• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

1. What Folic Acid Oral Solution is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Folic Acid Oral Solution
3. How to take Folic Acid Oral Solution
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Folic Acid Oral Solution
6. Contents of the pack and other information

• if you are allergic to folic acid, hydroxybenzoate esters or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
• if you have cancer (unless you have anaemia due to a deficiency of folic acid).

Talk to your doctor before taking Folic Acid Oral Solution:

• if you are receiving a coronary stent (a tube that is inserted in the artery that leads to the heart, in order to stop blockages)
• if you have a tumour
• if you suffer from pernicious anaemia (a disorder preventing the absorption of vitamin B12) or could be suffering from a lack of vitamin B12
• if you are under going haemodialysis due to kidney failure.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.

The following medicines can affect or be affected by treatment with Folic Acid Oral Solution:

• phenytoin, phenobarbital and primadone (used to control epileptic fits)
• fluorouracil, a drug used to treat certain tumours
• antibiotics. Some antibiotics (trimethoprim and sulphonamides, sometimes combined as co-trimoxazole) reduce the effect of folic acid. All antibiotics can interfere with folic acid blood test results. Chloramphenicol may interfere with folate metabolism
• some indigestion remedies (edible clay and antacids containing aluminium or magnesium). Allow at least a two hour gap between taking Folic Acid Oral Solution and indigestion remedies
• preparations containing zinc such as vitamins or food supplements (this may be important in pregnancy)
• sulfasalazine, used to treat the inflammatory bowel conditions ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease
• cholestyramine, used to reduce cholesterol levels in the blood
• methotrexate, used to treat Crohn’s disease, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer.

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

This medicine can be taken in pregnancy to treat anaemia.

If you are breast-feeding please speak with your doctor before taking this medicine.

This medicine does not affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.

This medicine contains hydroxybenzoates which are used as preservatives. These ingredients may cause allergic reactions, which may happen some time after you start taking this medicine.

This medicine contains phenylalanine. May be harmful for people with phenylketonuria.

• 10 to 20ml, twice a day, for up to 14 days or until an appropriate blood response is achieved
• this may be reduced to 2.5 to 10ml, twice a day, for ongoing treatment.

• 1ml per day.

• 5 to 15ml, twice a day.

If you take (or anybody else, including a child), takes more Folic Acid Oral Solution that you should, it is unlikely that this medicine will cause any harm. If you are at all concerned contact your doctor. Always take the bottle and leaflet with you.

If you forget a dose, take another as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, then do not take the missed dose at all. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

itchy/red skin, rash, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat or itching, difficulty breathing or swallowing, shock (cold sweaty skin; weak pulse; rapid, shallow breathing; dry mouth; dilated pupils; dizziness; weakness and/or fainting).

This may mean you are having an allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) or a severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic reaction).

Other side effects that some patients have had with Folic Acid Oral Solution include:

• loss of appetite (anorexia)
• feeling sick
• bloating of the stomach
• flatulence (wind)
• worsening of the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency.
  Folic acid should never be used to treat anaemia without a full investigation of the cause.

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

The active substance is: folic acid (2.5mg per 5ml of Folic Acid Oral Solution). The other ingredients are: mannitol (E421), glycerol (E422), methyl hydroxybenzoate (E218), ethyl hydroxybenzoate (E214), propyl hydroxybenzoate (E216), disodium hydrogen phosphate dodecahydrate, dihydrogen phosphate sodium dehydrate disodium edetate, strawberry flavour (contains phenylalanine, cherry juice concentrate and maltol) and purified water.

Folic Acid Oral Solution is a clear yellow solution, which tastes and smells of strawberry. The medicine is supplied in a 150ml amber glass bottle, with a child restraint screw cap, in a cardboard outer container.

Other formats:

To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge:

0800 198 5000 (UK Only).

Please be ready to give the following information:

Product name Reference number

Folic acid 2.5mg/ml Oral Solution 29831/0358

This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.