Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Feratab as follows:
- When taking Feratab as an oral liquid/suspension/elixir, use a measuring spoon/cup to measure the correct dose being taken, in order to avoid risk for over/under dosing. Also, do not forgot to shake the suspension well before you use it. The liquid form of the medication, upon plain intake, carries the risk of staining the teeth black. Mix the liquid medication with a cup of water or small amount of orange juice can help avoid the teeth getting stained with Feratab. Cleaning the teeth twice weekly with sodium bicarbonate (baking powder) also can help prevent the teeth from staining.
- Oral feratab intake can result in gastric upset, slowing of bowel movements, and exacerbation of constipation episodes, especially in individuals with history of the same. Observe compliance with recommendation for liberal fluid intake, while you are continuing on Feratab, to prevent slowing of bowels. Consult your physician for any recommendation regarding stool softeners/laxatives, while you are continuing on Feratab. Observe compliance with the recommendation made, to prevent episodes of constipation from developing.
- Feratab can take some time to fairly adjust to your body and reach a therapeutic level in your blood, before producing the desired results. Do not discontinue taking the medication without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the desired result immediately after taking the medication.
- Observe compliance with dietary measures to include more iron-enriched food items in the diet, as recommended by your physician. Iron enriched meats could include chicken liver, oysters, clams, mussels, white meat of chicken & turkey, red meat of beef & lamb, pork, and ham. Legumes such as peas, lentils, and beans, green leafy vegetables such as, kale and spinach, nuts & seeds such as, cashew, almonds, and macadamia nuts, vegetables such as, potatoes, soybeans, tofu, tomatoes, and mushroom are all decent vegetable sources of iron.
