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Brand Names: Desferal

Generic Name: deferoxamine (Pronunciation: de fer OX a meen)

• What is deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• What are the possible side effects of deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• What is the most important information I should know about deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• What should I discuss with my health care provider before using deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• How should I take deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Desferal)?
• What happens if I overdose (Desferal)?
• What should I avoid while using deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• What other drugs will affect deferoxamine (Desferal)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is deferoxamine (Desferal)?

Deferoxamine binds to iron and removes it from the blood stream.

Deferoxamine is used to treat iron overload caused by blood transfusions in adults and children at least 3 years old.

Deferoxamine may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What are the possible side effects of deferoxamine (Desferal)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; joint or muscle pain; fever; headache; nausea or vomiting; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Stop using deferoxamine and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fast heartbeats;
• blue lips, skin, or fingernails;
• severe, watery, bloody diarrhea with cramping;
• cough, wheezing, gasping, or other breathing problems;
• stuffy nose, fever, redness or swelling around your nose and eyes, scabbing inside your nose;
• stomach or back pain, coughing up blood;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• vision or hearing problems; or
• leg cramps, bone problems, or growth changes (in a child using this medication).

Keep using deferoxamine and talk to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

• numbness or burning pain anywhere in the body;
• warmth, redness, or tingly feeling under the skin;
• mild itching or skin rash;
• mild diarrhea, nausea, or upset stomach;
• dizziness;
• reddish colored urine; or
• pain, burning, swelling, redness, irritation, or a hard lump where the medicine was injected.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about deferoxamine (Desferal)?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to deferoxamine, if you have kidney disease, or if you are unable to urinate.

Before using deferoxamine, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have liver disease, vision or hearing problems, asthma or other breathing disorder, heart disease, low levels of calcium in your blood (hypocalcemia), or a parathyroid disorder.

While you are using deferoxamine, get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; joint or muscle pain; fever; headache; nausea or vomiting; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Long-term use of deferoxamine can slow a child's growth. Tell your doctor if the child using this medication is not growing or gaining weight properly.

If a child is using deferoxamine, a doctor should check the child's growth every 3 months. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your child's doctor.

If you need to have any type of x-ray or CT scan using a dye that is injected into a vein, you may need to temporarily stop using deferoxamine. Be sure the doctor knows ahead of time that you are using this medication.