low iron / tarry stools - Anemia Message Board

rin · 03-30-2001, 08:24 PM

Hi, this is embarassing but i'm sure there are worse things... I started taking iron pills a week ago and now i have diarrhea (black tarry stools - as i've heard them say). Is this normal? Or should i talk to my GP again? Does it mean that the iron isn't being absorbed but just passing through?

Rin

Amy42601 · 03-31-2001, 01:16 AM

Hi...

Unfortunately, this is a "normal" occurance when taking the iron tabs. Mine is that way as well, and while I was in hospital, I had the same sort of stool. I was so scared that after I had "done my business," I ran out to the midwives and asked why my stools looked like tar. She said it was normal. Yay.

It's not nice, is it?

Hope this helped!

--Amy

rin · 03-31-2001, 03:23 PM

Thanks Amy.

Rin

venus138 · 01-06-2002, 09:06 PM

I take an otc pill called "perfect iron". It doesn't have the "normal" side effects of iron pills, and it's just two pills once a day. I get it at Wal-Mart, so it's easy to find. I hope this helps someone out there!