G6PD Safety
Hemolyzing?

I Think I'm Having a G6PD Hemolysis Reaction

If you have dark urine, yellow eyes, severe weakness, shortness of breath, fainting, or worsening symptoms after a new medicine, food, infection, or chemical exposure, seek urgent medical care now.

Call emergency services (911 in the US) or go to the ER now if symptoms are severe, worsening, or involve trouble breathing, fainting, confusion, very dark urine, or reduced urine output.

Open Medical Alert Card

Step-by-step

  1. 1Stop the suspected trigger if it is safe to do so.
  2. 2Do not take additional over-the-counter medicines to treat the reaction unless instructed by a clinician.
  3. 3Get to medical care first. If it does NOT delay care, bring the medication bottle, supplement, food package, or exposure details with you — otherwise photograph the labels or have someone bring them later.
  4. 4Tell the medical team: 'I have G6PD deficiency and I may be having hemolysis.'
  5. 5Ask the medical team to check CBC, reticulocyte count, bilirubin, LDH, haptoglobin, kidney function, and urine.
  6. 6Show your Medical Alert Card.

What to tell the ER team

Copy this message and show it to the triage nurse or doctor.

I have G6PD deficiency and may be having hemolysis after a possible trigger exposure. Please review medications for G6PD safety and consider checking CBC, reticulocyte count, bilirubin, LDH, haptoglobin, kidney function, and urine. Please avoid high-risk triggers such as rasburicase, pegloticase, primaquine, tafenoquine, dapsone, methylene blue, nitrofurantoin, sulfamethoxazole, phenazopyridine, nalidixic acid, and high-dose IV vitamin C unless a specialist determines otherwise.

After you've called for help

Only once urgent care is on the way, you can look up the suspected trigger to share details with the medical team.

Search the suspected triggerEmergency warning signs

Last reviewed: May 2026 (next review: May 2027) • Sources include CPIC pharmacogenetic guidelines, NIH/MedlinePlus, WHO, AAP, NCBI Bookshelf, and peer-reviewed literature.

This resource is educational and does not replace care from a licensed clinician or pharmacist.