Brought my ferritin from 11 to almost 40 in 2 months while pregnant!

I am 11 weeks pregnant and about 2 months ago I went to my PCP complaining yet again of symptoms anemia. They drew blood and determined that my anemia was “mild” with hemoglobin steadily going down and ferritin at 11. It was too early to see my OB at that point. She said my prenatal pill would correct it (spoiler it didn’t I had already been taking a prenatal for 2 months). So I decided enough was enough and I’m going to just try to correct it myself.

I started off taking just regular iron pills like general store brand 65mg. I have no idea if those were working at all. But my sister is a nurse and gave me some to pills she got from her job. She said they were “reacted iron” pill and they’re suppose to help with absorption. A few weeks into taking these pills, I started feeling slightly better. My OB did a full work up and my ferritin is now 37! Hemoglobin in now 12.1 which is within range!

Mind you I wasn’t on a strict schedule with these pills, I wasn’t taking vitamin C with them and I would sometimes skip day (which I heard was good anyway with iron). I was taking 4 to start out with, then I started taking 3. No stomach issues,

Anyways I’m really happy I don’t feel like a walking zombie anymore. Once the pregnancy fatigue hit on top of low iron I literally stopped cooking, cleaning, taking care of myself. I was so earth shatteringly tired. Still want to get it up more as I know I’ll need it the rest of my pregnancy.