ACETAZOLAMIDE MERCURY PHARMA 250 MG TABLETS,DIAMOX 250 MG TABLETS - patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

Diamox® 250mg tablets

(acetazolamide)

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

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 only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.

See section 4.

The name of your medicine is Diamox 250mg tablets but will be referred to as Diamox throughout this leaflet.

What is in this leaflet:

• 1. What Diamox is and what it is used for

• 2. What you need to know before you take Diamox

• 3. How to take Diamox

• 4. Possible side effects

• 5. How to store Diamox

• 6. Content of the pack and other information

1. what diamox is and what it is used for

Diamox contain the active substance Acetazolamide. This belongs to a group of medicines known as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

Diamox is used to treat:

• glaucoma (a condition of the eye), by reducing the pressure within the eye
• abnormal retention of fluids (Diamox acts as a diuretic)
• epilepsy (fits or convulsions).

2. what you need to know before you take diamox

DO not take Diamox if:

• you know you are allergic to sulphonamides, sulphonamide derivatives including acetazolamide or to any of the ingredients in the medicine (listed in Section 6)
• you have severe liver problems
• you have or have ever had severe kidney problems
• you have a particular type of glaucoma known as chronic non congestive angle closure glaucoma (your doctor will be able to advise you)
• you have reduced function of the adrenal glands – glands above the kidneys – (also known as Addison’s disease)
• you have low blood levels of sodium and/or potassium or high blood levels of chlorine (your doctor will advise you).

Speak to your doctor if any of the above applies to you.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Diamox

• you have or have ever had kidney problems such as kidney stones
• you have lung problems such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, which cause difficulty in breathing
• you are over the age of 65
• a small number of people being treated with anti-epileptics such as Acetazolamide have had thoughts of harming or killing themselves, if at any time you have these thoughts, immediately contact your doctor.

Diamox may affect some medical tests. If you visit a hospital or clinic for any medical tests, you should tell the doctor concerned that you are taking Diamox.

Other medicines and Diamox

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. The effects of any of these medicines may change, particularly if you are taking, or using, any of the following:

• medicines for your heart such as cardiac glycosides (e.g. digoxin)
• medicines to reduce blood pressure
• medicines to thin your blood (e.g. warfarin)
• medicines to lower the sugar in your blood (e.g. metformin, gliclazide)
• medicines for epilepsy or fits (in particular, phenytoin, primidone or carbamazepine or topiramate)
• drugs which interfere with folic acid, e.g. methotrexate, pyrimethamine, or trimethoprim
• steroids such as prednisolone
• aspirin and related medicines, e.g. salicylic acid or choline salicylate for mouth ulcers
• other drugs in the group of medicines called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g. dorzolamide or brinzolamide which are also used to treat glaucoma)
• amphetamines (a stimulant), quinidine (treats an irregular heart beat), methenamine (prevents urine infections) or lithium (treats severe mental problems)
• sodium bicarbonate therapy (used to treat high states of acid in your body)
• ciclosporin (used to suppress the immune system).

Pregnancy and breast feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicines.

Pregnancy

Diamox SHOULD NOT be taken if you are pregnant, think you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.

Breast feeding

It may be taken when breast feeding but only on the advice of the doctor.

Driving and using machines

If Diamox makes you feel drowsy or confused you should not drive or operate machines. Diamox can occasionally cause short-sightedness; if this happens and you feel that you can no longer drive safely, you should stop driving and contact your doctor.

Diamox contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1mmol sodium (23mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

3. how to take diamox

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

• This information will also be on the label.
• Diamox should be swallowed whole with a drink of water, just before or just after a meal. Do not chew or crush the tablets.
• The dose varies from person to person depending on their condition. Your doctor will decide on the most appropriate dose.

If you are not sure how many tablets to take or when to take them, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The recommended dose is

Glaucoma:

Adults: 250mg-1000mg (1–4 tablets) every 24 hours, in divided doses.

