It took my doctor at least two years before I asked him if he had checked my iron levels! I was having dizzy spells and low energy for years before this but they got worse as I got older. Then when he prescribed over the counter iron supplements they did nothing but plug me up. Luckily my sons were going to a Waldorf School at the time and occasionally I would take them to the Anthroposophical Doctors for evaluations, check ups and remedies that could be treated by them instead of what our regular Allopathic (Western Medicine) prescribed. Anthroposophical Doc. have regular medical degrees but they are also trained to look at the body wholistically and often use herbs, tonics, homeopathic, and other sorts of treatments like working with a trained movement therapist, a masseuse or bath massages, art therapy and more. They prescribed me an iron supplement called BIDOR which I had to get approved by my regular general Blue Cross Doc in order to get this from the Weleda Pharmacy in New York. When I switched to Kaiser I was happy that my new doc took my old docs evaluation of this supplement as sound and continues to give me yearly prescriptions for a years worth of BIDOR. I take four tablets a day and I did not get constipated from it and it was clear in a few weeks that it was helping. Many of my friends over the years have switched to BIDOR because they also did not find that the regular iron supplements worked. Bidor is a blend of herbs and iron to make it more absorbable by the body. If anyone needs their 800 number I will happily provide.