Hemocyte

Ferrous fumarate is a type of iron. You normally get iron from the foods you eat. In your body, iron becomes a part of your hemoglobin (HEEM o glo bin) and myoglobin (MY o glo bin). Hemoglobin carries oxygen through your blood to tissues and organs. Myoglobin helps your muscle cells store oxygen.

Ferrous fumarate is used to treat iron deficiency anemia (a lack of red blood cells caused by having too little iron in the body).

Ferrous fumarate may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

You should not use ferrous fumarate if you have iron overload syndrome, or other red blood cell disorders.

You should not use ferrous fumarate if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• iron overload syndrome;
• anemia (a lack of red blood cells); or
• thalassemia (a genetic disorder of red blood cells).

To make sure ferrous fumarate is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver or kidney disease;
• porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system);
• if you are an alcoholic; or
• if you receive regular blood transfusions.

It is not known whether ferrous fumarate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy.

It is not known whether ferrous fumarate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give ferrous fumarate to a child without the advice of a doctor.

You should not use ferrous fumarate if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• iron overload syndrome;

• anemia (a lack of red blood cells); or

• thalassemia (a genetic disorder of red blood cells).

To make sure ferrous fumarate is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver or kidney disease;

• porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system);

• if you are an alcoholic; or

• if you receive regular blood transfusions.

It is not known whether ferrous fumarate will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication. Your dose needs may be different during pregnancy.

It is not known whether ferrous fumarate passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give ferrous fumarate to a child without the advice of a doctor.

Follow all directions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended.

Take ferrous fumarate on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Avoid taking antacids or antibiotics within 2 hours before or after taking ferrous fumarate.

Take this medication with a full glass of water.

Do not crush, chew, or break a ferrous fumarate tablet. Swallow it whole.

Store at room temperature away from moisture, heat, and light.

Ferrous fumarate is only part of a complete program of treatment that may also include a special diet. It is very important to follow the diet plan created for you by your doctor or nutrition counselor. You should become very familiar with the list of foods you should eat to make sure you get enough iron from both your diet and your medication.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 if you think you have used too much of this medicine, or if a child has accidentally swallowed it. An overdose of ferrous fumarate can be fatal to a child.

Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, severe nausea or stomach pain, vomiting, shallow breathing, weak and rapid pulse, cold or clammy skin, blue lips, and loss of consciousness.

Do not take any vitamin or mineral supplements that your doctor has not prescribed or recommended.

Ask your doctor before using an antacid, and use only the type your doctor recommends. Some antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb ferrous fumarate.

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor as soon as possible if any of the following side effects occur:

• Backache , groin, side, or muscle pain
• chest pain
• chills
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast heartbeat
• fever with increased sweating
• flushing
• headache
• metallic taste
• nausea or vomiting
• numbness, pain, or tingling of hands or feet
• pain or redness at injection site
• redness of skin
• skin rash or hives
• swelling of mouth or throat
• troubled breathing

• Abdominal or stomach pain
• cramping (continuing) or soreness

• Double vision
• general unwell feeling
• weakness without feeling dizzy or faint

• Chest or throat pain, especially when swallowing
• stools with signs of blood (red or black color)

Symptoms of iron overdose may not occur for up to 60 minutes or more after the overdose was taken. By this time you should have had emergency room treatment. Do not delay going to emergency room while waiting for signs to appear.

• Diarrhea (may contain blood)
• fever
• nausea
• stomach pain or cramping (sharp)
• vomiting, severe (may contain blood)

• Bluish-colored lips, fingernails, and palms of hands
• convulsions (seizures)
• pale, clammy skin
• shallow and rapid breathing
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weak and fast heartbeat

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Constipation
• diarrhea
• leg cramps
• nausea
• vomiting

Stools commonly become dark green or black when iron preparations are taken by mouth. This is caused by unabsorbed iron and is harmless. However, in rare cases, black stools of a sticky consistency may occur along with other side effects such as red streaks in the stool, cramping, soreness, or sharp pains in the stomach or abdominal area. Check with your health care professional immediately if these side effects appear.

If you have been receiving injections of iron, you may notice a brown discoloration of your skin. This color usually fades within several weeks or months.

• Darkened urine
• heartburn
• stained teeth

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

• Tell all of your health care providers that you take this medicine. This includes your doctors, nurses, pharmacists, and dentists.
• Have blood work checked as you have been told by the doctor. Talk with the doctor.
• This medicine may affect certain lab tests. Tell all of your health care providers and lab workers that you take Hemocyte.
• If you are allergic to tartrazine, talk with your doctor. Some products have tartrazine.
• This medicine prevents many other drugs from getting into the body. If you take other drugs, check with your doctor or pharmacist to see if you need to take them at some other time than this medicine.
• Accidental overdose of drugs that have iron in them is a leading cause of deadly poisoning in children younger than 6 years of age. Keep away from children. If Hemocyte is taken by accident, call a doctor or poison control center right away.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant. You will need to talk about the benefits and risks of using this medicine while you are pregnant.
• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. You will need to talk about any risks to your baby.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about Hemocyte (ferrous fumarate tablets and capsules), please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take this medicine or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about Hemocyte. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to this medicine. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using Hemocyte.

Review Date: October 4, 2017