Retention of fluid:

Adults: starting dose is 250–375mg (1–1.5 tablets) once daily in the morning. Your doctor will adjust the dose and tell you how often to take your dose.

Epilepsy:

Adults: 250–1000mg daily in divided doses.

Children: the dose will depend on the bodyweight of the child, to be taken in divided doses. Dose should not be more than 750mg (3 tablets) per day.

• Before starting and during treatment your doctor may monitor your blood to check that treatment with Diamox is suitable for you.

If you take more Diamox than you should

Get medical help immediately, either by calling your doctor or going to the nearest hospital casualty department. Take any remaining tablets and this leaflet with you so that the medical staff know exactly what you have taken.

If you forget to take your Diamox

You should take it as soon as you remember. However, if this is within two hours of your next dose you should skip the missed tablets and carry on taking the rest of your tablets as usual.

Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

All medicines can cause allergic reactions although serious allergic reactions are very rare. Any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body) should be reported to a doctor immediately.

Diamox can affect the cells in your blood. This could mean that you are more likely to catch infections and that your blood may not clot properly. If you have a sore throat or fever or you notice bruises or tiny red or purple spots on your skin you should contact your doctor immediately. If your muscles feel weak or you have fits, you should see your doctor immediately.

Diamox can affect the liver and kidneys. If you experience pain in your lower back, pain or burning when you pass urine, have difficulty in passing urine, or you stop passing urine, have blood in your urine, pale stools, or if your skin or eyes look slightly yellow, you should contact your doctor. You should also contact your doctor if your stools are black or tarry, or if you notice blood in your stools.

Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data

• headache
• diarrhoea
• feeling or being sick, loss of appetite, thirst, or a metallic taste in the mouth
• dizziness, loss of full control of arms or legs
• looking flushed
• a need to pass urine more often than normal
• tiredness or irritability
• feeling over-excited
• a tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes, or coldness in the extremities.
• depression
• drowsiness or confusion
• a loss of interest in sex
• ringing in the ears or difficulty in hearing
• temporary short-sightedness which subsides when the dosage is reduced or treatment is stopped.

Rare cases of skin rashes including an increased sensitivity to sunlight have been reported. If you experience any unusual skin rashes, inform your doctor.

If you take Diamox for a long time it can occasionally affect the amount of potassium, or sodium in your blood. Your doctor will probably take blood tests to check that this does not happen. You might also experience bone thinning or the risk of kidney stones with long-term therapy. High or low blood sugar levels may occasionally occur.

Contact a doctor immediately if you experience a serious skin reaction: a red, scaly rash with bumps under the skin and blisters (exanthematous pustulosis). The frequency of this side effects is not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).

If any of the side effects becomes serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Reporting of side effects:

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. how to store diamox

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 25°C.

Do not take the tablets after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister labels after ‘Exp’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

If the tablet becomes discoloured or shows any signs of deterioration, seek the advice of your pharmacist.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.

REMEMBER

This medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give this medicine to someone else; it could harm them, even if their symptoms seem the same as yours.

• 6. CONTENT OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION

What Diamox contains

The active ingredient in the Diamox is acetazolamide.

Each tablet contains 250mg acetazolamide.

The other ingredients are sodium starch glycolate, povidone K29–32, calcium phosphate dihydrate, maize starch and magnesium stearate.

What Diamox looks like and contents of pack

Diamox is round, white tablets engraved with ‘DIAMOX 250’ on one side and scored in quarters on the other.

Diamox is available in blister packs containing 12 tablets.

Manufactured by: TEOFARMA S.r.l. – Viale Certosa, 8/A –27100 PAVIA, Italy.

Procured from within the EU and repackaged by the Product Licence holder : B&S Healthcare, Unit 4, Bradfield Road,

Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 0NU, UK.

Diamox® 250mg tablets; PL 18799/2327

Leaflet date: 21.11.2019 |PQM|

Diamox is a registered trademark of Wyeth Holdings LLC.

