Oxazepam 10Mg and 15Mg Tablets
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Oxazepam 10mg and 15mg tablets Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start • Withdrawal – treatment should be gradually withdrawn. taking this medicine. Withdrawal symptoms occur with Oxazepam tablets even when • Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again. normal doses are given for short periods of time. See Section 3, • If you have any further questions, ask your doctor ‘If you stop taking Oxazepam tablets.’ or pharmacist. Oxazepam tablets may cause muscle relaxation and caution is • This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do advised as you may be at a greater risk of falling (see section 4). not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if Taking other medicines their symptoms are the same as yours. Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained • If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you without a prescription. Especially: notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, • antidepressants, antipsychotics (to treat mental problems), please tell your doctor or pharmacist. sedative antihistamines eg chlorphenamine (to treat allergies), In this leaflet: anaesthetics, lofexidine (to help relieve symptoms when you stop taking opioids), nabilone (to treat nausea and vomiting), 1 What Oxazepam tablets are and what hypnotics (to help you sleep), alpha blockers or moxonidine, they are used for muscle relaxants (eg baclofen, tizanidine), probenecid (used to 2 treat gout). Taking these medicines with Oxazepam could make Before you take you very sleepy 3 How to take • some strong pain killers may give you a heightened sense 4 Possible side effects of well being when taken with Oxazepam, which can increase your desire to continue taking these medicines (dependency) or 5 How to store can make you very sleepy. Concomitant use of Oxazepam and 6 Further information opioids (strong pain killers, medicines for substitution therapy and some cough medicines) increases the risk of drowsiness, 1 What Oxazepam tablets are and what they are difficulties in breathing (respiratory depression), coma and may used for be life-threatening. Because of this, concomitant use should only Oxazepam belongs to a group of medicines called be considered when other treatment options are not possible. benzodiazepines. Oxazepam tablets may be used for the short However if your doctor does prescribe Oxazepam together term (maximum of 2-4 weeks) treatment of anxiety, which is with opioids the dose and duration of concomitant treatment disabling or distressing and may be associated with sleeplessness should be limited by your doctor. Please tell your doctor about all or other illnesses. opioid medicines you are taking, and follow your doctor’s dose recommendation closely. It could be helpful to inform friends or 2 Before you take relatives to be aware of the signs and symptoms stated above. Do not take Oxazepam tablets and tell your doctor if you Contact your doctor when experiencing such symptoms • are allergic (hypersensitive) to oxazepam or to other • medicines for epilepsy eg hydantoins, in particular phenytoin, benzodiazepine medicines or to any of the other ingredients in or barbiturates (Oxazepam may make side effects more likely) your tablets (see section 6) • oestrogen-containing contraceptives, as these can cause • are breathless or have difficulty breathing Oxazepam to be less effective • have a phobia (a fear of a particular object or situation), • rifampicin (an antibiotic) as this can cause Oxazepam to be obsessions or other mental illness removed from the body more quickly than usual • have myasthenia gravis (a condition which causes muscles to • antiviral medication, eg Zidovudine (this may remain in the weaken and tire easily) body longer than usual when used with Oxazepam) and Ritonavir • suffer from sleep apnoea (a condition where you stop breathing (this can cause Oxazepam to remain in the body longer than whilst asleep) usual) • have severe liver disorders. • medicines to lower high blood pressure (increased effect) • medicines used to inhibit liver enzymes (increases effects of Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Oxazepam Oxazepam) tablets if you • levodopa (to treat Parkinson’s Disease) as Oxazepam may cause • suffer from depression (with or without anxiety) levodopa to not work so well. • have a history of alcoholism or drug abuse • have problems with your lungs, liver or kidneys Taking Oxazepam tablets with alcohol • have a personality disorder Do not drink alcohol while you are taking Oxazepam tablets. • have porphyria (an inherited condition causing skin blisters, Alcohol may increase the sedative effects of Oxazepam tablets and abdominal pain and brain or nervous system disorders) make you very sleepy. • have glaucoma. Pregnancy and breast-feeding Other considerations You should not take Oxazepam tablets if you are pregnant, • Dependence - when taking this medicine there is a risk of planning to become pregnant or are breast feeding. If you take dependence, which increases with the