METAMIDE

Metoclopramide HCl 10mg Tablet

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about METAMIDE. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking METAMIDE against the benefits they expect it will have for you. If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.

What METAMIDE is used for and how it works

Your METAMIDE tablets contain the active ingredient metoclopramide. Metoclopramide belongs to a group of medicines known as the antiemetics.

METAMIDE is usually used to control symptoms of nausea, vomiting, indigestion or heartburn that may be caused by:

• gastrointestinal diseases and disorders
• migraine
• congestive heart failure
• other medications
• following surgery
• chemotherapy or radiation treatment

METAMIDE can also help identify problems of the stomach and/or intestine by speeding the passage of a barium meal for X-ray diagnosis. It also assists with passing a tube into the intestine.

METAMIDE works by blocking the action of a chemical in the brain that causes nausea and vomiting. METAMIDE also assists with muscle contraction in the stomach and upper intestine, which helps encourage the normal passage of food through the digestive system.

Your doctor may however, have prescribed METAMIDE for another reason. Ask the doctor if you have any questions about why METAMIDE has been prescribed for you.

There is no evidence that METAMIDE is addictive.

METAMIDE is available on prescription from your doctor.

Before you take METAMIDE

When you must not take it

Do not take METAMIDE if:

• you are allergic to metoclopramide or any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
• you have active bleeding from the stomach or digestive tract
• you have blockage of the stomach or digestive tract
• you have had recent surgery on the stomach or digestive tract
• you have phaeochromocytoma (a tumour of the adrenal gland)

Signs of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, rash, itching or hives on the skin.

Do not use METAMIDE after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.

Do not use METAMIDE if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering

Before you take it

Before you start taking METAMIDE, tell your doctor if:

• you have ever had an allergic reaction to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives
• you have epilepsy
• you have Parkinson's disease
• you have porphyria (a genetic disorder in which large amounts of porphyrins are found in the blood and urine)
• you have liver or kidney problems
• you have or have had breast cancer
• you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the possible risks and benefits of using METAMIDE if you are pregnant.
• you are breastfeeding or planning on breastfeeding. Your baby may be affected by absorbing this medicine from breast milk.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above conditions, tell them before you start taking METAMIDE.

The dosage of METAMIDE may need to be changed or you may need to be given an alternative medicine.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines. This includes all medicines bought without a prescription, from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Medicines that may interfere with METAMIDE include:

• tranquilisers or anti-anxiety medications
• digoxin
• phenothiazine and certain medicines used to treat mental and emotional disorders
• atropine-like medications (eg. some cold preparations, travel sickness medicines)
• strong pain relievers (eg. codeine or morphine)
• sedatives or sleeping medications
• tetracycline antibiotics, paracetamol, levodopa.

These medicines may be affected by METAMIDE or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or need to take a different medicine.

Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or to avoid while taking METAMIDE.

How to take METAMIDE properly

Your doctor will tell you how much METAMIDE you need to take each day. It is important that you take METAMIDE as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than the recommended dose.

How much to take

The dose of METAMIDE varies with the age of the patient and with the reason for use.

The usual dose for adults 20 years and over is 10mg (one tablet), three times daily.

For adults under 60kg and children, in most cases, the dose will be less than this.

METAMIDE should only used in children under the age of 15 after careful evaluation by the doctor.

The exact amount will be calculated by your doctor and should not normally exceed 0.5 mg/kg bodyweight. Children and young adults can be more susceptible to the effects of METAMIDE. Therefore the doctor will normally start treatment at the lower dose.

Patients with liver or kidney problems may also need smaller doses.

Swallow the tablets with a glass of water.

How long to use it

Follow the doctor's instructions about how long to take METAMIDE.

Your doctor may tell you to take METAMIDE only when required for each occasion of nausea or vomiting.

If you forget a dose

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that has been missed. This may increase the chance of getting an unwanted side effect.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Overdose

You should only take the number of tablets that you have been told.

Immediately contact your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) or go to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital, if you think that you may have taken too much, or if anyone else has taken any METAMIDE by mistake. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.

Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.

An overdose of METAMIDE can be very serious. Seek medical advice even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

Signs of an overdose may include drowsiness, confusion, tremor, twitching or uncontrolled spasm of muscles.

Take the pack of METAMIDE with you, if you can.

While you are taking METAMIDE

Tell your doctor if the nausea or vomiting persists.

Before starting any other prescribed medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking METAMIDE.

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacist that are treating you, that you are taking METAMIDE.

If nausea or vomiting persists, contact your doctor.

If you become pregnant while taking METAMIDE, tell your doctor immediately.

If you are going to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking METAMIDE.

Do not take METAMIDE to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.

Do not stop taking METAMIDE or change the dose without first checking with your doctor.

Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if his or her symptoms seem similar to yours.

METAMIDE may cause drowsiness, dizziness or light-headedness. Be careful driving, operating machinery or performing jobs that need you to be alert, until you are certain that METAMIDE does not affect your performance.

Be careful when drinking alcohol while you are taking this medicine. If you drink alcohol, it may make you sleepy.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking METAMIDE.

All medicines can have some unwanted effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

It is important to follow all dosage instructions given to you by your doctor carefully. This will help reduce the chance of developing an unwanted side effect.

At the usual dose of METAMIDE, side effects are uncommon.

Tell the doctor if you notice any of the following:

• drowsiness, tiredness
• restlessness, anxiety, agitation
• dizziness, headache
• nausea, diarrhoea
• insomnia
• breast enlargement, unusual secretion of breast milk

These side effects occur rarely with METAMIDE.

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• uncontrolled or repeated movements, eg. sucking or smacking of the lips, darting of the tongue, chewing movements, uncontrolled movements of the arms or legs

Stop using METAMIDE and contact a doctor immediately or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital if any of the following happens:

• sudden uncontrolled and repeated muscle movements or spasms, stiffness of the arms or legs, muscle spasm of the face, locked-jaw or upturned eyes
• shuffling walk, slowing of all movement, muscle tremor
• blue appearance on the lips, nails or ears
• neuroleptic malignant syndrome, a serious reaction with a sudden increase in body temperature, extremely high blood pressure and severe convulsions
• allergic reaction including fainting, swelling of limbs, face, lips, mouth or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing
• tardive dyskinesia, uncontrollable twitching or jerking movements of the arms and legs

The above side effects are very rare but serious side effects of METAMIDE. If you get any of them, you may need urgent medical attention.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Storage

Keep your METAMIDE in the pack until it is time to use it.

Store below 25°C and out of reach of children.

Avoid exposure to heat, light and moisture.

Do not store medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.

Disposal

If the doctor tells you to stop taking METAMIDE or if the tablets have passed the expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with the remaining medicine.

Product description

What METAMIDE tablets look like

METAMIDE tablets 10mg are round, white tablets, marked "M/10" on one side.

Each METAMIDE tablet contains 10mg of the active ingredient metoclopramide hydrochloride.

Each METAMIDE tablet also contains maize starch, povidone, talc, magnesium stearate and lactose.