Blind or partially sighted?

Is this leaflet hard to see or read?

Call 0208 515 3763 to obtain the leaflet in a format suitable for you.

PACKAGE LEAFLET: INFORMATION FOR THE USER

Acetazolamide Mercury Pharma 250mg tablets

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

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 only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

The name of your medicine is Acetazolamide Mercury Pharma 250mg tablets but will be referred to as Acetazolamide throughout this leaflet.

What is in this leaflet:

• 1. What Acetazolamide is and what it is used for

• 2. What you need to know before you take Acetazolamide

• 3. How to take Acetazolamide

• 4. Possible side effects

• 5. How to store Acetazolamide

• 6. Content of the pack and other information

1. what acetazolamide is and what it is used for

Acetazolamide contain the active substance Acetazolamide. This belongs to a group of medicines known as carbonic anhydrase inhibitors.

Acetazolamide is used to treat:

• glaucoma (a condition of the eye), by reducing the pressure within the eye
• abnormal retention of fluids (Acetazolamide acts as a diuretic)
• epilepsy (fits or convulsions).

2. what you need to know before you take acetazolamide

DO not take Acetazolamide if:

• you know you are allergic to sulphonamides, sulphonamide derivatives including acetazolamide or to any of the ingredients in the medicine (listed in Section 6)
• you have severe liver problems
• you have or have ever had severe kidney problems
• you have a particular type of glaucoma known as chronic non congestive angle closure glaucoma (your doctor will be able to advise you)
• you have reduced function of the adrenal glands – glands above the kidneys – (also known as Addison’s disease)
• you have low blood levels of sodium and/or potassium or high blood levels of chlorine (your doctor will advise you).

Speak to your doctor if any of the above applies to you.

Warnings and precautions

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Acetazolamide

• you have or have ever had kidney problems such as kidney stones
• you have lung problems such as chronic bronchitis or emphysema, which cause difficulty in breathing
• you are over the age of 65
• a small number of people being treated with anti-epileptics such as Acetazolamide have had thoughts of harming or killing themselves, if at any time you have these thoughts, immediately contact your doctor.

Acetazolamide may affect some medical tests. If you visit a hospital or clinic for any medical tests, you should tell the doctor concerned that you are taking Acetazolamide.

Other medicines and Acetazolamide

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. The effects of any of these medicines may change, particularly if you are taking, or using, any of the following:

• medicines for your heart such as cardiac glycosides (e.g. digoxin)
• medicines to reduce blood pressure
• medicines to thin your blood (e.g. warfarin)
• medicines to lower the sugar in your blood (e.g. metformin, gliclazide)
• medicines for epilepsy or fits (in particular, phenytoin, primidone or carbamazepine or topiramate)
• drugs which interfere with folic acid, e.g. methotrexate, pyrimethamine, or trimethoprim
• steroids such as prednisolone
• aspirin and related medicines, e.g. salicylic acid or choline salicylate for mouth ulcers
• other drugs in the group of medicines called carbonic anhydrase inhibitors (e.g. dorzolamide or brinzolamide which are also used to treat glaucoma)
• amphetamines (a stimulant), quinidine (treats an irregular heart beat), methenamine (prevents urine infections) or lithium (treats severe mental problems)
• sodium bicarbonate therapy (used to treat high states of acid in your body)
• ciclosporin (used to suppress the immune system).

Pregnancy and breast feeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicines.

Pregnancy

Acetazolamide SHOULD NOT be taken if you are pregnant, think you are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant.

Breast feeding

It may be taken when breast feeding but only on the advice of the doctor.

Driving and using machines

If Acetazolamide makes you feel drowsy or confused you should not drive or operate machines. Acetazolamide can occasionally cause short-sightedness; if this happens and you feel that you can no longer drive safely, you should stop driving and contact your doctor.

