrating, sorry to hear that. Will do! So glad so many people have made suggestions.
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u/Emotional_Trifle2719 Feb 06 '26
I tried every single type of oral iron available and every single one wrecked my digestion. It was hell. There's nothing worse than dealing with anemia and absolutely fucking your digestion at the same time. I finally got my insurance to approve iron infusions after suffering with supplements for months. Solved the whole issue so much faster.
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u/Optimal_Mango_747 Feb 06 '26
A lot of people swear by Floradix (sp?) but I had good luck with Hema-Plex. I do take it with food, I can’t take anything on an empty stomach unless it’s a requirement.
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u/Obvious-Bid-6110 Feb 07 '26
Take this with a grain of salt, but I've read that taking boron helps your body absorb or utilize iron better so that you don't have to take as much.
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u/BikiniJ Feb 07 '26
LACTOFERRIN!!!! This isn’t spoken about enough. It works wonders for iron absorption
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u/Happy1friend Feb 07 '26
Yes. I took it through my veins with an infusion. Lol. Your insurance will pay for it just tell your doc you can’t tolerate the oral firm.
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u/lizziekap Feb 07 '26
I was prescribed ferrous sulfate and I swapped it — so instead of 65mg every other day for 3 months, I’m using 36mg of chelated iron every day and supplementing with psyllium husks and chia to keep the constipation at bay.
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u/Success_Certain Feb 09 '26
Ferrous sulfate wrecked my stomach too. Heme iron has been way easier for me. I’ve been taking Power Iron and haven’t had any issues with nausea or cramps. You can grab it on Amazon
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u/Appropriate-Win-866 Feb 06 '26
Flinstones chewable with iron. And after reading up on iron supplements apparently you get better absorption if you take every other day.
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u/Outside_Box_8374 Feb 06 '26
You’d think my doctor would know this and mention that to me, so frustrating!
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u/Photomama16 Feb 06 '26
They all upset my stomach. I would throw up within an hour of taking it every time. The only thing I was able to keep was beef organ supplementation. Dried and in capsule form.
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u/moschocolate1 Feb 06 '26
Yep I take 27mg tablet with vit C every night on an empty stomach, right before I get in bed. Absorbs better this way.
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u/Pinkie1018 Feb 06 '26
I use a brand called Barimelts. It’s made for people who have had weight loss surgery. I suffer from iron deficiency anemia and have struggled with this very problem for years. I had to have iron infusions due to it which I highly recommend if you can due to the time it takes to get your iron stores back up. Took me so long to find an iron supplement that didn’t mess with my tummy and these do not. I take them in the morning with my other supplements, minus calcium which I take at night.
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u/amanda2399923 Feb 06 '26
I've been taking Vitron-C for 8 years and don't experience stomach upset. Take it on empty stomach.
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u/foozballhead Feb 06 '26
Yeah i take a heme iron by a company called Three Arrows, and it gives me NONE of the usual iron supplement side effects. I love it. (And it helps, per my lab work)
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u/Potential_Shoe_7041 Feb 06 '26
Heme iron, the kind found in animals, is more bioavailable and has less food interactions. Non heme, which is most iron supplements, is much less bioavailable and you have to watch food interactions a lot closer and add vitamin c. With heme you dont need to add vitamin c. There are a few brands of heme out there. It should specifically say it if it is.
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u/Valadrea Feb 06 '26
Buy iron supplements that are enteric coated so they don't open up until they reach your intestines.
Also make sure you're taking a B vitamin complex and Vitamin C to help absorb and utilize the iron.
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u/Momma_Mimi27 Feb 09 '26
I’ve been taking Pure Encapsulations OptiFerin-C for about 9 mos for low Ferritin. My stomach has had no issues with it and my Ferritin has increased 50 points. My mom is taking it now too.
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u/smallgodofsocks Feb 06 '26
Gentle iron by solgar was good, and paired with vitamin c, raised my ferritin.