What are the symptoms of Iron Deficiency Anemia?
In general, some of the symptoms associated with iron deficiency anemia include:1,2,3,4
- Pale skin
- Headaches
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Trouble with cognitive and motor abilities and lower performance at work or school
- Difficulty maintaining body temperature
- Difficulty breathing, or the feeling of being able to breathe comfortably only when standing or sitting straight up
- A higher than normal heart rate when exercising
- Heart problems such as murmurs or an enlarged heart
- Lung congestion
- Fluid buildup in the abdominal cavity
- Pica (a disorder that can cause people to want to eat non-nutritive substances such as ice, dirt, or clay)
If you're experiencing any of the common symptoms of iron deficiency anemia, it's important to talk to your doctor. IDA symptoms can be confused with other health problems and you should never attempt to diagnose or treat yourself without seeing a healthcare professional first.
Important Safety Information
WARNING: Accidental overdose of iron-containing products is a leading cause of fatal poisoning in children under 6. KEEP THIS PRODUCT OUT OF THE REACH OF CHILDREN. In case of accidental overdose, call a doctor or poison control center immediately.
Warning
Folic acid alone is improper therapy in the treatment of pernicious anemia and other megaloblastic anemias where vitamin B12 is deficient.
Precautions
Administration of Drug- General: Take 2 hours after meals. Do not exceed recommended dose. Discontinue use if symptoms of intolerance appear. The type of anemia and underlying cause or causes should be determined before starting therapy with Ferralet® 90 tablets. Ensure Hgb, Hct, reticulocyte count are determined before starting therapy and periodically thereafter during prolonged treatment. Periodically review therapy to determine if it needs to be continued without change or if a dose change is indicated. This product contains FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) which may cause allergic type reactions (including bronchial asthma) in certain susceptible persons. Although the overall incidence of FD&C Yellow No. 5 (tartrazine) sensitivity in the general population is low, it is frequently seen in patients who also have aspirin hypersensitivity.
- Folic Acid: Folic acid in doses above 0.1 mg daily may obscure pernicious anemia in that hematologic remission can occur while neurological manifestations remain progressive. Pernicious anemia should be excluded before using these products since folic acid may mask the symptoms of pernicious anemia.
- Pediatric Use: Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients have not been established.
- Geriatric Use: Dosing for elderly patients should be cautious. Due to the greater frequency of decreased hepatic, renal, or cardiac function, and of concomitant disease or other drug therapy, dosing should start at the lower end of the dosing range.
This material is intended to provide basic information. Patients should discuss all medical advice, diagnosis, and treatment with their healthcare provider.
Please see full Prescribing Information
- Barton JC. Iron deficiency. In Rakel RE, Bope ET. Conn's Current Therapy, 2008. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: Saunders/Elsevier, 385-389.
- Cook JD, Reddy MB. Effect of ascorbic acid intake on nonheme-iron absorption from a complete diet. Am J Clin Nutr. 2001 Jan;73(1):93-8
- Murray-Kolb LE, Beard JL. Iron treatment normalizes cognitive functioning in young women. Am J Clin Nutr. 2007 Mar;85(3):778-87.
- Dietary supplement fact sheet: iron [Internet]. National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements; 2007 Aug 24 [cited 2008 Apr 20]. Available from: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/iron.asp.
