Spatone

groucho marx

Anybody using this iron supplement? Ive swopped the galfer for double sachets of the spatone, easier on tummy but I know the galfer is a lot better know and recommended by GPs, Worried now Im doing the wrong thing.

January

I'd ask the midwife the next time you're in the hospital, or give them a ring and ask their advice. It should be fine but I think you need to remember to take vitamin C with iron as if you don't have enough vit C the iron won't absorb.

obnicc

January wrote: »

I'd ask the midwife the next time you're in the hospital, or give them a ring and ask their advice. It should be fine but I think you need to remember to take vitamin C with iron as if you don't have enough vit C the iron won't absorb.

I took spatone while pregnant with my first, it was what my doctor told me to take, along with orange juice so the vitamin c would help absorb the iron.

How Strange

I can't take iron supplements either but thankfully I didn't need them during my pregnancy. I take spatone myself when I feel a bit run down but apparently they're very very low in iron which is probably why my stomach can tolerate them.

I'd definitely discuss it with your midwife as unfortunately iron supplements like galfer are needed if you're anaemic.

obnicc

This has just made me wonder if I should be taking spatone again now that I am pregnant, I've just been taking centrum pregnancy supplements since I found out last week, I assumed all I needed extra would be in that but now I'm doubting it lol

Chattastrophe!

I'm wondering the same ... I'm taking Pregnacare, I know there's some iron in it, maybe I should be taking extra though. Must ask at my next appointment!

How Strange

I wouldn't take proper iron supplements unless advised by a doctor or midwife. That's why I like spatone. I felt it perks me up at times when I feel just slightly under the weather but it never gives me cramps the way the full supplements would.

Talula_d

I'm taking spatone with the apple flavour as I don't find it too strong of iron(or that I'm after spending an hour licking a tin!), I take it when I need a pick me up and not every day as my iron levels aren't bad, I told them in the hospital and they said it was fine, taking the pregnacare with omega 3 too!

Das Kitty

I take a one-a-day low dose. It's Tesco own brand and I've been taking it for about a year and it's not hard on the tummy (well isn't on mine).

traineeacc

The hospital were adamant with me that I take the galfer rathet than spatone due to the low dose in spatone,however consult your doc or midwife because unless your specifically told to take it there isn't a need (so I was told). Don't take any chances with pregnancy consult your doc or midwife if you have any queries

Das Kitty

Yeah, I meant to say, my iron levels have been grand throughout the pregnancy so I haven't been told to take any extra. I take a low dose anyway as my iron reserves dipped pretty low last year.

red fraggle

im taking one sachet of spatone everyday. was told to take galfer just in case at last appt when she took bloods. maybe i could start taking 2??? i might ring and see if my iron levels were low... for the first few days i felt so much better taking it. now im thinking i should take 2.hmmm

Talula_d

I was in for clinic today and she asked me was I on iron, I told her I was taking spatone just for an extra boost now and again, she said I would be a long time waiting for an extra boost and to take galfer 320mg every 2/3 days as I would find it more beneficial, she also did bloods just to see was my iron down and would ring me and let me know whether I need to take galfer daily.

implausible

Eugh, Galfer is horrendous! For anyone on it, please make sure you get plenty of fibre. Despite consuming lots of fibre usually, I ended up with piles in my second trimester on number one, which got worse on number two, were agonising after labour and they haven't gone away. I would have lived on weetabix, grapes and water if I had known that!

Rosy Posy

Talula_d wrote: »

I'm taking spatone with the apple flavour as I don't find it too strong of iron(or that I'm after spending an hour licking a tin!)

I thought that it tasted like blood!

My midwife recommended it for me in my last pregnancy because the regular stuff made me constipated.

In this pregnancy I've been using Floridex which has lots of natural fruit and vegetable extracts so you get your vitamin c with it. It also tastes quite nice (imo)...slightly like buckfast (without the cough syrup undertones or the psychotropic effects, thankfully!).

Oral Slang

2 different hospitals (Tallaght & the Rotunda) told me not to take spatone - as much iron as a bowl of cornflakes apparently. I'm taking galfer daily, was taking it every 2nd or 3rd day til I hit the last trimester.

Oral Slang

red fraggle wrote: »

im taking one sachet of spatone everyday. was told to take galfer just in case at last appt when she took bloods. maybe i could start taking 2??? i might ring and see if my iron levels were low... for the first few days i felt so much better taking it. now im thinking i should take 2.hmmm

I think you'd need a load of sachets of spatone to get the iron equivalent of galfer, totally different really. Spatone is used as a bit of a pick me up, if you've a balanced diet, there's no need for it really.

glisten

Hi OP,

Being anaemic, I have been also told by doctors not to bother with spatone in pregnancy as it wouldn't do anything for me. Galfer FA isn't great on the bowels but works wonders!

Oral Slang

glisten wrote: »

Hi OP,

Being anaemic, I have been also told by doctors not to bother with spatone in pregnancy as it wouldn't do anything for me. Galfer FA isn't great on the bowels but works wonders!

Glisten, is it not the normal Galfer you're to take during pregnancy? I was told not to take Galfer or Ferrograd FA, just get the one without the Folic Acid.

January

You don't need Folic Acid after the first trimester so you don't need to get the FA one, but I don't think it makes a difference, although we're not doctors so what do we know!

obnicc

I've just been to my doctor today and he advised me to stop taking the centrum pregnancy supplements and start taking folic acid only and then go back to taking the centrum supplement after 12 weeks.

glisten

Oral Slang wrote: »

Glisten, is it not the normal Galfer you're to take during pregnancy? I was told not to take Galfer or Ferrograd FA, just get the one without the Folic Acid.

Hi Oral Slang!

Gosh I'm stumped, I always presumed it was Galfer FA going by the text on the box. I'm sure it probably doesn't matter. Different doctors - different advice

icescreamqueen

Ugghh my midwife put me on double Galfer every day during the last trimester. I asked if I could take just one Galfer and supplement it with one Spatone per day and the midwife said it wouldn't make any difference to my iron levels. I found giving birth easier than passing stools then. However, the risk of having a blood transfusion with low iron levels was a worse thought than all of that. You're also meant to take Galfer for six weeks after birth.