PROPAM
Diazepam 2mg, 5mg and 10mg tablets
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about PROPAM. It does not contain
all the information available on this medicine. 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 using PROPAM against the benefits expected
it will have for you. If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask
your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.
What PROPAM is used for and how it works
Your PROPAM tablets contain the active ingredient, diazepam. It belongs to a
group of medicines commonly known as benzodiazepines. These medicines act on
brain chemicals in the central nervous system.
PROPAM is a sedative, anticonvulsant and muscle relaxant used to treat the
following conditions:
- severe anxiety, related to insomnia or short term mental illness
- tension headaches and migraine attacks
- symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, such as trembling and confusion
- muscle spasm, including muscle spasms associated with tetanus
- some types of epilepsy
- night terrors and sleep-walking, especially in children
In general, PROPAM is only used short-term (for example 2-4 weeks).
Continuous long-term use is not recommended unless specifically advised by your
doctor. Long-term use of benzodiazepines such as PROPAM, may lead to dependence
on the medication.
Your doctor may however, have prescribed PROPAM for another reason. Ask your
doctor if you have any questions about why PROPAM has been prescribed for you.
PROPAM is only available on prescription from your doctor.
Before you take PROPAM
When you must not take it
Do NOT take PROPAM if:
- You are allergic to diazepam or any of the other ingredients listed at
the end of this leaflet
Symptoms 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.
- You have severe and chronic lung disease including asthma
- You have myasthenia gravis
- You or your child have attention deficit disorder (ADD)
- You or your child have problems swallowing
- You have an acute closed-angle glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye)
Do not use PROPAM if you are pregnant or planning on becoming pregnant or
if you are breastfeeding.
Do not use PROPAM if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Do not use PROPAM after the expiry (EXP) printed on the pack.
Before you take it
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes
or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following medical conditions:
- depression or psychosis
- kidney or liver problems
- any lung or breathing problems
- drug or alcohol dependence
Your doctor may want to take special care if you have any of these
conditions.
Taking other medicines
If you are taking any other medicines, including any you get without a
prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, tell your doctor
or pharmacist.
Some medicines may interfere with how well PROPAM works. These include:
- sleeping tablets, sedatives or tranquilisers
- medicines to treat depression or mental illness
- strong pain-relievers
- medicines to treat reflux or ulcers, such as antacids and cimetidine
- medicines to treat epilepsy (fits and convulsions), such as carbamazepine
- certain oral contraceptives (containing oestrogen)
- disulfiram, a medicine used in alcohol abuse
- some medicines used to treat Parkinson's disease, e.g. levodopa
- some treatments for tuberculosis, such as rifampin and isoniazid
- zidovudine, to treat HIV virus
These medicines may be affected by PROPAM or may affect how well PROPAM
works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take
a different medicine. Your doctor can tell you what to do if you are taking any
of these medicines.
If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with
your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on these medicines, and on
other medicines that you need to be careful with, or avoid while taking PROPAM.
How to take PROPAM properly
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much PROPAM you need to take each day. It is
important that you take PROPAM only as directed by your doctor. Do not take more
than the recommended dose.
The dose of PROPAM varies from patient to patient and will depend on your
age, and the condition you are being treated for. Your doctor will prescribe the
lowest dose that can control your symptoms.
For adults, the daily dose of PROPAM can vary between 2mg and 60mg daily,
given in divided doses.
Elderly patients and patients with kidney or liver problems can be more
susceptible to the risk of side effects and therefore lower dosages are
generally recommended.
Swallow the tablets whole with a glass off water. The tablets may be taken
with or without food.
If you do not understand the instructions printed on the label, ask your
doctor or pharmacist for help.
How long to take it
Take PROPAM only for as long as your doctor recommends.
PROPAM should only be taken for short periods of time (2-4 weeks) and at the
lowest dose that can control your symptoms.
Long-term use is not recommended, unless advised by your doctor. The use of
PROPAM may lead to dependence on the medicine.
If you forget a dose
Do not take more than one dose at a time to make up for missed doses.
If you forget a dose, just take the next dose when it is due.
Taking your medicine at the same time each day may help you to remember to
take it regularly.
While you are taking PROPAM
It is important that you take PROPAM exactly as prescribed. Taking
more than the prescribed amount of PROPAM can increase the chance of developing
unwanted side effects.
Things you must do
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you, that you are
taking PROPAM.
If you plan to have surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking
PROPAM.
Do not stop taking PROPAM or change the dose, without first checking with
your doctor.
If you become pregnant while taking PROPAM, stop taking it and tell your
doctor immediately.
Things you must not do
Do not stop taking PROPAM or change the dose, without first checking with
your doctor.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same
condition as you.
Do not use PROPAM to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you
to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how PROPAM
tablets affect you.
PROPAM can cause drowsiness, dizziness or loss of concentration in some people.
It is therefore important that you make sure you know how you react to PROPAM
before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be
dangerous if you are dizzy or light headed.
Be careful drinking alcohol while taking PROPAM.
Drinking alcohol while you are taking PROPAM can make you drowsy or dizzy. Your
doctor may therefore suggest that you avoid alcohol, while you are taking
PROPAM.
Side effects
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well
while you are taking PROPAM.
Like all medicines, PROPAM 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.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- drowsiness
- loss of balance
- uncoordinated movement
- confusion
- headache
- stomach upsets
- skin rashes
- blurry or distorted vision
- difficulty urinating
- changes in sex drive
Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency if you notice
any of the following:
- swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat which may cause difficulty in
swallowing or breathing - severe confusion, drowsiness, loss of reflexes or muscle weakness
- yellowing of the skin and eyes
- hallucinations or delusions
The side effects listed above are rare but can be very serious. If you
experience any of them, you may have had a severe allergic reaction to PROPAM so
you may need urgent medical attention.
All of these side effects are very rare.
If you should suffer from any of these side effects or other undesired
effect, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
This list of possible side effects is not complete. Other effects may occur
in some people.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects, you may not
experience any of them.
In case of overdose
You should only take the number of tablets that you have been told.
If you take too much PROPAM, the effects og the medication will be increased.
You may feel extremely drowsy, have difficulty breathing, experience muscle
weakness or become unconscious.
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 PROPAM by mistake. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or
poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Take the container of PROPAM
with you if you can.
Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
Storage conditions
Keep your PROPAM tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.
Store below 25°C and out of reach of children. Avoid exposure to light.
Do not store PROPAM, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking PROPAM or if the tablets have passed
the expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with the remaining medicine.
Product Description
What PROPAM tablets look like
PROPAM come in three strengths of tablet:
- PROPAM 2mg tablets: white round tablets, marked with 'DM' with a bisect on
one side. - PROPAM 5mg tablets: yellow round tablets, marked with 'DM' with a bisect
on one side. - PROPAM 10mg tablets: blue round tablets, marked with 'DM' with a bisect on
one side.
Each PROPAM tablet contains the active ingredient diazepam.
The tablets also contain lactose, maize starch, povidone, ethanol and
magnesium stearate.