# I took 3 Iron pills at once and I'm scared. What should I do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 7, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713 "2014-09-07T01:02:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/1 "2014-09-07T01:02:44Z")
Lately I’ve been trying to improve my physical form, and especially my cardiovascular endurance. Anyway, I got a little carried away, and took 3 iron pills all at once. Each pill was 65mg iron. Does this mean I’m going to die or need to call 911? ---
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/2 "2014-09-07T01:06:54Z")
sorry, wrong forum ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/3 "2014-09-07T01:07:57Z")
Yes, you are going to die. We all are, eventually. No, you don’t need to call 911. You’ve taken less than 200 mg of iron, a miniscule dose for iron sulfate or iron gluconate, the most common forms. QtM, MD ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/4 "2014-09-07T01:08:01Z")
I’m going to move this thread to General Questions, where you might get more appropriate response. Also: For a poison emergency in the U.S. call 1-800-222-1222 American Association of Poison Control Centers ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/5 "2014-09-07T01:09:49Z")
Seems to me it’s already been answered, **Tuba** , by a simulpost from **Qadgop**. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/6 "2014-09-07T01:09:50Z")
Aha, the doctor has seen you! Thanks, Doc. ---
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/7 "2014-09-07T01:45:41Z")
I don’t think I’ll die, but I probably burnt my intestines up since I had black stools. Iron is corrosive, and I just had diarrhea, but at the same time, the diarrhea could have been caused by my extreme water intake when I panicked. Now, I guess I’ll go a few days without food so that my intestines can heal. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/8 "2014-09-07T01:54:06Z")
> [@Contemplation](#): > > I don’t think I’ll die, but I probably burnt my intestines up since I had black stools. > Iron is corrosive, and I just had diarrhea, but at the same time, the diarrhea could have been caused by my extreme water intake when I panicked. > Now, I guess I’ll go a few days without food so that my intestines can heal. Did you read the previous posts? You took a _miniscule_ dose of iron. There is nothing wrong with you(r intestines). ---
**Author:** ![Contemplation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Contemplation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contemplation)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/9 "2014-09-07T02:08:17Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Did you read the previous posts? You took a _miniscule_ dose of iron. There is nothing wrong with you(r intestines). Each pill is actually 325 mg ferrous sulfate, but it is only 65 mg of elemental iron. And it came out black in the toilet. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 7, 2014, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-took-3-iron-pills-at-once-and-im-scared-what-should-i-do/697713/10 "2014-09-07T02:22:54Z")
Since the OP has gotten about as good an answer as he is likely to get here, I’m going to close this. If he has serious concerns about his health he needs to see a health professional as soon as possible in person. Colibri General Questions Moderator