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A 28-year-old female asked:
how long after taking iron tablets will my stool remain black? i stopped on friday and i have a bm once every 3 or so days and still black :/ nervous. they are formed; but black.
2 doctor answers • 3 doctors weighed in
Dr. Lester Thompson answered
Pathology 33 years experience
Variable: It depends on the transit time through your gut. If you have a fast transit it could be many hours -- but if you are slow, it could be several days. If you are constipated (once every 3 days is constipated), you are going to have dark stools for perhaps a 7-10 days. Don't worry about it.
4838 viewsAnswered Dec 28, 2019
Dr. John Chiu answered
Allergy and Immunology 57 years experience
Don't worry: If you have a bm only once every 3 days, this means that the iron would stay in the stool until you have the next bm. If the dark color extends beyond 2 bm cycles, then you should get checked out.
4838 viewsReviewed >2 years ago
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Last updated Dec 28, 2019
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