NEO-NACLEX™

Bendrofluazide tablets 2.5mg, 5mg

What is in this leaflet

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start taking NEO-NACLEX
tablets.

This leaflet answers some common questions about NEO-NACLEX tablets. 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 expected
benefits of you taking NEO-NACLEX against the risks this medicine could have for
you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.

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

What NEO-NACLEX is used for

NEO-NACLEX contains the active ingredient bendrofluazide.

NEO-NACLEX is used to reduce oedema (fluid retention) caused by some heart,
liver or kidney diseases.

NEO-NACLEX is also used to treat high blood pressure either alone or in
combination with other medicines.

Your doctor may have prescribed NEO-NACLEX for another purpose.

NEO-NACLEX belongs to a group of medicines called diuretics. Within this
group, NEO-NACLEX belongs to a class of medicines called thiazides. NEO-NACLEX
corrects fluid retention by expelling water and salts from the body through the
kidneys.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why NEO-NACLEX has been
prescribed for you.

NEO-NACLEX is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Before you take NEO-NACLEX

When you must not take it

Do not take NEO-NACLEX if:

• You have had an allergic reaction before to bendrofluazide or any of the
  ingredients in NEO-NACLEX listed at the end of this leaflet.
• You have ever had an allergic reaction to a type of antibiotic
• medicines called sulphonamides.
• The packaging is torn or shows signs of interference, or the tablets look
  damaged or discoloured.
• The expiry date on the packaging has passed. If you take this medicine
  after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well. If the pharmacist
  has repacked the medicine for you, there may not be an expiry date on the
  pack.
• You have Addison's disease (a condition affecting the adrenal glands)
• You have diabetic ketoacidosis (a complication of diabetes)
• You have liver disease
• You have kidney disease
• You suffer from hypercalcaemia (too much calcium in the blood)
• You are taking lithium carbonate (Lithicarb™, Priadel™)

Before you start taking NEO-NACLEX

Tell your doctor if:

• You are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
  
  
  

  NEO-NACLEX may be harmful to both mother and unborn baby when taken by a
  pregnant woman. You should avoid becoming pregnant while taking NEO-NACLEX.
  
  
  
  If you are already pregnant, your doctor will weigh up the expected benefits
  of NEO-NACLEX to you and your unborn baby against its possible risks.
  
  
  

• You are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed.
  
  
  

  The active ingredient in NEO-NACLEX, bendrofluazide, passes into breast milk,
  so mothers taking this medicine should not breastfeed.
  
  
  

• You have any other health problems, especially:
  • Diabetes
  • Gout
  • Liver or kidney problems
  • High cholesterol in the blood
  • Systemic lupus erythematosus (a rare autoimmune disease)
  • Heart disease
  • Prostate problems
• You are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, please do so before
taking NEO-NACLEX.

Taking other medicines

Some medicines may affect the way others work.

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including the oral
contraceptive pill or medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.

If you are taking any of the following types of medicines, please let your
doctor know before taking NEO-NACLEX:

• Medicines for mental depression
• Lithium carbonate (Lithicarb™, Priadel™), used to treat some types of
  mental illness
• Anti-inflammatory medicines
• Medicines for the treatment of hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Narcotics (strong pain killers)
• Barbiturates (strong sleeping pills)
• Sulphonylurea drugs taken for diabetes
• Digoxin (Lanoxin™), or drugs known as cardiac glycosides
• Anti-arrhythmic drugs, used to prevent irregular heart rhythms
• Medicines used to treat gout.
• Oral corticosteroid drugs

If you need to have an operation while taking NEO-NACLEX, please discuss this
with your doctor. The side effects of some anaesthetic drugs can be increased in
people taking NEO-NACLEX.

Your doctor or pharmacist will be able to tell you more about what to do when
taking NEO-NACLEX with other medicines.

Taking NEO-NACLEX

How much to take

Take NEO-NACLEX exactly as your doctor has prescribed.

Your doctor will tell you how many NEO-NACLEX tablets to take each day.

Never take more tablets than your doctor has prescribed.

Your doctor may vary your dose depending on how you respond to NEO-NACLEX.

In adults, the usual dose is 2.5mg to 10mg daily, depending on the condition
being treated. Some people may need to take NEO-NACLEX every day, but other
people may be able to take it every second or third day.

