Pilferon

Who is this for?

This is a combination of iron (ferrous fumarate) and folic acid — two important nutrients your body needs to make healthy red blood cells and prevent or treat anaemia (low blood level).

Replenishes ferrous iron stores essential for haemoglobin synthesis and oxygen transport, while folic acid acts as a coenzyme in DNA synthesis and cell division, restoring erythropoiesis and correcting megaloblastic anaemia.

Is Ferrous safe to take with another drug?

For adults, the usual dose is 1 tablet once or twice daily, depending on your doctor's advice. Take it with water, preferably on an empty stomach for better absorption. If it upsets your stomach, you can take it with food. Avoid taking it with tea, coffee, or milk as these reduce absorption.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. But if it's almost time for your next dose, skip the missed one and continue your normal schedule. Do not take two tablets at once to make up for it.

• Black or dark-coloured stool (this is normal and harmless)
• stomach upset or belly pain
• constipation
• nausea or feeling like you want to vomit
• mild diarrhoea

Avoid taking it at the same time as antacids (like magnesium trisilicate or aluminium hydroxide) — wait at least 2 hours between them. Tetracycline and ciprofloxacin antibiotics should not be taken together with this drug as they block each other's absorption — space them at least 2 hours apart. Tea, coffee, and milk reduce iron absorption, so avoid them around the time you take your tablet.

Store in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight and heat — Nigerian weather can be hot, so avoid leaving it on windowsills or in your car. Keep the container tightly closed and far from children's reach, as iron overdose in children can be very dangerous.