SURVEY: Do iron supplements bind you or make you poop?

I have to take 3 per day.

Constipation Station!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yikes. But you find ways to aleviate it. I have taken it all my life and always will, so you figure it out.

Jen,
I take a Carlson chew-iron every day at lunch time and it has had no affect
on my bathroom habits. I still wake up and go every morning. 
Tammy 

Hi Jenn, How are you doing? In my experience I get the Constipation Station but that is also in conjunction with having the high protein balanced meals we are supposed to have.  I would be very careful to get extra fluids into your system just so you do not start clogging the pipes.  I personally experienced this before taking the iron supplements & wound up back at barix in the hospital about 8 months after surgery having to get 3 & 1/2 bags of fluid & an enima due to slow moving pipes ( which in turn wound up pretty uncomfortable)  I was told that I am someone that needs quite a bit more then the average 64fl ounces a day.  The thing that seems to help keep me normal (whatever that is) with me know is using the Miralax in 4-8oz of water once a week.
You just can not use it everyday for the reason that your system will get used to it.  Good Luck!

This is probably late...but when I don't take them I get constipated.  When I take them I go like 3X a day regularly...weird right?  I was afraid they would bind me?!

I guess I must be the minority because every time I re-start iron suppliments, my stool gets softer and I go more.  I just had my gall bladder out and had to stop taking the iron for a bit but I just restarted last night.  I took 2 iron pills called HEMAGENICS which is made by METAGENICS.  I ordered it at a nearby pharmacy.  I'm not a vegetarian but it is a vegetarian suppliment with other B vitamins in it.  It is made so absorb better into your body.  It's healthier than getting a regular prescription.  Even when I used to take the plain iron from the pharmacy, I had more bowel movements then too.  If I'm not on iron,  I get constipated.

I have always had a problem with iron - with several different types. Some days I couldn't leave home because of the "runs". I was never constipated. It's not the usual response to iron but it does happen. You will know very quickly if you have this problem.

I take Repliva, no problems at all.  IF I dont drink enough water though, I get constipated.

Repliva actually works great for my bathroom habits