Don't be me, take your iron

[MercyA]

So. I've eating a 99.5% vegetarian diet for several months. (The .5% is for eating a little bit of meat that my picky family was going to throw in the trash.) I'm headed for menopause and have been having light periods, months apart. So I slacked off with my iron supplements. Basically stopped taking them because I am lazy and absent-minded. 😬 My period came back with an endometriosis-fueled vengeance last week.

Evidently you can't make up quickly for lost iron stores. I was making dinner on Friday and suddenly I got all sweaty and dizzy and my hands and feet started shaking. I texted DH to come upstairs and he said I was white as a sheet. So dumb. I realized I've been wanting to sleep even more than usual, too, and have been having headaches. 

I did eat some beef in desperation. I'll have to change my siggie for now.

Any ideas for getting iron stores back up quickly with vegetarian foods would be appreciated. I have Flintstones vitamins with iron, Floravital liquid iron, Post Raisin Bran (60% daily allowance of iron in one serving). I know I should eat Vitamin C rich foods when taking the supplements, right? 

Thanks!

[Harriet Vane]

You can get a lovely iron hit from 3T of blackstrap molasses. It's thick and sticky, so I find it goes down more quickly and easily if diluted in a little warm water. Not hot, just warm enough to dissolve. If it's not in water, it will coat your mouth and stay that way for the rest of eternity.😄

[Katy]

If things are that bad you might consider calling your doctor for a lab test.  You might need a transfusion.

If it's not that bad... Forget vegetarian if you want rapid recovery.  Send DH to a Mexican restaurant for beef fajitas.  You can skip the toppings and cheese if you want, eat the beef and peppers and onions.  The beef will be at least 1/3 liver, and you'll absorb it rapidly because of all the vitamin c in the veggies.  I've never had a week where if I ate two orders (spread over 4 meals)  I didn't go back to normal pink gums in days.  If you can stomach cutting up beef liver and cooking it yourself with fajita veggies that would be fine too, but I can't stand the smell unless I'm really anemic.

I feel best when I eat plant based most of the time, but I need fajitas occasionally for the iron.

[Scarlett]

I was half way through this post before I figured out you are talking about iron the supplement not the iron that takes out wrinkles.  I opened it, musing, 'what hotel doesn't have an iron these days.'  

In seriousness, that sounds horrible.  I have 3 people in my life that suffer from low iron.  It can be very difficult to bring up.  My MIL had to get iron infusions.

[Katy]

And yes, molasses is good in hot chai.  But I think that's better for maintenance than recovery.

[Tanaqui]

https://luckyironfish.com/pages/clinical-research

But aside from that - honestly, if you're worried about anemia you should go to the doctor if this doesn't resolve itself fast.

[prairiewindmomma]

I can pull myself out of transfusion range with just Floradix liquid followed by orange juice chasers.  Do 15 ml 2-3x/day, and by day 3 I am usually back to low normal.   For me, once my hemoglobin is back around 12, the Floradix stops tasting like the most magical elixir ever. Cut back to daily dosing to 10ml once you are past the first week or so, but continue with the on the label suggestion of 10ml 2x/day for at least a solid month.

My husband magically stays around 15 and I don't think I've ever been that high.  I usually max out around 14.5 or so. 

Edited October 4, 2021 by prairiewindmomma

[Arcadia]

Floravital liquid iron works for me only as a maintenance supplement. I have to go all out for mutton, veal and pork for every meal (lunch, dinner, supper) to get the numbers up fast (I avoid beef due to buddhism). Less than a month of vegetarian diet would already give me dizzy spells which means I can’t walk alone to the supermarket. My husband is similar with vegetarian diets and that is scary when he is driving. 

[mathnerd]

I don’t eat meat and I take Floradix when I think I need it. My daily multivitamin supplement contains iron, though.

[catz]

I was having some perimenopause issues and tested slightly anemic.  I started taking a good quality prenatal formulation and that is working well for me.  I’m going to continue through menopause.   I feel l needed the b vitamins balanced well too.  

I was vegetarian for a while but honestly that doesn’t seem to work well for my body.  I don’t eat tons of meat but do feel better eating some.  

[Loowit]

The doctor has given me an iron shot a few times when my iron levels were really low.  Otherwise, I eat red meat, cook in cast iron, and eat things with molasses.  I have also been told to take my iron pills with orange juice or a vitamin C supplement as it helps the iron absorb better, but I am not sure how true that is.

[KSera]

27 minutes ago, MercyA said:

I realized I've been wanting to sleep even more than usual, too, and have been having headaches.

