Tardiferon-fol

Leaflet attached to the packaging: patient information

Warning! Keep the leaflet! Information on the immediate packaging in a foreign language.

Tardyferon-Fol (gyno-Tardyferon)

80 mg iron(II) ions + 0.35 mg, prolonged-release tablets

Ferrosi sulfas + Acidum folicum
Tardyferon-Fol and gyno-Tardyferon are different trade names for the same drug.

It is necessary to carefully read the contents of the leaflet before using the drug, as it contains important information for the patient.

• The leaflet should be kept so that it can be re-read if necessary.
• In case of any doubts, the doctor or pharmacist should be consulted.
• This medicine has been prescribed for a specific person. It should not be given to others. The medicine may harm another person, even if the symptoms of their illness are the same.
• If the patient experiences any side effects, including any side effects not listed in this leaflet, they should tell their doctor or pharmacist. See section 4.

Table of contents of the leaflet

• 1. What is Tardyferon-Fol and what is it used for
• 2. Important information before taking Tardyferon-Fol
• 3. How to take Tardyferon-Fol
• 4. Possible side effects
• 5. How to store Tardyferon-Fol
• 6. Package contents and other information

1. What is Tardyferon-Fol and what is it used for

Tardyferon-Fol is a combination drug containing iron(II) sulfate and folic acid. Iron is released slowly and evenly, which reduces the risk of local accumulation in the stomach and intestines, and thus improves the tolerance of the drug. Delayed release has a beneficial effect on iron absorption in the intestine. Folic acid is absorbed quickly.
During pregnancy, the demand for iron increases significantly, and it is easy to develop a deficiency in the body. Initially, iron deficiency can lead to general complaints, such as decreased appetite or rapid fatigue, without signs of anemia. Only in the case of significant iron deficiency, i.e., when there is not enough iron for necessary hemoglobin production, does obvious iron deficiency with anemia occur. General complaints worsen, and additionally, cracking of the corners of the mouth, brittleness of nails and hair may occur.
Significant folic acid deficiency can lead to disorders in the production of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets - however, this phenomenon occurs rarely.
Tardyferon-Fol is used to prevent and treat iron and folic acid deficiencies in pregnant women.
Tardyferon-Fol is indicated for use in pregnant women.

2. Important information before taking Tardyferon-Fol

When not to take Tardyferon-Fol:

• if the patient is allergic to the active substances or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6);
• in cases of all anemias with causes other than iron deficiency;
• in cases of iron accumulation (hemochromatosis, chronic hemolysis, frequent transfusions);
• in cases of difficulty incorporating iron (sideroachrestic anemia, lead poisoning-induced anemia, thalassemia, porphyria cutanea tarda);
• in cases of confirmed iron intolerance (e.g., severe inflammatory changes in the digestive tract);
• if there are severe liver and kidney function disorders;
• in children.

Warnings and precautions

Before starting treatment with Tardyferon-Fol, the doctor or pharmacist should be consulted.
Iron preparations should be used after consulting a doctor, especially in cases of stomach and intestinal inflammation, delayed gastric emptying, and other confirmed digestive system diseases.
Hiposideremia associated with inflammatory conditions does not respond to iron treatment. Iron treatment must be combined with causal treatment as much as possible.
Tardyferon-Fol should be stored in a place inaccessible to children, as even the smallest package (30 film-coated tablets) contains a total dose of iron that can be life-threatening if taken at once (especially in small children).
Administering folic acid during treatment with antiepileptic drugs may decrease the levels of these drugs in the blood due to the return to normal of their metabolism rate, which was previously reduced by the deficiency; it is necessary to monitor the levels of antiepileptic drugs and adjust their dosage if necessary.
The doctor should be informed before taking Tardyferon-Fol:

• if the patient has difficulty swallowing.

If the patient accidentally chokes on a tablet, they should immediately contact a doctor, as there is a risk of esophageal or bronchial ulceration if the tablet enters the airways.
This can cause persistent cough, hemoptysis, and (or) shortness of breath, even if the choking occurred several days or even several months before the onset of these symptoms.
Therefore, it should be quickly assessed whether the tablets are damaging the patient's airways.
In medical literature, gastrointestinal melanosis (discoloration in the digestive system) has been described in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease, diabetes (high blood sugar levels), and (or) hypertension (high blood pressure), treated with several drugs against these diseases and receiving iron supplementation due to accompanying anemia.
Due to the risk of oral ulceration and tooth discoloration, tablets should not be sucked, chewed, or held in the mouth, but swallowed whole, washed down with water. If following these instructions is not possible or there are difficulties with swallowing, the doctor should be consulted.

