Is it possible to overdose on Iron pills? - Anemia Message Board

wideawakeinaz · 11-05-2003, 04:23 PM

My doctor wants me to take Fergon for iron, because my blood levels is slow low that if after next month, it doesn't increase, i will need a transfussion. I do have problems with my periods being too long, which we are sure is the problem to my blood being too low.

question, i have heard different things, but my doctor wants me to take 2 tablets a day. that would give me i believe about 54MG of iron a day, about 300% more than the normal daily allowance.

is this safe or would i get sick from taking too much iron? i have been taking 1 pill a day and also trying to eat more foods with iron, because i have heard of people getting sick from too much iron. i was just wondering if 54mg from a pill or 300% more from a pill is too much or am i that low i need this much?

i know her scale showed blood counts should be about 11-16 and i was at an 8.6. if it gets in the 7 range, this is when i need the transfussion.

anyways, thanks for helping me understand this better! i am 29 years old, but sometimes, i feel like a kid when it comes to getting sick. i admit, i can be a whimp!

PaNik5717 · 11-05-2003, 05:00 PM

Hi wideawakeinaz:

First a question, are they going to put you on birth control pills to slow your bleeding. I had a long talk with a hematologist yesterday and he seems to think that no amount of iron will suffice if bleeding is the problem. It will help, but you can only make so much blood and it will help a lot more if you actually keep the blood you make.

Anyways, about your question about iron pills, I am taking six pills at 27mg each every day. I was at three until yesterday and now I am "doubling" up based on the hematologists advice. At three a day, I have never been sick to my stomach and I haven't even had constipation. Just darker stools. I guess I have a high tolerance, though, because some people don't respond well at all. No matter how much you get though, very little of it is absorbed. Try to take yours on an empty stomach. If you can't, at least make sure you don't have calcium in your stomach because calcium supposedly blocks iron.

My concern now, though, is that I may OD on vitamin C. He looked at the iron content, but I don't know if he looked at the vitamin C. Each pill has 167% which helps the iron to absorb better, but someone on here recently said that too much vitamin C can cause big problems. Anyone know if that is true?

jeshuaj · 02-23-2004, 08:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaNik5717

Hi wideawakeinaz:

First a question, are they going to put you on birth control pills to slow your bleeding. I had a long talk with a hematologist yesterday and he seems to think that no amount of iron will suffice if bleeding is the problem. It will help, but you can only make so much blood and it will help a lot more if you actually keep the blood you make.

Anyways, about your question about iron pills, I am taking six pills at 27mg each every day. I was at three until yesterday and now I am "doubling" up based on the hematologists advice. At three a day, I have never been sick to my stomach and I haven't even had constipation. Just darker stools. I guess I have a high tolerance, though, because some people don't respond well at all. No matter how much you get though, very little of it is absorbed. Try to take yours on an empty stomach. If you can't, at least make sure you don't have calcium in your stomach because calcium supposedly blocks iron.

My concern now, though, is that I may OD on vitamin C. He looked at the iron content, but I don't know if he looked at the vitamin C. Each pill has 167% which helps the iron to absorb better, but someone on here recently said that too much vitamin C can cause big problems. Anyone know if that is true?

hi. as far as i know vitamin c is a watersoluble vitamin. this means that any excess of this vitamin your body will just get rid of. worse case of taking too much C is that you could get diarrhea. but 167% over the daily recommended allowance should not even be a problem at all.

stephney · 02-24-2004, 11:37 AM

Hi everyone
I have been taking 600mg of ferrous sulphate iron tablets everyday for over 12 months and have not noticed any obvious side effects.
Hope that helps

kkbug · 02-24-2004, 11:41 AM

i take 300 mg of iron every day--the only problem i have is my stomach handling it.