Does low iron cause headaches as well? I have been battling low iron for over a year now and have also been having a lot of headaches recently, but I never connected the two. I will go take my supplement now 😬.

[Kassia]

20 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

I was half way through this post before I figured out you are talking about iron the supplement not the iron that takes out wrinkles.  I opened it, musing, 'what hotel doesn't have an iron these days.'  

This reminds me of when my mom was visiting many years ago and I was taking iron supplements during my twin pregnancy.  She asked if she could borrow my iron and it never occurred to me she meant the appliance.  I couldn't figure out why she'd want to "borrow* my supplements.

I am always mildly anemic.  Also vegetarian and feel like crap all the time - I don't know if it's from the anemia or not.  😞  

[Arcadia]

8 minutes ago, KSera said:

Does low iron cause headaches as well? I have been battling low iron for over a year now and have also been having a lot of headaches recently, but I never connected the two. I will go take my supplement now 😬.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351360
“Anemia signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause and severity of anemia. Depending on the causes of your anemia, you might have no symptoms.

Signs and symptoms, if they do occur, might include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale or yellowish skin
• Irregular heartbeats
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Cold hands and feet
• Headaches”

5 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I am always mildly anemic.  Also vegetarian and feel like crap all the time - I don't know if it's from the anemia or not.  😞  

I only knew for sure because of frequent blood tests even as a kid. My obgyns were watching my numbers like a hawk.

[HomeAgain]

Oh, right there with you.  I can't be a vegan for this reason alone - it's too hard for me to find enough iron.  I spent years feeling like crap with doctors telling me I was just fine and me protesting that I had no energy and felt terrible, and then I had one remark on my iron level and to really try to fix that.  Yes, could have saved me quite a bit of time wondering why I just couldn't do the things I wanted to do, thanks.

Up the onions, up the dark greens, tofu and cashews. So, bring on the Chinese food.  I don't eat much bread but that's an option, too. I do keep supplements handy for days my diet sucks, though I'm not sure if they're vegetarian or not.  I just know I feel a lot better after taking one.

[Beth S]

Amen.  Thanks to a friend, I figured out how/when to take my iron pills (w/ OJ when I first wake up = empty stomach, no milk products).
I was able to give blood last month (1st time in a decade), finally having the higher hemoglobin count they require.

[Kassia]

2 minutes ago, Beth S said:

Amen.  Thanks to a friend, I figured out how/when to take my iron pills (w/ OJ when I first wake up = empty stomach, no milk products).
I was able to give blood last month (1st time in a decade), finally having the higher hemoglobin count they require.

Thank you for donating!  I can't donate because of my levels either.  I've given up trying.  I am bad about getting enough Vitamin C though - I wonder if that would help.  My ds2 (vegan) is a frequent blood donor and would often have to boost his iron before his appointments.  I think he's only been turned away once or twice.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Harriet Vane said:

If it's not in water, it will coat your mouth and stay that way for the rest of eternity.😄

Unless you have a horse size mouth like mine. 🤣 I eat it straight from the bottle without a problem. Yum!

[PeterPan]

53 minutes ago, Kassia said:

I am always mildly anemic. 

Isn't there something about needing your b12 levels right to have the iron work right?

 

[melmichigan]

I'm envious of all who can take 10mg of iron a few times a day and restore their levels.  I take 200mg of iron every other day. I take a combination of Thorne Ferrasorb and Novaferrum, two types of iron.

[Selkie]

Here's a list of foods that are rich in iron. I am 100% plant based, do not take any iron supplements, and my doctor describes my bloodwork as textbook perfect. I am sure it is because I eat a lot of these:

Beans and legumes - lentils, chickpeas, tofu, etc.

Quinoa

Leafy greens - kale, Swiss chard, spinach, beet greens

Nuts and nut butters

Seeds - chia, sesame, pumpkin, flax, hemp

 

You could also eat iron fortified cereal. 

[catz]

57 minutes ago, Arcadia said:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/anemia/symptoms-causes/syc-20351360
“Anemia signs and symptoms vary depending on the cause and severity of anemia. Depending on the causes of your anemia, you might have no symptoms.

Signs and symptoms, if they do occur, might include:

• Fatigue
• Weakness
• Pale or yellowish skin
• Irregular heartbeats
• Shortness of breath
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Chest pain
• Cold hands and feet
• Headaches”

I only knew for sure because of frequent blood tests even as a kid. My obgyns were watching my numbers like a hawk.

Part of the problem with perimenopause is just straight up hormonal shifts can cause many similar symptoms.  When I got tested for anemia this spring, I had just had my heaviest ever 12 day period and felt like absolute trash.  I was .2 under what they recommend supplementing.  Borderline for anemia.  And I was extremely anemic at some points during my pregnancies/recovery.  I had blood loss during my first delivery and had 2 transfusions and I'm pretty sure I felt literally WORSE now.  So I definitely know anemia.

