multivitamins with iron

Never take more than the recommended dose of a multivitamin. Avoid taking more than one multivitamin product at the same time unless your doctor tells you to. Taking similar vitamin products together can result in a vitamin or mineral overdose or serious side effects.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of vitamins A, D, E, or K can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. Iron and other minerals contained in a multivitamin can also cause serious overdose symptoms if you take too much.

Overdose symptoms may include severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, coughing up blood, constipation, loss of appetite, hair loss, peeling skin, warmth or tingly feeling, changes in menstrual periods, weight loss, severe headache, muscle or joint pain, severe back pain, blood in your urine or stools, black and tarry stools, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, weakness, shallow breathing, weak and rapid pulse, pale skin, blue lips, and seizure (convulsions).

Do not take this medication with milk, other dairy products, calcium supplements, or antacids that contain calcium. Calcium may make it harder for your body to absorb certain ingredients of the multivitamin with iron.

Multivitamins are a combination of many different vitamins that are normally found in foods and other natural sources.

Iron is normally found in foods like red meat. In the 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.

Multivitamins and iron are used to provide vitamins and iron that are not taken in through the diet. They are also used to treat iron or vitamin deficiencies caused by illness, pregnancy, poor nutrition, digestive disorders, and many other conditions.

Multivitamins and iron may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Iron and certain vitamins can cause serious or life-threatening side effects if taken in large doses. Do not take more of this medication than directed on the label or prescribed by your doctor.

If you have any medical conditions, ask your doctor before taking a multivitamins with iron. If you have certain conditions, you may need a certain vitamin formulation or special tests while taking this product.

Do not take multivitamins with iron without telling your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Some vitamins and minerals can harm an unborn baby if taken in large doses. You may need to use a prenatal vitamin specially formulated for pregnant women.

Multivitamins can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Use this medication as directed on the label, or as your doctor has prescribed. Do not use the medication in larger amounts or for longer than recommended.

Never take more than the recommended dose of multivitamins with iron. Avoid taking more than one multivitamin product at the same time unless your doctor tells you to. Taking similar vitamin products together can result in a vitamin or mineral overdose or serious side effects.

Many multivitamin products also contain minerals such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Minerals (especially taken in large doses) can cause side effects such as tooth staining, increased urination, stomach bleeding, uneven heart rate, confusion, and muscle weakness or limp feeling. Read the label of any multivitamin product you take to make sure you are aware of what it contains.

Take your multivitamin with a full glass of water.

You may take the multivitamin with food if it upsets your stomach.

The chewable tablet must be chewed or allowed to dissolve in the mouth before swallowing.

Measure the liquid form of this multivitamin using a special dose-measuring spoon or cup, not a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist where you can get one.

Liquid multivitamins may sometimes be mixed with water, fruit juice, or infant formula (but not milk or other dairy products). Follow the directions on the medicine label.

Do not crush, chew, break, or open an extended-release tablet or capsule. Swallow the pill whole. Breaking or opening the pill may cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

It is important to take multivitamins with iron regularly to get the most benefit.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the liquid medicine from freezing.

Store multivitamins in their original container. Storing multivitamins in a glass container can ruin the medication.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. An overdose of vitamins A, D, E, or K can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. Iron and other minerals contained in a multivitamin can also cause serious overdose symptoms.

Overdose symptoms may include severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, coughing up blood, constipation, loss of appetite, hair loss, peeling skin, warmth or tingly feeling, changes in menstrual periods, weight loss, severe headache, muscle or joint pain, severe back pain, blood in your urine or stools, black and tarry stools, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, weakness, shallow breathing, weak and rapid pulse, pale skin, blue lips, and seizure (convulsions).

Avoid taking more than one multivitamin product at the same time unless your doctor tells you to. Taking similar vitamin products together can result in a vitamin or mineral overdose or serious side effects.

Avoid the regular use of salt substitutes in your diet if your multivitamin contains potassium. If you are on a low-salt diet, ask your doctor before taking a vitamin or mineral supplement.

Avoid taking an antibiotic medicine within 2 hours before or after you take multivitamins with iron. 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 iron. Avoid taking this multivitamin within 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating fish, meat, liver, and whole grain or "fortified" breads or cereals.

Do not take this medication with milk, other dairy products, calcium supplements, or antacids that contain calcium. Calcium may make it harder for your body to absorb certain ingredients of the multivitamin.

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 fumarate tablet.

When taken as directed, multivitamins are not expected to cause serious side effects. Less serious side effects may include:

• constipation, diarrhea;
• nausea, vomiting, heartburn;
• stomach pain, upset stomach;
• black or dark-colored stools or urine;
• temporary staining of the teeth;
• headache; or
• unusual or unpleasant taste in your mouth.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

Vitamin and mineral supplements can interact with certain medications, or affect how medications work in your body. Before taking multivitamins with iron, tell your doctor if you also use:

• acetohydroxamic acid (Lithostat);
• cimetidine (Tagamet);
• deferoxamine (Desferal);
• etidronate (Didronel);
• diuretics (water pills);
• heart or blood pressure medications;
• tretinoin (Vesanoid);
• isotretinoin (Accutane, Amnesteen, Clavaris, Sotret);
• dimercaprol (an injection used to treat poisoning by arsenic, lead, or mercury);
• penicillamine (Cuprimine);
• pancrelipase (Cotazym, Creon, Ilozyme, Pancrease, Ultrase);
• trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Cotrim, Bactrim, Septra, TMP/SMX); or
• an NSAID (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), diclofenac (Cataflam, Voltaren), etodolac (Lodine), indomethacin (Indocin), ketoprofen (Orudis), and others.

This list is not complete and there may be other medications that can interact with or be affected by multivitamins. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Your pharmacist can provide more information about multivitamins with iron.