Help anaemia and cooking OS style

debjam

hello Sammy_kaye18 i have suffered with anaemia since my teens. Every time I go to the doctors I get "lets take a blood test" I know they will tell me I'm anaemic but they only ever suggest iron tablets which "bung me up" as well.

I have used a combination of things found from research on this and other sites. I now have cereals and soya milk with a glass of orange juice for breaky and usually lunch, and try to have a piece of steak for tea again with orange juice. We have a great butcher in our town and I buy packs of steak really cheap and cut them in half and freeze them down. Then I have an iron tablet every three days as a boost. It certainly seems to be working for me, but I don't have a three year old to chase around. Have you tried those green tea drinks. I like herbal drinks anyway so drink these all the time.

Good luck with it all, and don't be scared to go back to your doctor, they are there to help.

Cazzdevil

I was borderline anaemic for a few years and my GP suggested eating dried apricots, they're apparently naturally rich in iron and because they have vitamin C in too it aids the absorbtion of iron into the body. They seem to have worked too.

MSE_ForumTeam1

Please can I remind you to be careful not to offer medical advice in this thread. It is fairly boarderline at the moment, and it would be a shame to have to close it.

Many Thanks

ANNEGEDDES

hi all

me too im anaemic but it turns out i haver coelaic disease 1:100 people have it so perhaps ask your gp for the blood test?

instead of iron tabs try SPATONE you can get it from holland and barrett boots etc really good and wont give you constipation or the reverse will get your iron count up quickly so you can maintain it with your diet
or
something calle f...... its a syrup iron preperation made from foods that contain iron this is amazing! im a midwife so see loads of people with low iron ask in any health food shop or holland and barret and they will know the name of it sorry

foods

cereal all got added iron
dried apricots
raw peppers
jelly cubes that you use to make jelly
del monte used to do on orange juice with added iron not sure if they still do


also anything with caffine takes away the iron from your meal so do not drink tea/coffee/pop with your food drink oj/apple juice and you will absorb so much more iron from your food

get you hb up and you will feel brilliant its worth making major or minor adjustments to your diet your body will thank you and your son will

best wishes

Sugar_Junkie

Hiya, I'm not really adding anything that hasn't already been said and obviously you should take into consideration everything your doc advises but I'll tell you what helped for me.

I first found out I was anaemic as a teen. I think mine is caused by heavy periods and nosebleeds (no-idea why I get them but I used to get them regularly as a kid, less often now though thankfully) The doc put me on a course of iron tablets which really helped so now if I have been neglecting myself and I start to feel the symptoms again my first thought is that it's back and I need to eat better. I usually get the Iron 15mg with vitamins & minerals from Holland and Barrett and take those when I remember. They're fairly cheap at the minute if you buy on the website I just got some more the other day (dunno if the offer is the same in the shops).

Cutting down the caffeine will definately help as I was told it stops your body absorbing Iron so well, although I'm completely addicted to it too and know how hard it is. The withdrawl headaches are horrendous in my experience so I'd suggest just cutting back a bit at a time as that worked for me. I still drink tea (although not as much) but have cut out the coke/pepsi except for special treats, and try to balance out the amount of tea I drink by drinking cordials as well. Hopefully I'll stop drinking so much tea eventually.

Eating breakfast cereal is a good source of Iron too if you don't like tablets. I try to eat that, even if it's not for breakfast which I often don't find time for. It makes a good suppertime snack!

I hope you're feeling better soon. I know how lousy it can make you feel. *hugs*

Robothell

MSE_ForumTeam1 wrote: »

Please can I remind you to be careful not to offer medical advice in this thread. It is fairly boarderline at the moment, and it would be a shame to have to close it.

Many Thanks

My apologies if my advice is considered medical or otherwise, just trying to help by collating some things from reputable public domain sites and helping to narrow the search down.:j Dunno if the comment was directed at me but will be less specific in future.

liney

I was anaemic when i gave birth to my son from extreame blood loss. I was given iron tablets, but was still like a ghost for about a month afterwards. Later i was told 'perhaps they should have given you a tranfusion when you fainted afterall as the amount of loss seems to have been underestimated' Well thanks..

Guiness is full of iron as is Murphys or any milk stout; obviously in moderation, as in half pint a time ) lol

I was told to eat anything and everything green, fortified breakfast cereal, and red meat.

The headaches from caffeen withdrawal only last a few days, and the benefits are worth it. If you like to have a hot drink, try herbal/fruit teas or Decaff if you really must. Switch to decaff coffee? no tannin?

Gingham_Ribbon

Forum team's comment wasn't aimed at anyone in particular. I asked if the medical advice situation could be clarified.:beer:

sammy_kaye18

Hi All

Well i am getting there slowly, my main thing is ive managed to cut my caffeine intake down form literally about 15 cups a day down to 3 which is good for me. Im trying to avoid coke/pepsi etc too whcih is workign well so far.

I had a horrid ngiht last ngiht i had really bad stomach pains like ive never felt before - it felt a bit like a stomach chill but the top (above belly button) felt swollen/bloated - not nice and a hot water bottle did b**ger all help. In the end i curled up and thankfulyl fell alseep after laying awake for about 3 hours in pain.

The guiness tip i keep getting everywhere but i dont drink - havent done in about 5 years so that one is a no no.

Well yesterdays menu was this

breakfast
toast with a little bit of butter and cup of tea

lunch
big bowl of strawberries becuase i was in the middle fo a kids party!

dinner
jacket potato with cheese and glass of OJ

bearing in mind i only did food shopping yesterday afternoon so i didnt have alot in. but ive gotten everything thats 'good' for me now so fingers crossed today will be better. Ive already had my breakfast which was 3 weetabix's (i seem to be starving hungry lately but i think its because im not full with liquid!) and im about to have a little bowl of strawberries - havign them on the cereal didnt appeal to me this morning

will let you know how im doing

thanks for the advice again all

luv

Sam

ANNEGEDDES

oh sorry the medical advice thing may have been me, dont mean to give advice none of us can do that as we dont know the exact situation. I just wanted to give what i found helpful personally

sorry everyone please only take medical advice from gp or dietician