Iron Deficiency

When To Call A Professional

Call your doctor whenever you have any of the symptoms of iron deficiency anemia. If you have abnormal bleeding, such as blood in your stool or excessively heavy menstrual periods, call your doctor immediately.

Prognosis

After about six months of daily iron tablets, the body's iron stores usually will return to normal in an average adult who has had an iron-poor diet. When this doesn't happen, it is often because the person has not taken iron tablets as directed or because iron loss due to abnormal bleeding exceeds the amount of iron taken in. Many people stop taking iron tablets because iron irritates the gastrointestinal tract or causes constipation.

Additional Info

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) P.O. Box 30105 Bethesda, MD 20824-0105 Phone: (301) 592-8573 TTY: (240) 629-3255 Fax: (301) 592-8563 E-Mail: nhlbiinfo@rover.nhlbi.nih.gov http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/