Tardyferon-Fol and other medicines

The doctor or pharmacist should be informed about all medicines currently or recently taken by the patient, as well as any medicines the patient plans to take.

Iron

Contraindicated combinations:

Iron (salts)(administered by injection):
Fainting, and even shock associated with rapid release of iron from its complex form and saturation of transferrin with iron.
Taking certain antibiotics (tetracyclines) with Tardyferon-Fol reduces their effectiveness.
Absorption of iron from Tardyferon-Fol is reduced if it is administered simultaneously:

• with magnesium, phosphate, calcium, or gold salts;
• if the patient is taking cholestyramine, Tardyferon-Fol should be administered 1 to 2 hours before or 4 to 6 hours after taking cholestyramine;
• with antacids (containing aluminum, magnesium trisilicate, calcium - they should be taken at least 2 hours after iron administration);
• with calcium and zinc (they should be taken at least 2 hours after iron administration).

Concomitant administration of chloramphenicol may delay the therapeutic effect of iron and its compounds.
During treatment with iron preparations, the absorption of bisphosphonates, fluoroquinolones, methyldopa, levodopa, and carbodopa, thyroxine, D-penicillamine, and zinc compounds is reduced (they should be taken at least 2 hours after iron administration).
The effect of iron-containing drugs irritating the gastric mucosa and intestines may be enhanced by concomitant use of certain nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (salicylates, phenylbutazone, oxyphenbutazone). These drugs should be taken at least 3-4 hours after iron administration.

Due to the presence of folic acid in Tardyferon-Fol, concomitant administration with other medicines also requires special precautions.

Sulfonamides, sulfasalazine, methotrexate, antiepileptic drugs (such as phenobarbital, phenytoin, primidone, fosphenytoin), and sedatives have an adverse effect on folic acid absorption.
The doctor should be informed about all recently taken medicines, even those available without a prescription.

Tardyferon-Fol with food, drinks, and alcohol

It is not recommended to drink large amounts of tea, coffee, and red wine, as this may reduce iron absorption into the body. It is not recommended to take this medicine with whole grain products (bran, legumes, oilseeds), certain proteins (eggs), or foods and drinks containing calcium (cheese, milk, etc.). A gap should be maintained between taking iron salts and consuming these products (at least 2 hours).

Pregnancy, breastfeeding, and fertility

If the patient is pregnant or breastfeeding, suspects she may be pregnant, or plans to have a child, she should consult a doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
This medicine should only be administered if the expected therapeutic benefits outweigh the potential risk to the fetus.
The amount of iron and folic acid that passes from Tardyferon-Fol into breast milk has not been established, and it is not known whether side effects may occur in breastfed children.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding, Tardyferon-Fol can only be taken with a doctor's prescription (see section 1. What is Tardyferon-Fol and what is it used for).

Driving and using machines

It is unlikely that Tardyferon-Fol will affect the ability to drive and use machines.

3. How to take Tardyferon-Fol

This medicine should always be taken according to the doctor's or pharmacist's recommendations. In case of doubts, the doctor or pharmacist should be consulted.
The recommended dose is one tablet, i.e., 80 mg of iron ions and 0.35 mg of folic acid per day or every other day, in the last two trimesters of pregnancy (or from the 4th month of pregnancy).
Tardyferon-Fol tablets are intended for oral administration.
The tablets should be taken with a large glass of water, before or during meals, depending on the tolerance of the digestive system (however, the food products listed in the section "Tardyferon-Fol with food, drinks, and alcohol" should be avoided).
The tablet should be swallowed whole, washed down with water. It should not be sucked, chewed, or held in the mouth.

Using a higher dose of Tardyferon-Fol than recommended

Cases of iron salt overdose have been reported, especially in children, as a result of swallowing a large amount of the medicine.
Overdose symptoms include signs of gastrointestinal irritation with accompanying abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, symptoms of cardiovascular collapse or metabolic acidosis (rapid or shallow breathing, rapid heart rate, headache, confusion, drowsiness, fatigue, loss of appetite), and liver and kidney failure.
In case of taking too much medicine, immediate contact with the emergency department is necessary for proper treatment.

Missing a dose of Tardyferon-Fol

If a tablet is missed at the usual time, it should be taken as soon as possible. However, if the time for the next dose is approaching, the missed dose should not be taken, and the next tablet should be taken as usual.
A double dose should not be taken to make up for the missed dose.

