After having found that I had endemetrosis and eventually treated for a fibroid by a technique that shrunk the fibroid. During which time I because of a blood count dropping to 5, I was given a course of iron injections in the posterior, and told to eat iron enriched foods.
Since that time I have battled with the extra weight especially in the posterior region ( size 12 -20 ) in three months, and always just before monthly mensturation a lack of energy.

Jenny--How's London? I used to live in England, for many years. Loved it! Just had to say that. Now with the iron I have to take and eat right to build my Ferritin I can't have my TEA! At least not like I did.

I can't believe that you dropped to a 5 HGB and they didn't transfuse you. Here in the USA they do that at 7 usually. You really must have felt ill. I can't imagine. Did it take a long time to feel better with injections only?

What do you think the weight gain is from? Surely not the iron injections. Must be from all those fish-n-chips, LOL.

Glad to hear you were successful in shrinking those Fibroids. I just answered a post earlier tonight about options for someone on this issue. Perhaps you can tell them more about the procedure you had. I forgot her name but you can see the thread title.

I had en endometrial ablation done for my periods and they found polyps to be my problem. But that is fixed now. Good luck to you! FLFLOWERGIRL:)

Hi FLFLOWERGIRL - Are you allowed to drink tea which has little or no caffeine in it or is it's not the caffeine which is the issue with you?

Hi Jenny - I had my final iron injection on 14 August this year and haven't noticed any difference weight-wise, no side effects what so ever, except for much more energy than i ever had before. I personally don't know much about iron injections, apart from the literature which came with the iron ampules and my dr printed some information off his pc so i could read up on it. It only mentioned side effects you are likely to experience during the course of injections, but that's about it. Then again we are all individuals and perhaps the after effects might differ for each of us.

Maybe the iron has changed your metabolism in some way, i wouldn't know for sure. Are you on any other med's eg: birth control pills? A lot of people complain they put on weight with BCP, some other med's like antidepressants have made people put on weight. Has your diet changed in any way and is your diet considered healthy? Sometimes as we get older our hormones and our metabolism changes and makes it easier to gain weight eg: sometimes slim girls in their late teens have hit their early 20's and their bodies have been known to totally change shape and weight. As we get into our 30's, 40's, 50's etc our metabolism can slowly slow down naturally, but also our lifestyle can have a lot to do with it. I would speak to a doctor though to get a professional opinion. Also have you had a FULL thyroid test, not simply your TSH? If you are getting a lack of energy specifically prior to your period it could be as a result of a hormonal issue too. It could virtually be anything.

I have incorporated exercise into my 'get well' regime especially as my low ferretin had begun to affect my thyroid and both low iron and thyroid conditions benefit from regular exercise to keep up the metabolic rate. The exercise has made a lot of difference. From simply jogging on a trampoline indoors i can already feel that my derrier has toned up considerably, and that's not jogging for ages, just a bit each morning and evening, 10mins each time. I feel my cardivascular system is better and i'm not huffing and puffing after a tiny amount of exercise anymore and i actual feel like going for a jog outdoors. Before, just the thought of jogging would have made me fall asleep, that's how little energy i had.

Apart from the exercise i eat healthy, get sufficient sleep, dont smoke, have the odd glass of wine sometimes, limit myself to one tea and one coffee most days, drink water during the day plus freshly juiced fruit/veg juice and basically try to look after myself as best as i can.

Can you guys tell me what type of iron injections you are getting. My period is comming and it may be another flood. Im at an 8.00 with a ferritin of 1.7. I need a safe way to build up iron fast. I ve been at this for three years. Iron constipates me to the point of not having a bowel movement in a week so I just take it sporadically. I need a safe infection. Im thinking venofer but it looks that is only for people with kidney disease. Help me im a newbie but I have alot of experience coping with anemia. Cept when it comes down to the wire.

Hi FLFLOWERGIRL - Are you allowed to drink tea which has little or no caffeine in it or is it's not the caffeine which is the issue with you?



Audrey,

It is the tannins in any type of tea (besides herbal) that cause the blocking of iron. I've been told that tea is okay as long as you drink it far away from taking your iron supplementation.

Can you guys tell me what type of iron injections you are getting. My period is comming and it may be another flood. Im at an 8.00 with a ferritin of 1.7. I need a safe way to build up iron fast. I ve been at this for three years. Iron constipates me to the point of not having a bowel movement in a week so I just take it sporadically. I need a safe infection. Im thinking venofer but it looks that is only for people with kidney disease. Help me im a newbie but I have alot of experience coping with anemia. Cept when it comes down to the wire.

Sorry to say, but there is no FAST way other then IV and it is not fast either.

With that being said, what I did when I was having the "endometrial ablation" which I LOVE, the doc said that you have to replace the amount of iron that you use up with a period, to at least break even. I did this with heavy bleeding and my HGB actually went up one-tenth of a point. I know that's not a lot but it shows that I didn't go into the neg. You can do this by taking high dose iron supplements which sounds like you need right now. This will not cause constipation, higher the dose opposite results. Also, get lots of iron foods and eat meat 3X weekly. This is very important for you right now. Meat is the fastest absorbed, used and raises HBG quicker. I take 300 mgs of elemental iron daily for my results. If you are interested I can tell you what kind I take. What dose have your doctors had you on? I can't believe that they let this go on for 3 years. I guess mine did that to me too.