Anyway, I am definitely not anemic anymore.  My periods have somewhat normalized into more normal perimenopausal weirdness.  Though I think I am still building my iron stores back up.  That said, I definitely feel perimenopausal stuff on the regular that overlaps with this list.

My point is to the OP it might be worth having blood work done to make sure you are on the right track.  I actually think it would be weird for ONE heavy period to send you spiraling and maybe there is other stuff going on or there are more menopausal changes happening, etc.  

Edited October 4, 2021 by FuzzyCatz

[Kassia]

13 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Part of the problem with perimenopause is just straight up hormonal shifts can cause many similar symptoms.  When I got tested for anemia this spring, I had just had my heaviest ever 12 day period and felt like absolute trash.  I was .2 under what they recommend supplementing.  Borderline for anemia.  And I was extremely anemic at some points during my pregnancies/recovery.  I had blood loss during my first delivery and had 2 transfusions and I'm pretty sure I felt literally WORSE now.  So I definitely know anemia.

Anyway, I am definitely not anemic anymore.  My periods have somewhat normalized into more normal perimenopausal weirdness.  Though I think I am still building my iron stores back up.  That said, I definitely feel perimenopausal stuff on the regular that overlaps with this list.

My point is to the OP it might be worth having blood work done to make sure you are on the right track.  I actually think it would be weird for ONE heavy period to send you spiraling and maybe there is other stuff going on or there are more menopausal changes happening, etc.  

Exactly.  The symptoms for anemia are so much like the symptoms of other issues.  I am always anemic but also have some serious hormone issues - going for an MRI to check for pituitary tumor on Wednesday.  My hormone issues share so many of the same symptoms of anemia.  How do you know without testing?

[Melissa in Australia]

1 hour ago, KSera said:

Does low iron cause headaches as well? I have been battling low iron for over a year now and have also been having a lot of headaches recently, but I never connected the two. I will go take my supplement now 😬.

Also causes a huge craving for chocolate

And rediculously when you are low on iron you bleed more and have heavy  periods. That is a serious flaw in design. 

 

Edited October 4, 2021 by Melissa in Australia

[catz]

Just now, Melissa in Australia said:

 

And rediculously when you are low on iron you bleed more and have heavyer periods. That is a serious flaw in design. 

 

Right!?  This is definitely true for me and I find it so weird.  

[KidsHappen]

When I had my anemic crisis (hemoglobin 5.9 and hematocrit 13) we were able to raise my levels fairly quickly without a transfusion by using the liquid supplement, a powder I mixed in orange juice and a prescription iron pill. I brought my numbers up to 15 and 45 respectively and have managed to keep them there. I eat a largely animal based diet though for both my iron and B12 (which also crashed precipitously). I don't know if those two things were related by I seriously supplement B12 now, plus Vitamin C and Vitamin D and eat a diet high in B12 and iron.

[Junie]

2 hours ago, Katy said:

If things are that bad you might consider calling your doctor for a lab test.  You might need a transfusion.

If it's not that bad... Forget vegetarian if you want rapid recovery.  Send DH to a Mexican restaurant for beef fajitas.  You can skip the toppings and cheese if you want, eat the beef and peppers and onions.  The beef will be at least 1/3 liver, and you'll absorb it rapidly because of all the vitamin c in the veggies.  I've never had a week where if I ate two orders (spread over 4 meals)  I didn't go back to normal pink gums in days.  If you can stomach cutting up beef liver and cooking it yourself with fajita veggies that would be fine too, but I can't stand the smell unless I'm really anemic.

I feel best when I eat plant based most of the time, but I need fajitas occasionally for the iron.

I agree with going to get lab work.

I have trouble with being anemic.  I was getting some routine labwork done at my rheumatologist's office.  My iron level was so low that my doctor called me at home after hours and told me that I needed to go into the hospital the next day to get a blood transfusion.  I was told by one of my other doctors (my OBGYN) that my level was so low that I could have had a heart attack.

Please go get checked. 

[Melissa in Australia]

8 minutes ago, FuzzyCatz said:

Right!?  This is definitely true for me and I find it so weird.  

It is a fact. Something to do with being anaemic  reduces clotting 

[Junie]

12 minutes ago, Melissa in Australia said:

Also causes a huge craving for chocolate

And rediculously when you are low on iron you bleed more and have heavy  periods. That is a serious flaw in design. 