For children up to 12 years of age, the usual dose is 50µg to 100µg per
kilogram of body weight daily. A reduced dose of NEO-NACLEX as well as a
potassium supplement is needed in elderly people who are more sensitive to the
effects of NEO-NACLEX on their blood pressure and potassium levels.

Your doctor may do regular blood tests to make sure NEO-NACLEX is working
safely and effectively for you. Your doctor may also monitor your kidney
function to ensure that your kidneys are functioning properly.

How to take it

Swallow tablets whole with a glass of water early in the day.

If you forget to take it

Do not take an extra dose. Wait until the next dose and take your normal dose
then.

Do not try to make up for the dose that you missed by taking more than one
dose at a time.

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

In case of an overdose

Immediately telephone your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre
[Ph (03) 474-7000] for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest
hospital, if you think that you or anyone else has taken too much NEO-NACLEX. Do
this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need urgent medical attention.

Keep phone numbers for these places handy.

An overdose of NEO-NACLEX can cause drowsiness, lethargy, loss of
consciousness, abnormal breathing and poor heart function.

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

While you are taking NEO-NACLEX

Things you must do

Tell all doctors and pharmacists involved in your health care that you are
taking NEO-NACLEX.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking NEO-NACLEX.

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken NEO-NACLEX exactly as
prescribed. Otherwise, your doctor may think it is not working for you and
change your NEO-NACLEX dose unnecessarily.

Tell your doctor if you feel that NEO-NACLEX is not helping your condition.

Tell your doctor if you are vomiting, have diarrhoea, or you suffer from a
chronic illness, because you may need a potassium supplement while you are
taking NEO-NACLEX.

Things you must not do

Do not stop taking NEO-NACLEX or change the dose without first checking with
your doctor, or your symptoms could return.

Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.

Do not give NEO-NACLEX to anyone else even if they have the same condition as
you.

Do not take any other medicines whether they require a prescription or not
without first asking your doctor or a pharmacist.

Do not drink large amounts of alcohol. Use of NEO-NACLEX with alcohol will
increase your chances of getting dehydrated and a hangover.

Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how your NEO-NACLEX dose is
affecting you.

Side-Effects

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

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Be sure that your doctor or pharmacist knows as soon as possible if you do
not feel well while you are taking NEO-NACLEX.

If you think you are having an allergic (hypersensitivity) reaction to
NEO-NACLEX, TELL YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY. Symptoms include:

• Severe skin rash, itching or hives
• Swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Fever
• Low blood pressure (feeling faint or dizzy).

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:

• Being more thirsty than usual
• Passing urine more often than normal
• Weakness and feeling tired
• Dizziness
• Muscle cramps
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Rashes or small red spots on your skin
• Attacks of gout
• Postural hypotension (feeling dizzy and faint when you stand up).
• Impotence

NEO-NACLEX may also affect the composition of your blood. Your doctor may do
regular blood tests to check for these side effects.

Most of the above side effects are caused by excessive loss of potassium in
urine when you take NEO-NACLEX. Your doctor may prescribe a potassium supplement
and/or reduce your dose of NEO-NACLEX to prevent these side effects.

You may pass very large amounts of urine in the first few days after starting
NEO-NACLEX, but the amounts become smaller as you continue taking this medicine.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell,
even if it is not on this list.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you do not understand anything on this list.

After taking NEO-NACLEX

Storage

Keep your tablets in the bottle until it is time to take them.

If you take the tablets out of the bottle they may not keep well.

Keep NEO-NACLEX in a cool dry place away from light where the temperature
stays below 25°C.

Do not store NEO-NACLEX or any other medicine in a bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave it in a car or on a window sill.

Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep NEO-NACLEX where young children cannot reach it.

A locked cupboard at least one and a half metres above the ground is a good
place to store medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking NEO-NACLEX, or the medicine has
passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets that are
left over.

Product description

What NEO-NACLEX looks like

• NEO-NACLEX 2.5mg tablets are small, round and white. They are engraved
  with NEO-NACLEX 2.5 DF on one side and are plain on the other side.
• NEO-NACLEX 5mg tablets are slightly larger, round and white. They are
  engraved with NEO-NACLEX 5.0 DF on one side and are plain on the other
  side.

Ingredients

Bendrofluazide, Lactose, Maize starch, Colloidal silicon dioxide, Gelatine,
Talc, Magnesium stearate

Further information

Your doctor is the best person to give you advice on the treatment of your
illness. You may also be able to find general information about its treatment
from other sources, for example, books in public libraries and on the Internet.