Stemetil 5mg Tablets
1. What Stemetil Tablets are and what they are used for
2. Before you take Stemetil Tablets
3. How to take Stemetil Tablets
PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER STEMETIL® 5MG TABLETS
(prochlorperazine maleate)
This product will be referred to as Stemetil Tablets throughout
this leaflet.
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this
medicine
• 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 on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours
• If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist
In this leaflet:
1. What Stemetil Tablets are and what they are used for
2. Before you take Stemetil Tablets
3. How to take Stemetil Tablets
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Stemetil Tablets
6. Further information
Stemetil Tablets contain a medicine called prochlorperazine maleate. This belongs to a group of medicines called 'phenothiazine antipsychotics'. It works by blocking the effects of a chemical in the brain.
Stemetil Tablets can be used to:
• T reat balance problems or dizziness (vertigo). This includes problems of the inner ear such as 'Meniere's Syndrome' or 'labyrinthitis'
• Stop you feeling sick (nausea) or being sick (vomiting). This can be from any cause including migraines
• Treat schizophrenia
• T reat over-active behaviour or thoughts (mania)
• Treat anxiety in the short-term, when used in addition to other medicines
Do not take this medicine and tell your doctor if:
• You are allergic (hypersensitive) to prochlorperazine maleate or any of the other ingredients of Stemetil Tablets (listed in Section 6 below)
Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
Take special care with Stemetil Tablets
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking your
medicine if:
• You are allergic to phenothiazine medicines such as chlorpromazine
• You have heart problems or a family history of heart problems
• You have ever had a stroke
• You have liver or kidney problems
• You have thyroid problems
• You have an enlarged prostate gland. This means you may have problems when passing water (urine)
• You or someone else in your family has a history of blood clots, as medicines like these have been associated with formation of blood clots
• You have Parkinson's disease
• You have dementia
• You have epilepsy or have ever had fits (seizures)
• You have depression
• You have a tumour on your adrenal gland called 'phaeochromocytoma'
• You have a type of muscle weakness called 'myasthenia gravis'
• You have or have ever had glaucoma (signs include painful eyes with blurred vision)
• You have or have ever had a low number of white blood cells (agranulocytosis). This would lead you to get infections more easily than usual
• You have low blood levels of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Your doctor may perform blood tests to check on these
• You are not eating properly or are very under-weight
• You have a history of alcohol problems
• You are elderly (65 years of age or older)
• The person is a child. This is because children may develop unusual face and body movements (dystonic reactions)
• You are diabetic or have high levels of sugar in your blood (hyperglycaemia). Your doctor may want to monitor you more closely.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your
doctor or pharmacist before taking Stemetil Tablets.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines you buy without a prescription, including herbal medicines.
• Medicines used to control your heartbeat such as amiodarone, disopyramide, propanolol or quinidine
• Medicines for high blood pressure such as doxazosin, terazosin, guanethidine or clonidine
• Medicines used for diabetes
• Medicines used for cancer (cytotoxics)
• Medicines used for infections (antibiotics)
• Medicines for indigestion and heartburn (antacids)
• Anticholinergic medicines - includes some medicines used for irritable bowel syndrome, asthma or incontinence
• Amphetamines - used for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
• Adrenaline - used for life threatening allergic reactions
• Desferrioxamine - used when you have too much iron in your blood
• Lithium - used for some types of mental illness
Taking Stemetil Tablets with food and drink
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking Stemetil Tablets. This is because alcohol can add to the effects of Stemetil Tablets and can cause serious breathing difficulties.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Do not take Stemetil Tablets if:
• You are pregnant, might become pregnant or think you might be pregnant
• You are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed
The following symptoms may occur in newborn babies, of mothers that have used Stemetil Tablets in the last trimester (last three months of their pregnancy): shaking, muscle stiffness and/or weakness, sleepiness, agitation, breathing problems, and difficulty in feeding.
If your baby develops any of these symptoms you may need to contact your doctor.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine if you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
Driving and using machines
You may feel sleepy after taking this medicine.
If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Stemetil Tablets
• Lactose. This medicine contains lactose, a type of sugar. If you have been told by your doctor that you can not tolerate some sugars, talk to your doctor before taking Stemetil Tablets
Always take Stemetil Tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Taking this medicine
• Take this medicine by mouth
• Do not give to children under 1 year of age or who weigh less than 10 kg
• You should not let the tablets touch your skin for very long, as you may get skin redness, swelling and itching (contact skin sensitisation)
• If you feel the effect of your medicine is too weak or too strong do not change the dose yourself, but ask your doctor
How much to take Adults:
Treatment of balance problems or dizziness (Vertigo):
• The usual dose is 5 mg three times each day
• This may be increased to a total daily dose of 30 mg each day
• After several weeks treatment, your doctor may decide to gradually lower your daily dose to 5 to 10 mg each day
Stopping you feeling sick or being sick:
• The usual dose is 5 or 10 mg
• This may be taken two or three times each day
Treatment of feeling sick or being sick:
• To begin with you will usually take 20 mg
• This may be followed by 10 mg two hours later
Treatment of schizophrenia and overactive behaviour or
thoughts (mania):
• The starting dose is usually 12.5 mg twice each day for seven days
• Your doctor may increase your dose up to a total daily dose of 75 to 100 mg each day
• After several weeks of treatment, your doctor may then lower your dose to a total daily dose of 25 to 50 mg each day
How much to take (continued)
Adults:
Short-term treatment of anxiety:
• The starting dose will be 15 to 20 mg each day in divided doses
• Your doctor may then increase your dose to a total daily dose of 40 mg each day
This is because Stemetil Tablets can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some medicines can affect the way Stemetil Tablets works.
In particular, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following:
• Medicines to help you sleep (sedatives, barbiturates)
• Other medicines used to calm emotional and mental conditions
• Medicines used for depression
• Medicines used for Parkinson's disease such as levodopa
• Medicines for fits (epilepsy) such as carbamazepine
Elderly:
• Your doctor may prescribe a lower dose
• You should be careful during very hot or very cold weather to make sure that you do not get too hot or too cold.