Product Details

Product Information of Co-Codamol Tablets

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE CO-CODAMOL

• This medicine contains paracetamol. Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine • This medicine contains codeine which can cause addiction if you take it continuously for more than 3 days. This can give you withdrawal symptoms from the medicine when you stop taking it • If you take a painkiller for headaches for more than 3 days it can make them worse Warnings and precautions Do not take co-codamol and tell your doctor if: • You are taking medicines to treat depression called MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) or have taken them in the last 2 weeks. MAOIs are medicines such as moclobemide, phenelzine, tranylcypromine • You are allergic to the active substances or any of the other ingredients in your medicine (listed in Section 6) Signs of an allergic reaction include a rash and breathing problems. There can also be swelling of the legs, arms, face, throat or tongue • The person going to take the tablets is under 12 years of age. Co-codamol must not be given to children under 12 years of age • You are under 18 years of age and have had your tonsils or adenoids removed due to obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome • You know that you metabolise very rapidly codeine into morphine • You are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed Do not take co-codamol if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking co-codamol. Take special care and check with your doctor before taking co-codamol if: • You have severe kidney or liver problems • You are taking a benzodiazepine • You suffer from seizures Codeine is transformed to morphine in the liver by an enzyme. Morphine is the substance that produces pain relief. Some people have a variation of this enzyme and this can affect people in different ways. In some people, morphine is not produced or produced in very small quantities, and it will not provide enough pain relief. Other people are more likely to get serious side effects because a very high amount of morphine is produced. If you notice any of the following side effects, you must stop taking this medicine and seek immediate medical advice: slow or shallow breathing, confusion, sleepiness, small pupils, feeling or being sick, constipation, lack of appetite. Children and adolescents Use in children and adolescents after surgery Co-codamol should not be used for pain relief in children and adolescents after removal of their tonsils or adenoids due to Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Syndrome. Use in children with breathing problems Co-codamol is not recommended in children with breathing problems, since the symptoms of morphine toxicity may be worse in these children. If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine. Other medicines and co-codamol Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines obtained without a prescription, including herbal products. This is because co-codamol and other medicines can affect the way each other works. Concomitant use of co-codamol and sedative medicines such as benzodiazepines or related drugs increases the risk of drowsiness, difficulties in breathing (respiratory depression), coma and may be life-threatening. Because of this, concomitant use should only be considered when other treatment options are not possible. However if your doctor does prescribe co-codamol together with sedative medicines the dose and duration of concomitant treatment should be limited by your doctor. Please tell your doctor about all sedative medicines you are taking, and follow your doctor’s dose recommendation closely. It could be helpful to inform friends or relatives to be aware of the signs and symptoms stated above. Contact your doctor when experiencing such symptoms. While taking co-codamol you should not take any other medicines which contain paracetamol. This includes some painkillers, cough and cold remedies. It also includes a wide range of other medicines available from your doctor and more widely in shops Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines, or have taken them in the past two weeks: • Medicines which make you drowsy or sleepy (CNS depressants or a benzodiazepine) such as sleeping tablets, sedatives, tranquilisers, hypnotics and medicines used to treat anxiety or anaesthetics. • Anti-depressant medicines such as imipramine, amitriptyline, tranylcypromine, dosulepin, mirtazapine or chlorpromazine. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking: • Flucloxacillin (an antibiotic), due to a serious risk of blood and fluid abnormality (high anion gap metabolic acidosis) that must have urgent treatment and which may occur particularly in case of severe renal impairment, sepsis (when bacteria and their toxins circulate in the blood leading to organ damage), malnutrition, chronic alcoholism, and if the maximum daily doses of paracetamol are used. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines: • Medicines used to thin the blood such as warfarin. • Chloramphenicol – an antibiotic used for infections. • Metoclopramide or domperidone – used to stop you feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting). • Colestyramine – for lowering blood cholesterol levels. • The oral contraceptive pill. If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Co-codamol.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding Talk to your doctor before taking these tablets if: • You are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or plan to get pregnant • You are planning to breastfeed • Do not take co-codamol while you are breastfeeding. Codeine and morphine passes into breast milk.

If necessary, co-codamol can be used during pregnancy. You should use the lowest possible dose that reduces your pain and/or your fever and use it for the shortest time possible. Contact your doctor or midwife if the pain and/or fever are not reduced or if you need to take the medicine more often. Driving and using machines Co-codamol can affect your ability to drive as it may make you sleepy or dizzy. • Do not drive whilst taking this medicine until you know how it affects you • It is an offence to drive if this medicine affects your ability to drive. • However, you would not be committing an offence if: – The medicine has been prescribed to treat a medical or dental problem and – You have taken it according to the instructions given by the prescriber or in the information provided with the medicine and – It was not affecting your ability to drive safely Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure whether it is safe for you to drive whilst taking this medicine