Glutened Vs Iron Pill Side Effects?

[Ellymay]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced dark green coloured diarhhoea while on high strength iron supplements? I have been getting this a lot lately while also exhausted and having the usual gluten type abdominal symptoms. Am 33 weeks pregnant and have been on prescribed iron pills for a couple of weeks now.

I had expected to get constipated while on iron but read that it can cause diarrhoea as well as abdominal discomfort, and of course being exhausted is to be expected while pregnant and anaemic!

But as I have been eating out a lot lately I have a niggling doubt that I have instead been glutened and the iron is making the diarrhoea green instead of the tell tale yellow diarrhoea I usually get when glutened.

Anyone experienced this?

[Lisa]

Just wondering if anyone else has experienced dark green coloured diarhhoea while on high strength iron supplements? I have been getting this a lot lately while also exhausted and having the usual gluten type abdominal symptoms. Am 33 weeks pregnant and have been on prescribed iron pills for a couple of weeks now.

I had expected to get constipated while on iron but read that it can cause diarrhoea as well as abdominal discomfort, and of course being exhausted is to be expected while pregnant and anaemic!

But as I have been eating out a lot lately I have a niggling doubt that I have instead been glutened and the iron is making the diarrhoea green instead of the tell tale yellow diarrhoea I usually get when glutened.

Anyone experienced this?

Iron will be difficult on a normal body. Considering that you are 33 weeks pregnant, I would assume that you would be extremely careful that you are not ingesting gluten. What you can't absorb (diarrhea regardless of the color), your baby can't absorb.

You might want to schedule an appointment with your doctor. If the iron is too difficult for you to take, talk to your doctor.

Good luck.

[Ellymay]

Thanks Lisa

Yes I am being careful to avoid gluten however I often find that even after a restaurant assures me the dish is gluten free I end up getting glutened. All together safer (and cheaper) to eat at home!

Anyhow, I went to see my midwife today and she advises it will be the iron tablets and to switch to a chelated form of iron which is much more gentle on the system. Yes I am concerned that baby might not be getting proper nutrition because of it. Speaking of which.. have just found out my b12 levels have dropped hugely in the last year (after stopping injections) despite the gluten free diet, which is kind of strange. Now I am borderline deficient with advice to eat more b12 foods which I already eat heaps of! Maybe there is some residual difficulty in absorbing b12 even once on a gluten free diet? Injections aren't recommended during pregnancy so I am going to a dietician to get advice on other supplement options.