 

My doctor explained it the other way -- that I am anemic because I have heavy periods.  My blood does not clot properly.  (I am also "a bleeder" when I have blood drawn.)

After my transfusion several years ago, my OBGYN prescribed Lysteda which is a prescription that I take during my cycle to help my blood to clot properly.  It has made an amazing difference in how heavy my cycles are.  

[Carol in Cal.]

Cooking spaghetti sauce and other acidic foods in bare cast iron for hours before eating is one of the best ways to beef up your iron.

Also, if iron supplements make you constipated, see if you can find Stuart's Prenatal vitamins.  Their iron is very accessible but no other problems noted.

[prairiewindmomma]

Coming back to chime in……Heme iron (animal based iron) is much more bio available than non-heme iron. If you can’t resolve your anemia by being plant based only, give yourself some grace. Bodies that are damaged by Crohn’s disease or any other number of conditions really do struggle more. I physically do not do well as a vegetarian. I am stable as a plant based omnivore. I grew up on a farm where we raised pasture grown animals who were slaughtered in the most kind way such a thing can happen by a skilled butcher. While I wish that I didn’t need red meat a few times a month, I do.  
 

[prairiewindmomma]

It’s also true that if you are anemic, your body absorbs iron less well than if you have already stable iron stores. Bodies are weird things.

[Selkie]

@MercyA, I just got out my copy of How Not to Die by Dr. Michael Greger (don't know if you have read it - he is a researcher who digs through thousands upon thousands of medical and nutritional studies).

Here is a quick summary of his findings on iron:

Studies show that vegetarians consume more iron (as well as most other nutrients) than meat eaters.

The iron in plant foods is not as readily absorbed by the body, which can be an advantage because iron overload increases the risk of heart disease and cancer.

However, one in 30 menstruating women lose more iron than they take in. Studies show that women who eat a plant based diet do not have higher rates of anemia than women who eat lots of meat. 

It is better to first try to treat iron deficiency with diet, since iron supplements increase oxidative stress.

The healthiest sources of iron are whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, dried fruits, and green, leafy vegetables.

Do not drink tea with meals, as that inhibits iron absorption.

Eating an orange with your meal boosts iron absorption as much as three- to six-fold.

 

Hope that helps!

[Eos]

Dried beans, beets and beet greens, and Floradix.  Also, clams are extremely high in iron.

[Scarlett]

1 hour ago, Harpymom said:

Dried beans, beets and beet greens, and Floradix.  Also, clams are extremely high in iron.

Roasted beets are very delicious.  

[J-rap]

When I suddenly had a big iron drop in my 40's, I was put on a prescription iron pill -- much more than what I would have gotten over the counter.  I think I was on it for a couple months, and it took awhile to take effect (maybe a few weeks?).  But once it did, I couldn't believe the difference!  I think if I had just attempted to get there on my own it would have taken a lot longer.

[rocassie]

I have struggled with low iron all my life.  The only way my body gets boosted is with red meat so I have it at least once a week, but I try for twice a week. All other sources just maintain my levels.  In additional to taking my iron supplement with vitamin C, I do not take it with anything calcium rich.  Depending on the iron supplement, it can make me sick to my stomach so I have been taking a plant based one that also has all the other vitamins that help my body to absorb the iron.   

[Tree Frog]

I read the title and wondered where you would take your iron and why you would need it. Did the hotel not have one? Do people still buy clothes that need an iron? 😂😂

[BlsdMama]

5 hours ago, PeterPan said:

Isn't there something about needing your b12 levels right to have the iron work right?

 

Yes. If you haven’t had these tested, please do. I suffer from anemia and if I don’t take supplemented B12, my iron stores are depleted quickly and I can’t recover. I range iron from Ancient Nutritition and Thorne Methyl Guard as well as sublingual methylcobalamin. My B12 levels were low normal but I struggled and struggled to raise my iron. Just an FYI. Get both tested. 

[melmichigan]

5 hours ago, KidsHappen said:

When I had my anemic crisis (hemoglobin 5.9 and hematocrit 13) we were able to raise my levels fairly quickly without a transfusion by using the liquid supplement, a powder I mixed in orange juice and a prescription iron pill. I brought my numbers up to 15 and 45 respectively and have managed to keep them there. I eat a largely animal based diet though for both my iron and B12 (which also crashed precipitously). I don't know if those two things were related by I seriously supplement B12 now, plus Vitamin C and Vitamin D and eat a diet high in B12 and iron.

I’d love to know more about this powder if you’re willing/able to share please. 

[Shoeless]

Ok, fiiiiiine, I'll go take my iron pill. I'm bad about remembering to take it. *sigh*