My mom has just been diagnosed with cirrhosis, and her doctor gave her iron. My uncle, who also has cirrhosis, just told her that he thought cirrhosis patients were not supposed to take iron. Is it damaging?
2006-07-09 14:05:41 · 5 answers · asked by Heron By The Sea 7 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
If she has trouble with it, there are natural supplements she can take that will be easier on the liver. Chlorophyll is good. You can get it in capsule or liquid form.
I had severe anemia and the iron supplements my doctor gave me made me so nauseated I couldn't keep them down. I put about a tablespoon of liquid chlorophyll (used the mint flavored) in 8 oz of water, several times a day.
Eating spinach, pumpkin, raisins, and blackstrap molasses will help as they are all high in iron.
She should avoid eating milk products or foods high in calcium with her iron because the calcium binds to the iron. Yeast breaks the bond. So if she had a spinach pizza, the yeast in the dough would keep the iron in the spinach from binding to the calcium in the cheese.
If she has trouble with the prescribed supplements, make sure she's taking them with her heaviest meal. It didn't help me, but I was told it helps some people keep them down.
Of course, talk to her doctor, but if he's okay with it, supplementing her diet will help her get off the pills more quickly. Foods and herbs are usually easier on the body than drugs. My naturopath said the type of iron used in most iron tablets is hard for the body to process. I have a friend who tried for months to get her iron up with her prenatal vitamins from her doctor, but it was a steady diet of raisins and pumpkin bread that did the trick for her.
I also found that a smoothie made with a banana, a few frozen strawberries, enough soy milk to get the right consistency and a scoop of Ultimate Green Zone helped. I'm not a breakfast person, but it gave me energy and helped boost my iron. And Ultimate Green Zone has some milk thistle in it, which helps support and detoxify your liver. If she wants to try it, make sure her doctor knows that. I don't think it would interact with any drugs, but better safe than sorry.
2006-07-09 15:48:05 · answer #1 · answered by Contemplative Chanteuse IDK TIRH 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Too much iron can be bad, that is because the kidneys & liver have to work hard to process iron & it takes a toll on them, but everyone does need it. So if she has other associated problems like anemia, that is probably why she is taking it. She just needs to make sure with her doctor that it is not too much.
2006-07-09 21:09:55 · answer #2 · answered by garciasgirl9 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My mom does and she takes prescription iron supplements that the doctor prescribed for her, so I guess it must be okay.
2006-07-09 21:08:56 · answer #3 · answered by Elizabeth 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If her doctor gave it to her then it should be OK.
2006-07-09 21:09:20 · answer #4 · answered by Alej 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is safe.
2006-07-10 04:35:47 · answer #5 · answered by helper 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