Anemic at 32 weeks

laurenkayy

hey mamas to be

I just recently took the glucose test and though I was negative for GD, my doctor said I am very anemic. I've since been on iron supplements and a new prenatal (which I all hope is helping!).

That being said, I've been having some dizzy spells this week and I am not sure if it's just normal third trimester discomforts or something I should be worried about. I have been experiencing dizziness, lightheadedness, nose bleeding, some headaches, and some nausea. Also on occasion I get what I can only describe as some "starry/blotchy vision"?

Any knowledge would be helpful! Thank you!

jennypolkadots

I was told I was borderline iron deficient at 28 weeks, and about 50% of pregnant women get low iron levels. I never had your symptoms and was not anemic, but I do feel a lot better after starting supplements. If you find that the supplement you're on isn't helping I would look into switching but obviously only after talking to your doctor. I take Floradix Iron + Herbs, 20 ml twice a day. It's more easily absorbed by the body and doesn't cause constipation like a lot of iron supplements, but it's expensive and not covered by insurance. Like I said, talk to your doctor if you don't feel like your body is working well with the supplement you're on.

Another thing I would research and talk to your doctor about is adding a B complex vitamin. B12  deficiency and iron anemia commonly go hand in hand and have similar symptoms. They also both show up as a low hematocrit and hemoglobin on your blood work. I take a time released B complex every day.

Make sure you are taking your iron with some vitamin c. I usually chase it with some fresh orange juice. Vitamin C aids the absorption of iron. Make sure you are NOT taking it with a calcium supplement, a prenatal with calcium, or eating calcium rich foods within an hour of taking the iron. Calcium prohibits the absorption of iron. So wait an hour for your yogurt or cereal You can also cook in cast iron. Cooking acidic things like tomato sauce in cast iron will draw out a lot of iron. You can also get a lot of iron from leafy greens, eggs, beans, and meat. Not just red meat, turkey is also a great source. 

Some of the symptoms can just be par for the course of pregnancy but could be something more serious, it's very hard to tell. Nose bleeds, headaches, and feeling dizzy are all side effects of increased blood volume. By the time you deliver you will have about 40% more blood than before you were pregnant. That's a lot! Nausea and vision changes are also super common during all stages of pregnancy because of your hormones. I've experienced each of these symptoms at one time or another. You still need to talk to your doctor about all of this and they may want to do more blood tests just to be sure. I hope this helps! 

laurenkayy

Thank you so much! I really appreciate that. I'll definitely have to try cooking more in the cast iron. Also didn't know about the calcium thing! Makes sense though.

Thanks again!

jennypolkadots

@laurenkayy - yeah, I was very surprised by the calcium thing too. One of my midwives runs an herb shop and told me, otherwise I would have never known! Before that I was taking my iron with a big greek yogurt every morning lol so no wonder.

laurenkayy

I called and am now on bed rest for the next couple of weeks! Sort of a bummer but better to be safe! Thanks for the help ladies!