dose and duration of Oxazepam tablets late in your pregnancy or during labour treatment and also in patients with a history of alcoholism and your baby might have a low body temperature, floppiness, and drug abuse. breathing difficulties. If taken regularly during late pregnancy, • Tolerance – if after a few weeks you notice that the tablets are your baby may develop withdrawal symptoms. Ask your doctor or not working as well as they did when first starting treatment, you pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine. should speak to your doctor. Continued top of next column Continued over page 148x210 Leaflet Reel Fed Profile (BST) Oxazepam, 28 Tablets BP, 10, & 15mg - UK Oxazepam 10 mg and 15 mg 28 Tablets PIL - UK JDE No.: 50994058 approved for print/date Item number: BBBA9008 Colours Non Printing Colours 1. Black 1. Profile Originator: M.Doak Dimensions: 148x210mm Dimensions: 148x210 (Reel Fed) Origination Date: 18/09/2020 Min Body Text Size: 7pt 2. 2. Component: Leaflet for Blisters Revision Date: Supplier: Accord Barnstaple 3. 3. Revised By: 4. Pharmacode: 4211 5. Proof Round N/A Technical Date sent: 6. 1 Approval Date received: N/A Date Sent: 28-08-20 [email protected] Technologist: RH Cartons and label leaflets only Technically Approved (labels only when specified) German GTIN 14 (incorporating PZN): N/A * Please note that only Artwork Studio is permitted to make changes to the above artwork. Version 7 No changes are permitted by any 3rd party other than added notes and mark ups for required changes. 12.02.2020 Driving and using machines If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your Oxazepam tablets may affect how your muscles work or may make doctor or pharmacist. you feel dizzy or sleepy or forgetful. It may also impair your alertness (especially if you don’t have enough uninterrupted sleep). Do not drive 4 Possible Side Effects or use any tools or machines if you are affected in this way. Like all medicines, Oxazepam tablets can cause side-effects, although not everybody gets them. The medicine can affect your ability to drive as it may make you sleepy or dizzy. Contact your doctor at once if the following symptoms occur: • restlessness, agitation, irritability, aggressiveness, delusion, • Do not drive while taking this medicine until you know how it affects experiencing rages, nightmares, hallucinations (seeing or hearing you. things that are not there), psychoses (loss of contact with reality), • It is an offence to drive if this medicine affects your ability to drive. inappropriate behaviour (more likely to occur in children and the • However, you would not be committing an offence if: elderly), depression with feelings of suicide. - The medicine has been prescribed to treat a medical or dental problem and Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following side effects or notice - You have taken it according to the instructions given by the prescriber any other effects not listed: or in the information provided with the medicine and • mild drowsiness and light-headedness may occur during the first few - It was not affecting your ability to drive safely days of treatment. • allergic reaction: skin rashes, itching Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure whether it is safe for • dizziness, fainting, loss of co-ordination, ‘spinning’ sensation or you to drive while taking this medicine. headache with or without drowsiness, tiredness Oxazepam tablets contains lactose • becoming less alert, disorientation, dreams, confusion, excitement, Oxazepam tablets contain lactose (a type of sugar). If you have been told numbed emotions, slurred speech or speech disorder, loss of memory, that you have intolerance to some sugars contact your doctor before lack of muscle control / co-ordination, difficulty in controlling taking this medicine. movements, changes in perception, increase risk of falling • changes in blood cells, if you notice increased bruising, nosebleeds, 3 How to take sore throats, infections, excessive tiredness, breathlessness on exertion, Always take Oxazepam tablets exactly as your doctor has told you. You or abnormal paleness of the skin, you should tell you doctor who may should not take Oxazepam tablets for longer than 4 weeks. You want to have a blood test, reduction in white blood cells, changes should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. in sex drive, blurred or double vision, low blood pressure, muscle You should make sure you are able to have 7-8 hours of uninterrupted weakness, tremor, fever, tiredness sleep. • stomach upsets or cramps, feeling sick, changes in saliva Swallow the tablets whole, with a glass of water. • yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes (jaundice), increased liver enzymes seen in tests, difficulty passing urine, water retention, lack of Doses voluntary control over urination or defecation • Anxiety: 15-30mg three or four times a day. • Anxiety associated with sleeplessness: 15-25mg one hour before Withdrawal symptoms: see Section 3, ‘If you stop taking Oxazepam going to bed, your doctor may increase this up to a maximum of 50mg.