Iron, Vitamins, and constipation.....

OK guys, I know this sounds weird, but I just thought I'd chime in on this... I am anemic and have to take iron supplements that my Dr. prescribes... OK now we know that iron can make us constipated... (or even if you don't need iron and you are constipated this may or may not help)... My dr. also prescribes for me a prenatal vitamin that has a stool softner in it... this helps keep me regular.... just thought I'd share this with y'all... Good Day, Bonnie ps... I am almost 7 yrs post op and this has always helped, bcause when I am not taking my vitamin I can tell a difference....

My doctor has me take prenatal vitamins because of the extra iron, but I stay constipated.  I am curious about these prenatals that you take that have a stool softener in them.  What are they so I can see about taking those myself?  Thanks for the info. Melissa

Prenate Elite is the name of the prenatal vitamin, but they are always changing the name of these or they quit making it and there's a new one with a different name... I will usuall call my qyno and ask her what are the prenatals with stool softners and then I relay it to my primary... I also take 325 mg of ferrous sulfate RX, I am supposed to take twice a day, but if I keep up with my vitamin I can usually just do once a day (depending on how my blood work is, I usually have to have it done every 3-6 months due to anemia).

Even tho you're not asking, thought i'd throw my 2 cents in.

Fe sulfate is the worst possible iron we can take. least well absorbed, and the 325mg is iron SALTS, with only about 65mg elemental iron.

I do not recommend prenatals at all, constipation being one reason, and they're constructed all wrong for a WLS person, too low in A & D, for example, mixing the iron and calcium, and so on.

Tender iron is less constipating better abosrbed. And can be separated from the extra calcium you need.

But the bottom line is that if you are constipated, the one natural thing you can take, besides adding stool softeners (good) or taking Rx Miralax (a real blessing) is MAGNESIUM OXIDE. Yes, I know mag citrate pills are "better", not the green bottle for clean out--another topic. Mag citrate wil help with foot/leg cramps and only a lot, lot, lot MIGHT help with bowels.

Magnesium oxide is cheap, easily found at drug stores and you can adjust the dose. mine is 500mg and I take 2 per day. But if you use them, take one for 2-3 days and see what happens, then add another. They can change you from rocks to waterfall over night!