iron pills and weight gain

Guest over a year ago

I've been taking 150 iron sup. & raising iron rich food intake since Nov. '12 - my Ferritin level has gone up 2 pts. since then, from 3 now to 5 & my hemo/hep have stabilized. i'm told i have sm. ferritan carries! my dr. office range for ferritan normal level is 8-252, so i need to stay on suppliment. BUT, i'm gaining wt. too. i walk alot & prob. should do more than that cuz SIX lbs. feels like 50! it's not helping my carpal tunnel either! Protein makes muscle & muscle is heavier than fat. i feel like the hulk! contsipation is not an issue for me.

Reply

Loading...

Tazzee313308 over a year ago

I too have an Iron deficiency. I found out a couple months ago while seeing my dietitian who was beginning to help me to lose weight. After the first week I lost 6 pounds. Two weeks later my blood was drawn and I was prescribed Iron pills. Every since I've not lost a pound. I am sticking to eating healthy and exercising but cannot drop anymore weight. It is frustrating but we must do what we have too for a healthy body. However, I agree with the above writer. If anyone has an answer regarding supplements, what time to take and how it could help? I too would be grateful. Dr.'s are just going to tell you to take your meds. I do know they are to be taken with food. Thank you

Reply

Loading...

may over a year ago

I chanced upon this forum as I wanted to find out whether my unexplained weight gain (esp my mid section) could be due to the iron supplements I have started taking.

I have not changed anything in my routine...on with my daily jog, gym and eating light. Like others, I did not suffer from constipation. I realised I started developing a bit of a belly and rolls of fat around my waist after being on iron supplements for 2 months.

I decided to lay off the iron supplement for a while even before viewing this forum. Now, I am more convinced that my weight gain is due to iron supplement. I agree...not all will suffer this same side effect but it certainly seems to have this effect on many people as well. Just sharing my own personal experience

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I started taking iron 2 to 3 weeks ago and gained 6 lbs. My stomach feels like there is a brick in the bottom of it and I cannot go to the bathroom or pass gas properly. I saw the Dr. today and she said yes, the iron made me gain the weight because of the way it's absorbed in the body. She said it is also the reason I feel like I have a brick in the bottom of my stomach, that's the waste. Basically I'm constipated and have to go to the bathroom. LOL....That's prolly more than 6 lbs she said. I figured something was up because I am on diet pills prescribed by her. She told me to lay off of the iron until my body cleans back to normal and she will give me an alternative. She gave me Miralax for a couple of weeks and it should be fine. A regular laxative won't work because it only doesnt moisten the hard heavy stools

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I also started taking iron supplements for extremely low iron. Finally feeling like I have more energy but have also put on weight. Eating better, less caffeine, trying to fit in exercise etc. I'm still gaining weight. I eat less now and do more exercise then I have in the past 2 years and since taking the iron I've gained 5-10lbs. I've been taking iron for 3 months now but I was taking the liquid and that was way better then the feramax that I'm taking now. So frustrating!!!!!

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

Hi, Have you managed to lose the weight after stopping the iron supplementation?

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I have been taking the tablets for almost two months and gained 12 pound .I have never weight this much .

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I have been on iron supplements for about a month and I have never gain so much Weight in such a short period of time. Smh. I feel your pain.

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I too started taking iron and have gained 5 lbs. All in the mid section. I have started exercising (from not at all to 5 days a week) and no help. My weight has been the same for the last 8 years prior to this.

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I've been anemic and took a real good quality Iron supplement. I haven't gained any weight from it and it hasn't constipated me even one bit. I believe you can also greatly benefit from this supplement. Another thing I liked about it is that it has vitamin C in it already so I didn't need to take an additional pill.

***this post is edited by moderator *** *** web addresses not allowed*** Please read our Terms of Use

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

My iron level was at a 6! My MD advised I take an iron supplement in the AM and PM of 65mg. I also feel like I am gaining weight in the mid section. I am going to switch MD's because she is not concerned as to the why I am low in iron and did not give me any suggestions on how to improve my diet. She just responded to my inquiring about my low levels after I received my blood work results and just told me to take iron supplements. Hmmmm

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I began taking iron supplements in February for RLS and gained 15 lbs in the first month and 30 lbs to date. I don't overeat and didn't change my eating habits. My skin becomes tight like hot dog not flabby and no one knows why. even my breathing became labored. When I took iron when I was pregnant 27 years ago I also gained weight rapidly and stopped it and each pregnancy was fine. Now I think I should stop taking it again. it just occurred to me that after reviewing all my meds and lifestyle that iron might be the culprit. I'm more depressed than ever because if this weight gain . I've never been fat in my life.

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

I see this is old but I take iron supps for my anemia and amy also on paxcle for anxiety and they both make me so sorry hungry and I've been taking it since about March 2016 I would say and I've gained so so much weight in my mid section and thighs. I used to wear mediums and smalls and now I'm into larges and gainedon't at least 20 pounds. Is there anyway to lose the weight

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

Hi! Have you find any solution yet?
I can't think of anything else than talking to a doctor and trying a different pill.
My stomach got so huge in just 10 days that I started wandering if somehow I might be pregnant. It's crazy! Now that I read all of these comments I'm getting off this pill.

Reply

Loading...

Guest over a year ago

Sailing in the same boat. I stopped taking iron tablets as it resulted in 4kg weight gain. Not able to loose this weight. Did you find a solution to your problem?

Reply

Loading...