Iron tablets - reacting badly?

[Pumpkinandpeas]

I'm on iron tablets for iron deficiency. Had them last year for 3 months seemingly no issues at all. This time round I'm really struggling with them. I'm getting bad stomach cramps and bouts of diarrhea. Yesterday I felt terrible so didn't take one last night or this morning. Had a BM this evening and it's not been diarrhea no stomach cramps and the BM wasn't black which is strange as missing 2 tablets it shouldn't be entirely out of my system. I'm just wondering is there any point in ringing the doctor I'm on ferrous sulfate x2 daily but unsure if there's an alternative?

We gave our daughter Floradix and it was less irritating.

There are different options — I had a choice of one type of pill twice a day or another thrice a day. Ask your GP or pharmacy if you can switch. (If you pay for prescriptions it’s cheaper to buy them OTC too.)

We gave our daughter Floradix and it was less irritating.

But you'd have to drink 87 mL (about a third of a bottle) of Floradix Liquid Iron Formula to get as much iron as there is in one ferrous sulfate tablet.

OP - It takes on average 1.7 days for something to go from being swallowed to being eliminated in the faeces. One day seems a bit short but it's possible that the concentration of iron in your large intestine has got low enough for you not to notice the colour and stiffness.

Iron biglyscinate is easier on the stomach.

Ferrous fumerate might be an alternative.

There is new research indicating that only one tablet per day should be taken as the body can't absorb any more in that time frame and you'd just be getting added side effects for no benefit. I don't think all doctors are aware of this change in guidance.