I'm not so sure about the venofer/kidney, I think people on this board have this IV without that issue.

Have you made a decision as to what you are going to do to stop the bleeding problem. You don't have to live with it and continue to feel bad. My numbers were almost the same as yours before I FIXED my problem. My doctor said that I have a bucket with a hole in it and it will never fill up until I fix it.

Keep us posted. This board is full of people with a lot of good information to share. Hope you are feeling better soon. FLFLOWERGIRL:)

Audrey and Christine--Yes, and I take iron all day long between the morning/evening doses of 150's and after breakfast and lunch I take my prenatal. So I take pills all day, no time for tea other than first thing in the morning. But it's worked!

Also, to me tea wouldn't be the same without the caffeine. That's just my preference. I don't care for the herbal teas either. I have always tried them but they just aren't the same as real English tea for me. I was drinking it in the beginning with my RLS and that helped a lot. I do drink it for medicinal purposes but don't like it at all. FLFLOWERGIRL:)

Audrey and Christine--Yes, and I take iron all day long between the morning/evening doses of 150's and after breakfast and lunch I take my prenatal. So I take pills all day, no time for tea other than first thing in the morning. But it's worked!

Also, to me tea wouldn't be the same without the caffeine. That's just my preference. I don't care for the herbal teas either. I have always tried them but they just aren't the same as real English tea for me. I was drinking it in the beginning with my RLS and that helped a lot. I do drink it for medicinal purposes but don't like it at all. FLFLOWERGIRL:)


Hmmmm....I wonder if I should consider stopping my tea. I have been drinking it for years. English, strong, dark, sugar, and milk. I have a huge cup in the morning and about 3 hours later I will take my iron. I then have a cup around 4 PM to "get me through" and I take my iron later at night. On the weekends I usually have an third cup. God, it's so good and my only vice!!!! I detest herbal teas and decaffeinated also.

Christine--It doesn't sound like you compromise your iron intake at all. Before I got sick I didn't take vitamins. I didn't even eat breakfast, never. Back then I had 2 cuppa's for my breakfast. For lunch, I usually had a salad with a very large ice tea. Had tea again around 3-4 to stay awake at work. One hour before dinner I took my Nexium. For dinner, I either drank red wine or you guessed it ice tea. I never really ate meat either. On top of this I had very heavy periods. So, I think that I virtually never got enough iron. I do have to say that I cook a lot and make very healthy meals. I think this is why my B-12 and Folate were so high when I was DX'ed.

Now, I take my synthroid, and have tea. Wait 1-2 hrs and then take iron on an empty stomach, wait another hr and eat cereal. After cereal, I take a prenatal 1/2 dose. With lunch I drink water or juice and then take prenatal again. 1-2 hrs before dinner I take iron 150 again on an empty stomach. With dinner I drink a little water. Several hours after dinner, the last thing I take is the Nexium away from meals. I also eat meat 3X a week that's red meat, blah! I eat dark meat chicken the rest of the time. I have really given this my all. I was just so very sick with everything, I had to do something. The doctors kept saying to me take iron with food and take 1/2 the dose and even stop taking iron, and my blood just continued to drop. I feel that I really fixed my problem with the help of this board (which they told me to stay off of) and the info. on the net, not doctors or even specialists.

I also like a third cup on the weekends. What about PPI's? I don't think tea is a problem for you because you wait long enough in between. I keep taking iron throughout the day, so I never have the opportunity to drink it. I do sneak in a cup between 3-4 once in a while for a treat. Now I want that cup of tea! FLFLOWERGIRL:)

Regarding tea, here in Australia we have a brand called 'Madura' tea and it only has 2% tannins in it. I spoke to my Trichologist about tea inhibiting iron absorbtion and he said that the 2% doesnt signify as it's such a tiny amount.

My vice is having my Moccona coffee in the morning with 2 pieces of wholemeal or wholegrain or rye bread with either marmalade or banana on it. I know the coffee is a no no, but it's just one per day and then i take care of myself and what i eat or drink for the rest of the day.

I have stopped having a tea at morning tea time at work. I will either have a herbal tea with no sugar or a freshly squeezed fruit juice. At lunch i have water and at dinner i will have either juice again or a white wine. Apparently white wine helps absorb iron, but red wine hinders. Not sure why that is, but doesnt wine have a type of tannin in it also? perhaps red has so much more than white. Still i dont understand this as a small glass of red is supposed to be good for our heart and contains antioxidants. Sometimes i'll have a red, but not that often.

With the tea, i will have a cup of proper English tea around 3pm as this is well away from lunch and dinner time. Sometimes at night if i have had dinner at 6.30 or 7pm i might have a tea at 8.30 or 9pm. I'm sure they should have some info on the net regarding Madura tea. It's the best tasting black tea ever in my opinion and all the better for only having 2% tannins.