Kemadrin 5mg Tablets
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR USER KEMADRIN® 5mg TABLETS (procyclidine hydrochloride)
This product is available as the above but will be referred to
as Kemadrin throughout the remainder of this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this
medicine because it contains important information top you.
• 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. Do not pass it 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.
In this leaflet:
1. What Kemadrin is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Kemadrin
3. How to take Kemadrin
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Kemadrin
6. Contents of the pack and other information
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Kemadrin.
Children
Do not give this medicine to children.
Other medicines and Kemadrin
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This includes herbal medicines. This is because Kemadrin can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some other medicines can affect the way Kemadrin works.
In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:
• medicines used to treat mental health problems (including Alzheimer's disease and dementia)
• levodopa and amantadine, used in Parkinson's disease
• disopyramide, quinidine and nitrate tablets (including tablets that dissolve under the tongue), used to treat heart problems
• cisapride, domperidone and metoclopramide, used to treat sickness, indigestion and feeling sick (nausea)
• antihistamines, used to treat hayfever and allergies
• nefopam, used to treat pain
• ketoconazole, used to treat fungal infections.
• paroxetine
Kemadrin contains a medicine called procyclidine. This belongs to a group of medicines called anticholinergics. They stop a substance called acetylcholine working in your body.
Kemadrin is used to:
• treat and relieve the signs of Parkinson's disease such as:
- stiff muscles, paralysis and tremor
- problems talking, writing and walking
- producing too much saliva and dribbling
- sweating and uncontrolled eye movements
- depression.
• stop side effects called 'extrapyramidal effects', which are caused by some medicines. These may include signs similar to the Parkinson's disease or restlessness and unusual head and body movements.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Kemadrin.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant, might become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
You may have blurred vision, dizziness, confusion or disorientation while taking Kemadrin. If this happens do not drive or use any tools or machines.
Kemadrin contains lactose (a type of sugar).
If you have been told by your doctor that you cannot tolerate or digest some sugars, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine.
Do not take Kemadrin if:
• you are allergic (hypersensitive) to procyclidine or any of the other ingredients of Kemadrin (see section 6)
• you have problems passing water (urinary retention)
• you suffer from a problem caused by too much pressure in your eye called 'closed angle glaucoma'
• you have stomach cramps and pains or constipation.
Do not take if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure,
talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Kemadrin.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking your medicine if:
• you are elderly. Your dose may need to be carefully monitored to prevent any side effects
• you suffer from a problem caused by too much pressure in your eye called 'narrow angle glaucoma' or if you have a higher chance to get glaucoma
• you have an obstructive disease of your bowel
• you have an enlarged prostate gland
• you have a mental illness and are taking Kemadrin to control the side effects of your medicines. Occasionally people who take this medicine may have a psychotic episode
• you have kidney or liver problems
• In some patients who use Kemadrin to control side effects of other medicines, involuntary repetitive body movements may occur. If this happens to you, your doctor may decide to give you lower doses.
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you.
Check with your doctor or
pharmacist if you are not sure.
• Swallow the tablets with a drink of water.
• You can take Kemadrin at any time of day, with or without food. Some people find they feel less sick if they take it at meal times.
• The tablet may be cut or broken in half along the break-line to divide the dose in two equal halves.
To treat Parkinson's disease:
• The recommended starting dose is half a tablet three times a day.
• This can be increased by half or one tablet each day, every two or three days until an effect is seen. This is known as the 'maintenance dose'. The daily maintenance dose is usually three to six tablets.
• The maximum your doctor may decide to prescribe is 12 tablets.
• Although the dose is usually taken three times a day, your doctor may ask you to take a fourth dose before bedtime.
To treat uncontrolled body movements (extrapyramidal symptoms) caused by taking other medicines:
Kemadrin can be used to control side effects caused by other medicines.
• The recommended starting dose is half a tablet three times a day.
• This can be increased by half a tablet each day until an effect is seen.