Long menstrual bleed - normal?

Hi hun

I was aneamic due to heavy periods. Was put on ferrous sulphate three times a day. Iron level went bck up so a locum doctor said I should stop them. Been back today for a retest and told the nurse I was feeling breathless again and getting palpitations. She said I was lowest level of ok and she feels I was taken off iron too quickly! !!!

You mention you take iron every day. Just wondered what you thought about this. Nurse advised me to go back on one a day till blood results are bck x

Hi Michelle, I'm not in the medical field, but I agree with the nurse who advised you to go back on iron and take it once per day. I was told that one needs to take it every day to keep our iron stores built up. If you're still having menstrual cycles and your blood count is low again, I believe you need to continue taking it. I fully  plan to take iron daily until my cycles stop altogether--maybe not 3 itmes a day, but consistently. I haven't experienced the breathlessness or palpitations, but I get weak and almost pass out if I stop the iron. Just have your blood count checked every 6 months or so to make sure it's not too low. Hope that helps, and have a great day!

I agree, I am going to continue taking an iron tablet each day until I stop having periods

Thank you I totally agree x

Thanks I agree x

Although I was worried about having too much cause that can be just as badx

I'm also concerned about getting too much iron in my body 'cause that can harm my liver, etc., so I plan to take it once or twice a day, and then when on my period, especially on heavier and longer cycles, upping it to 3x. But, more than anything, I plan to get more iron through the foods I eat.

Yes I hear that but its difficult for me to get it through diet. I dont eat red meat only chicken and fish. My doctor suggested liver and steak but I really can't eat that x

Of course you have to do what's right for you--I love steak, but won't eat liver, but there's other ways to get iron. A great source is spinach, and I try to add black strap molasses in my coffee (even though I don't love the taste ;-), eat beets, etc. If you don't care for any of those foods either, just take an iron supplement. I've even read that Americans get too much iron, because it's put in our foods--fortified cereals, etc., in the same way fluoride is put into our water. But because we have heavy cycles we need just a little more so we aren't anemic. Don't sweat it, just do what you can.