Stopping treatment with Tardyferon-Fol

Tardyferon-Fol should be taken for as long as the doctor recommends. If treatment is stopped too early, the disease may recur.
In case of any further doubts about the use of this medicine, the doctor or pharmacist should be consulted.

4. Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Side effects are described according to their frequency of occurrence.

Common (may occur in more than 1 in 10 people)

Constipation
Diarrhea
Feeling of fullness in the stomach
Stomach pain
Discolored stools
Nausea

Uncommon (may occur in 1 in 100 people)

Throat swelling (laryngeal edema)
Abnormal stools
Discomfort and pain in the upper abdomen (dyspepsia)
Vomiting
Acute gastritis (gastritis)
Itching (pruritus)
Red skin rash (erythematous rash)

Frequency not known (frequency cannot be estimated from available data)

Hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions (severe, potentially life-threatening allergic reactions)
Angioedema (sudden swelling of the lips, cheeks, eyelids, tongue, soft palate, throat, or larynx)
Urticaria and allergic skin inflammation (skin allergic reactions)
Pulmonary necrosis (tissue death)*
Pulmonary granuloma (inflammatory condition)*
Bronchial narrowing (airway narrowing)*
Esophageal ulceration*
Tooth discoloration**
Oral ulceration**
Esophageal changes*
Gastrointestinal melanosis (discoloration in the digestive system)***
*Patients, especially the elderly and those with swallowing difficulties, may also be at risk of esophageal or bronchial ulcers. If a tablet enters the airways, there is a risk of bronchial ulceration, which can lead to bronchial narrowing.
**In case of improper administration, when tablets are chewed, sucked, or held in the mouth.
***In medical literature, gastrointestinal melanosis (discoloration in the digestive system) has been described in elderly patients with chronic kidney disease, diabetes (high blood sugar levels), and (or) hypertension (high blood pressure), treated with several drugs against these diseases and receiving iron supplementation due to accompanying anemia.

Reporting side effects

If any side effects occur, including any side effects not listed in the leaflet, the doctor or pharmacist should be informed. Side effects can be reported directly to the Department of Monitoring of Adverse Reactions to Medicinal Products, Office for Registration of Medicinal Products, Medical Devices, and Biocidal Products, Al. Jerozolimskie 181C, 02-222 Warsaw, tel.: +48 22 49 21 301, fax: +48 22 49 21 309, website: https://smz.ezdrowie.gov.pl.
Reporting side effects can help gather more information on the safety of the medicine.

5. How to store Tardyferon-Fol

The medicine should be stored in a place invisible and inaccessible to children.
This medicine should not be used after the expiry date stated on the packaging. The expiry date refers to the last day of the specified month.
There are no special precautions for storage.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. The pharmacist should be asked how to dispose of medicines that are no longer used. This will help protect the environment.

6. Package contents and other information

What Tardyferon-Fol contains

• The active substances of the medicine are: iron(II) ions in the form of 247.25 mg of dried iron(II) sulfate, corresponding to a dose of 80 mg of iron(II) ions, and folic acid in a dose of 0.35 mg.
• Other ingredients are: tablet core: ammonio methacrylate copolymer (type B) (Eudragit RS 30D), ammonio methacrylate copolymer (type A) (Eudragit RL 30D), maltodextrin, triethyl citrate, talc, glycerol dibehenate, microcrystalline cellulose, coating: titanium dioxide (E 171), yellow iron oxide (E 172), red iron oxide (E 172), Sepifilm LP010 (hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, stearic acid), triethyl citrate.

What Tardyferon-Fol looks like and what the package contains

30 tablets in a cardboard box.
For more detailed information, the marketing authorization holder or parallel importer should be contacted.

Marketing authorization holder in Greece, the country of export:

Pierre Fabre Farmaka Α.Ε.
Ave. Mesogeion 350
153 41 Agia Paraskevi, Attica
Greece

Manufacturer:

Pierre Fabre Medicament Production
45, Place Abel Gance
92100 Boulogne
France

Parallel importer:

InPharm Sp. z o.o.
ul. Strumykowa 28/11
03-138 Warsaw

Repackaged by:

InPharm Sp. z o.o. Services sp. k.
ul. Chełmżyńska 249
04-458 Warsaw
Greek marketing authorization number, country of export:41914/08/16-1-2009
Parallel import authorization number:53/12
Date of leaflet approval: 07.02.2022
[Information about the trademark]