Haem UP

What is Haem UP?

Haem UP is an effective treatment for iron deficiency anaemia. Anaemia is caused by a lack of iron in the body. Iron is a key mineral needed by the body as it helps the blood to make the red cells that are needed to carry oxygen around the body. Iron deficiency and anaemia are common in adolescents, especially girls who have started their periods and are waiting for them to fall into a regular cycle, pregnant women and those with chronic diseases.

Haem UP comes as soft capsules which are easy to swallow, a drinkable syrup and also as an injection.

Haem UP is a branded medication and you can also purchase it as Livogen and Vitcofol. These medications are all the same and work in a similar way, but their appearance may differ due to branding.

How does Haem UP work?

Iron is an essential mineral needed by the body. Your blood contains red blood cells and these contain an essential protein called haemoglobin. This is important for health and for life as it’s involved in the oxygen exchange in the body. Haemoglobin carries oxygen from the air that you breathe in. It takes it to the organs, muscles and tissues in your body where it can be used to carry out your bodily functions. It swaps the oxygen that it carries with the carbon dioxide that your body creates when it uses oxygen. The carbon dioxide is carried out of the body and into the air around you. This is a basic but important process that’s essential to life. Iron is important because it’s the mineral that helps to produce haemoglobin. Without iron your blood isn’t able to make the protein and is therefore unable to transport oxygen and carbon dioxide.

A lack of iron in the body can make you feel tired, give you pale skin, make you more susceptible to headaches and also lower your immunity to common illnesses.

Foods such as leafy greens, nuts and fortified cereals are rich sources of iron. Those who don’t get enough iron from the food they eat, or lose a lot of it due to blood loss or lactation, can get the supplemental iron that they need from Haem UP.

Taking an iron supplement like Haem UP can help to reduce the symptoms associated with iron deficiency. Often, the most noticeable change is increased levels of energy and lower levels of tiredness.

What doses of Haem UP are there?

Haem UP is available in a single dose. It can be taken as a syrup, soft gel or via injection. The form of Haem UP that you take will depend on your preference and also the advice of your doctor.

When you book an appointment with one of our doctors they will talk to you about your health and medical history before helping you to decide which form of Haem UP is best for you to take.

If you try Haem UP and find that it doesn’t suit you, or find that it doesn’t work in the way you need it to, your doctor will be able to help you explore other treatment options.

How to take Haem UP

You should always take Haem UP exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

When taking the capsules you’ll usually be told to take:

• the capsule whole with water
• one capsule a day
• the capsule with or without food

When taking the syrup, you’ll usually be told to:

• take it after food
• take it once a day
• measure the dose carefully

When using the injected form you’ll usually be told to:

• visit a healthcare professional as the injection shouldn’t be self-administered

If you have any questions about how to take your treatment, you should refer to the patient leaflet that comes with it. If you’re still unsure about anything you can log into your Treated account and send a message to one of our doctors.

How long does it take Haem UP to work?

You’ll usually start to feel the benefits of Haem UP after a week, but it can take upto a month for it to have maximum benefit.

Due to the nature of iron deficiency anaemia and the way in which Haem UP can be used to prevent it, it may feel as if the medication isn’t having any effect. This is rarely the case and you should continue to take the treatment, even when it feels like it may not be working for you.

If you have any concerns about your medication and its efficacy you should speak to one of our doctors.

It’s possible to undergo a blood test to test iron levels, and this can be done after you’ve been taking the treatment for a prolonged period of time. This will tell you whether the treatment is working in the way you need it to.

What should I do if I make a mistake when taking Haem UP?

If you forget to take a dose of Haem UP you should take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s almost time for you to take your next dose, you should miss the forgotten dose and continue to take your treatment as you normally would. Never take two doses of Haem UP.

If you take more Haem UP than you should, seek medical attention. When seeing a medical professional, take your treatment with you so that they can see what you’ve taken.