Slow Fe, High Potency Iron 45 mg, Slow Release - 60 Tablets

This is one of the only iron supplements that absorbs into my system, keeping my iron levels steady. I've tried other brands and my levels dip.

My doctor diagnosed me with anemia and wanted me to start taking an iron supplement. I did some research and high levels of iron supplement can cause constipation, so I wanted something that wouldn't cause that, but still give me the extra iron. I decided on these because they're slow release, thus not causing constipation. I've been taking them for 3 months now. They do change the color of stool to almost black and make it messier, but hasn't changed frequency.I just got my blood retested and after 3 months of taking these, my red blood count went up almost 3% and my hemoglobin and hemocrit went up several percent as well. My doctor was pleased with the results. After about a month and a half, I noticed my energy level was better and I didn't feel as exhausted. I'm still taking them every day. Another bonus of these is that they are small like a Sudafed. I am not someone who can swallow pills - I'm still afraid to after the choking incident of 1992 on a pill when I was a kid. These however, are small enough to swallow easily with a sip of water. Very happy with the results from these and am continuing to take them.

I ordered these for my mom, who was anemic. It turned out she was anemic because she had colon cancer.The reason I chose this brand is because this is the one her doctor recommended, and even before the cancer surgery (where they removed 12" of her large intestine), they told her to keep taking this, while they took her off all other meds including vitamins. She had no problems tolerating it whatsoever, it made her feel better, and she's got a pretty weak stomach that is easily upset.Perhaps those who have had issues with it weren't really anemic. Iron can technically poison you if you overdo it, so I suspect some people who had issues taking it may not have really had an iron deficiency. If you DO have an iron deficiency... it may be a good idea to get a routine colonoscopy to make sure you don't have other issues.My mom's anemia and iron deficiency saved her life, it made her get the colonoscopy, which detected her cancer early enough that it hadn't metastasized yet.Definitely wouldn't call this a 'supplement', but if you are iron deficient (as detected by blood test), THIS is the supplement you want and need, and the one several doctors I've talked to tell you to get.

So here is my story: I have always had issues with iron, but regular tablets made me nauseous, constipated, irritated my stomach even if taken with food. So I would stop taking them to let my stomach recover, then I would forget to take them again... I tried couple other "easy on the stomach" supplements but they did not do anything to increase iron in the blood. I just accepted that I am a permanently exhausted anemic and moved on with my life. After an (unrelated) incident that brought me to ER, I decided to get serious about my anemia and the doc recommended Slow Fe. Took it religiously for two and a half months in the morning with a vitamin C capsule plus Blood Builder by Megafood in the evening. I instantly felt better and there were no stomach issues even if I took the pills on an empty stomach. I'll let blood test results tell the rest:Feb 17: hemoglobin 8.5, iron saturation 3%May 1: hemoglobin 12.3, iron saturation 25%Normal: hemoglobin 11.1 - 15.9, iron saturation 15-55%(At hemoglobin at 8, doctors start discussing blood transfusions; my doc did a little 'wow' - in the bad way - at my 3% saturation)

I started taking these after being diagnosed with anemia. My anemia symptoms were making it impossible to do much more than go to work and go home, and even that felt impossible at times. I had extreme fatigue, brain fog, poor circulation creating cold hands and feet, excessive/fast heartbeat, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and brittle nails.I wanted to try these first because other iron supplements (the kind that don’t slowly release the iron) always gave me miserable GI symptoms. After a few days I’d feel nauseous and quit taking them.Problem is, you have to take iron supplements daily and without fail, for several months, before their impact really takes hold.CONS:- At worst, these have given me a little bit of constipation, but increasing fiber intake and/or using a stool softener counteracts this.- The blister pack housing each of the tablets really is like breaking into Fort Knox. I get it- iron poisoning is real and you have to make it difficult if not impossible for curious kids to stumble into.- **Just be careful if using a sharp tipped object to cut through the foil - not because you may cut yourself, but because you may scrape or break off part of the pill’s protective coating that makes it a slow-release tablet!!**PROS:- I don’t get the tummy ache and nausea I get from immediate release iron.- I started to feel improvement in my energy levels after only 2 weeks. Your mileage may vary, but if you take these consistently, every day without fail, you will begin to see improvements.- After a month and a half, not only was my energy improved, but I had less brain fog and (secondary to the improved energy and elimination of brain fog) more motivation.- Now after over 3 months of taking these *every single day without fail*, my insomnia has disappeared, I am sleeping deeper and therefore better, I no longer feel groggy in the morning, I have way more energy throughout the day, my nails have grown stronger (and the horizontal ridges I had in one of my nails is now completely gone), I don’t get short of breath, my heartbeat at rest has slowed to a healthy pace, and I just feel like a new person.Things to keep in mind:- Take them on an empty stomach for better absorption. I take them first thing in the morning before I get in the shower, so that there’s about an hour for them to absorb before I eat. For some, it may be best to take them before bed a few hours after eating dinner.- Others have recommended taking these at the same time as Vitamin C to aid absorption. I can’t really do this because Vitamin C inhibits the absorption of other medications I take, but if you can, you probably should.