Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
I Have Been Prescribed 65 Mg Elemental Iron. Since That's
Question: I have been prescribed 65 mg elemental iron. Since that's so much iron, should I avoid eating food with iron in it?
Brief Answer:
In iron deficiency this much iron is prescribed
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
This much iron is usually given to combat iron deficiency and this dose is taken by oral route. When taken by oral route, excess of it is excreted and never gets absorbed into body. So it does not matter if you take some additional iron with your food. It will also not get absorbed into body.
To better answer your query I need details like your serum iron levels, exact formulation of the medicine and its dose per day.
Dr Vaishalee
In iron deficiency this much iron is prescribed
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome to Ask A Doctor service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
This much iron is usually given to combat iron deficiency and this dose is taken by oral route. When taken by oral route, excess of it is excreted and never gets absorbed into body. So it does not matter if you take some additional iron with your food. It will also not get absorbed into body.
To better answer your query I need details like your serum iron levels, exact formulation of the medicine and its dose per day.
Dr Vaishalee
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vaishalee Punj
When I started treatment, my ferritin levels were 5. The last time I got checked, my ferritin levels were 29, but my doctor wanted me to continue treatment, anyway. I'm taking 65 mg of elemental iron per day (Nature Made brand) with 1000 mg vitamin C and a women's multivitamin that includes 400 mg folate (at the request of my gynocologist). The multivitamin has no iron and very little vitamin C and very little calcium.
Brief Answer:
Yes you can continue iron for few weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
In my opinion you can continue with iron for few weeks and then discontinue. It usually takes prolonged treatment for many weeks to re-store iron stores in body. So I am not expecting an over-dose of iron in your case for atleast few more weeks. After stopping iron, we will need to re-check iron and ferritin levels again after few months. The levels can drop again if nutritional iron is not sufficient.
Dr Vaishalee
Yes you can continue iron for few weeks
Detailed Answer:
Hi again
In my opinion you can continue with iron for few weeks and then discontinue. It usually takes prolonged treatment for many weeks to re-store iron stores in body. So I am not expecting an over-dose of iron in your case for atleast few more weeks. After stopping iron, we will need to re-check iron and ferritin levels again after few months. The levels can drop again if nutritional iron is not sufficient.
Dr Vaishalee
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
