What is ferrous gluconate?
Ferrous gluconate 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 gluconate is used to treat iron deficiency anemia (a lack of red blood cells caused by having too little iron in the body).
Ferrous gluconate may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.
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Precautions
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Instructions
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Side Effects
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Interactions
Precautions
Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs or food dyes, or if you have:
- iron overload syndrome;
- hemolytic anemia (a lack of red blood cells);
- porphyria (a genetic enzyme disorder that causes symptoms affecting the skin or nervous system);
- thalassemia (a genetic disorder of red blood cells);
- liver or kidney disease;
- if you are an alcoholic; or
- if you receive regular blood transfusions.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use ferrous gluconate, or you may need a dose adjustment or special tests during treatment.
It is not known whether this medication could be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.
It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Do not give ferrous gluconate to a child without the advice of a doctor.
Do not take any vitamin or mineral supplements that your doctor has not prescribed or recommended.
Avoid taking an antibiotic medicine within 2 hours before or after you take ferrous gluconate. This is especially important if you are taking an antibiotic such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), demeclocycline (Declomycin), doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Oracea, Vibramycin), levofloxacin (Levaquin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn, Vectrin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), ofloxacin (Floxin), or tetracycline (Brodspec, Panmycin, Sumycin, Tetracap).
Certain foods can also make it harder for your body to absorb ferrous gluconate. Avoid taking this medication within 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating fish, meat, liver, and whole grain or "fortified” breads or cereals.
Avoid using antacids without your doctor’s advice. Use only the specific type of antacid your doctor recommends. Antacids contain different medicines and some types can make it harder for your body to absorb ferrous gluconate.
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Instructions
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine, or if a child has accidentally swallowed it. An overdose of ferrous gluconate can be fatal to a child.
Overdose symptoms may include drowsiness, severe nausea or stomach pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, shallow breathing, weak and rapid pulse, cold or clammy skin, blue lips, and seizure (convulsions).
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to take the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.
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Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Call your doctor if you have serious side effects such as:
- bright red blood in your stools; or
- pain in your chest or throat when swallowing a ferrous gluconate tablet.
Less serious side effects may include:
- constipation, diarrhea;
- nausea, vomiting, heartburn;
- stomach pain, upset stomach;
- black or dark-colored stools or urine; or
- temporary staining of the teeth.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Interactions
The following drugs can interact with ferrous gluconate. Tell your doctor if you use any of these:
- acetohydroxamic acid (Lithostat);
- cimetidine (Tagamet);
- deferoxamine (Desferal);
- etidronate (Didronel);
- dimercaprol (an injection used to treat poisoning by arsenic, lead, or mercury);
- penicillamine (Cuprimine); or
- pancrelipase (Cotazym, Creon, Ilozyme, Pancrease, Ultrase).
This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with ferrous gluconate. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.
Other Names
Ferate, Fergon, Ferralet, Simron, and ferrous gluconate
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Disclaimer
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.
Copyright 1996-2004 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version 2.05. Revision date 8/23/04
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