Iron tablets.

I’ve just finished a course of ferrous sulphate for anaemia - I needed a very high dose and my GP said the over the counter ones wouldn’t be strong enough Spatone is meant to be very good as it’s gentle on your stomach but I’m not sure of the doses. That’s worrying he’s not being prescribed something he needs

My body, being old, no longer processed the iron correctly. This was discovered in hospital and confirmed by my GP although blood tests did not show anaemia.

What most people need is heme iron and nowadays it's being called 'gentle iron' in some places as it doesn't cause constipation.

Ask your pharmacist for advice - iron is not expensive and if your husband needs supplements, clearly he's not getting enough from food - in fact we rarely do, especially as we get older.

Foods which can inhibit iron absorbtion are:
wheat, the tannin in tea and coffee, eggs, dairy and rhubarb
But only in excess - I get by in very lively fashion with an occasonal egg and my Iron & Vitamin C supplement and frankly feel bleh if I forget to take it.

I take brands made in NZ so no point in recommending the one that keeps me bouncing - but your chemist/pharmacist will know.

When I was working in my last job in a nursing home, I dispensed Ferrous Sulphate 200mg to several of my Residents every night. They were white enteric coated tablets, round and easy to swallow.
These were what the doctors prescribed.
You can buy them over the counter.
You need the enteric coated tablets as they are not digested in the stomach, protecting the iron from the acidity of the stomach.

Could he ask about injections? I had courses of injections with both of my pregnancies (long time ago!), if I remember correctly the doc decided that I was unable to absorb the iron from tablets

He has had investigations but no cause has been found as yet, he rung the consultant today and was told to go back on iron.
No idea which one to get as the others obviously are not working.

Unless recommended by a doctor older people should not be taking iron tablets.

The first thing to find out is why your husband has got anaemia then treat the cause accordingly. There are many reasons for anaemia and this is what the GP should be finding out.

If they are not working you used to be able to get a course of iron injections. If it was me, I’d talk to the practice nurse or doctor about my concerns.