Acetazolamide contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1mmol sodium (23mg) per dose, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.

3. how to take acetazolamide

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

• This information will also be on the label.
• Acetazolamide should be swallowed whole with a drink of water, just before or just after a meal. Do not chew or crush the tablets.
• The dose varies from person to person depending on their condition. Your doctor will decide on the most appropriate dose.

If you are not sure how many tablets to take or when to take them, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

The recommended dose is

Glaucoma:

Adults: 250mg-1000mg (1–4 tablets) every 24 hours, in divided doses.

Retention of fluid:

Adults: starting dose is 250–375mg (1–1.5 tablets) once daily in the morning. Your doctor will adjust the dose and tell you how often to take your dose.

Epilepsy:

Adults: 250–1000mg daily in divided doses.

Children: the dose will depend on the bodyweight of the child, to be taken in divided doses. Dose should not be more than 750mg (3 tablets) per day.

• Before starting and during treatment your doctor may monitor your blood to check that treatment with Acetazolamide is suitable for you.

If you take more Acetazolamide than you should

Get medical help immediately, either by calling your doctor or going to the nearest hospital casualty department. Take any remaining tablets and this leaflet with you so that the medical staff know exactly what you have taken.

If you forget to take your Acetazolamide

You should take it as soon as you remember. However, if this is within two hours of your next dose you should skip the missed tablets and carry on taking the rest of your tablets as usual.

Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

All medicines can cause allergic reactions although serious allergic reactions are very rare. Any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, swelling of the eyelids, face or lips, rash or itching (especially affecting your whole body) should be reported to a doctor immediately.

Acetazolamide can affect the cells in your blood. This could mean that you are more likely to catch infections and that your blood may not clot properly. If you have a sore throat or fever or you notice bruises or tiny red or purple spots on your skin you should contact your doctor immediately. If your muscles feel weak or you have fits, you should see your doctor immediately. Acetazolamide can affect the liver and kidneys. If you experience pain in your lower back, pain or burning when you pass urine, have difficulty in passing urine, or you stop passing urine, have blood in your urine, pale stools, or if your skin or eyes look slightly yellow, you should contact your doctor. You should also contact your doctor if your stools are black or tarry, or if you notice blood in your stools.

• Not known: frequency cannot be estimated from the available data headache
• diarrhoea
• feeling or being sick, loss of appetite, thirst, or a metallic taste in the mouth
• dizziness, loss of full control of arms or legs
• looking flushed
• a need to pass urine more often than normal
• tiredness or irritability
• feeling over-excited
• a tingling or numbness in the fingers or toes, or coldness in the extremities.
• depression
• drowsiness or confusion
• a loss of interest in sex
• ringing in the ears or difficulty in hearing
• temporary short-sightedness which subsides when the dosage is reduced or treatment is stopped.

Rare cases of skin rashes including an increased sensitivity to sunlight have been reported. If you experience any unusual skin rashes, inform your doctor.

If you take Acetazolamide for a long time it can occasionally affect the amount of potassium, or sodium in your blood. Your doctor will probably take blood tests to check that this does not happen. You might also experience bone thinning or the risk of kidney stones with long-term therapy. High or low blood sugar levels may occasionally occur.

Contact a doctor immediately if you experience a serious skin reaction: a red, scaly rash with bumps under the skin and blisters (exanthematous pustulosis). The frequency of this side effects is not known (cannot be estimated from the available data).

If any of the side effects becomes serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Reporting of side effects:

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. how to store acetazolamide

Keep out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not store above 25°C.

Do not take the tablets after the expiry date which is stated on the carton and blister labels after ‘Exp’. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.

If the tablet becomes discoloured or shows any signs of deterioration, seek the advice of your pharmacist.

Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.

REMEMBER

This medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give this medicine to someone else; it could harm them, even if their symptoms seem the same as yours.

• 6. CONTENT OF THE PACK AND OTHER INFORMATION