Ferrous sulfate

CAUTION:
Accidental overdose of products containing iron is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under the age of 6. Keep this product out of the reach of children. In case of an accidental overdose, call your doctor or a poison control center immediately.

General Information and Indications:

Ferrous sulfate provides the iron needed by the body to produce red blood cells. It is used to treat or prevent iron-deficiency anemia, a condition that occurs when the body has too few red blood cells because of pregnancy, poor diet, excess bleeding, or other medical problems.

Information For Users:

Ferrous sulfate comes in regular, coated, and extended-release (long-acting) tablets; regular and extended-release capsules; and oral liquid (syrup, drops, and elixir). Ferrous sulfate usually is taken three times a day between meals. Follow the directions on your prescription label, ask your doctor or pharmacist If you have any questions. Take ferrous sulfate exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your health care provider.

Although symptoms of iron deficiency usually improve within a few days, you may have to take ferrous sulfate for 6 months if you have severe iron deficiency.

This medication should be taken on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating.

Ferrous sulfate drops come with a special dropper for measuring the dose. Ask your pharmacist to show you how to use it. The drops may be placed directly in the mouth or mixed with water or fruit juice (not with milk).

Special precautions:

o Inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergy to ferrous sulfate, tartrazine (a yellow dye in some processed foods and drugs), or any other medications.
o Inform your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially chloramphenicol, cimetidine (Tagamet), levodopa (Larodopa, Sinemet), methyldopa (Aldomet), penicillamine, and vitamins. If you also are taking cinoxacin (Cinobac), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), demeclocycline, doxycycline, enoxacin (Penetrex), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), methacycline, minocycline, nalidixic acid (NegGram), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), oxytetracycline, sparfloxacin (Zagam), or tetracycline, take it 3 hours after or 2 hours before taking ferrous sulfate. Do not take antacids at the same time as ferrous sulfate; take them as far apart as possible.
o inform your doctor if you are breast-feeding ulcers, colitis, or intestinal disease.
o Inform your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking ferrous sulfate, call your doctor.

Possible Adverse Effects:

Though adverse effects of ferrous sulfate are not common, they could occur. Your stools will turn dark; this effect is harmless. Your teeth may stain from the liquid; mix each dose with water or fruit juice. You may clean your teeth once a week by rubbing them with a small amount of baking soda.

Inform your doctor if either of these symptoms is severe or does not go away:

o constipation
o stomach upset

Brand Name(s):

o Feosol®
o Feosol® Caplets
o Feostat®
o Feratab®
o Fer-Gen-Sol® Drops
o Fergon®
o Fer-In-Sol® Drops
o Ferrex®-150
o Fe-Tinic® 150
o Hemocyte®
o Hytinic®
o Icar® Pediatric
o Ircon®
o Mol-Iron®
o Nephro-Fer®
o Niferex®
o Niferex® Elixir
o Niferex®-150
o Slow FE®

Other Name(s):

o Ferro-DSS® Caplets® containing Ferrous Fumarate and Docusate Sodium
o Ferro-Sequels® containing Ferrous Fumarate and Docusate Sodium
o Ferrous Fumarate with DSS® Timed Capsules containing Ferrous Fumarate and Docusate Sodium