Patient leaflet - ALZAIN 200 MG CAPSULES HARD
1. what alzain is and what it is used for
Alzain belongs to a group of medicines used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain and Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) in adults.
Peripheral and central neuropathic pain: Alzain is used to treat long lasting pain caused by damage to the nerves.
A variety of diseases can cause peripheral neuropathic pain, such as diabetes or shingles. Pain sensations may be described as hot, burning, throbbing, shooting, stabbing, sharp, cramping, aching, tingling, numbness, pins and needles. Peripheral and central neuropathic pain may also be associated with mood changes, sleep disturbance, fatigue (tiredness), and can have an impact on physical and social functioning and overall quality of life.
Epilepsy: Alzain is used to treat a certain form of epilepsy (partial seizures with or without secondary generalisation) in adults. Your doctor will prescribe Alzain for you to help treat your epilepsy when your current treatment is not controlling your condition. You should take Alzain in addition to your current treatment. Alzain is not intended to be used alone, but should always be used in combination with other anti-epileptic treatment.
Generalised Anxiety Disorder: Alzain is used to treat Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD). The symptoms of GAD are prolonged excessive anxiety and worry that are difficult to control. GAD can also cause restlessness or feeling keyed up or on edge, being easily fatigued (tired), having difficulty concentrating or mind going blank, feeling irritable, having muscle tension or sleep disturbance. This is different to the stresses and strains of everyday life.
2. what you need to know before you take alzain
Do not take Alzain
- if you are allergic to pregabalin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Alzain.
- Some patients taking Alzain have reported symptoms suggesting an allergic reaction. These symptoms include swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and throat, as well as diffuse skin rash. Should you experience any of these reactions, you should contact your physician immediately.
- Alzain has been associated with dizziness and somnolence, which could increase the occurrence of accidental injury (fall) in elderly patients. Therefore, you should be careful until you are used to any effect the medicine might have.
- Alzain may cause blurring or loss of vision, or other changes in eyesight, many of which are temporary. You should immediately tell your doctor if you experience any changes in your vision.
- Some patients with diabetes who gain weight while taking pregabalin may need an alteration in their diabetic medicines.
- Certain side effects may be more common, such as sleepiness, because patients with spinal cord injury may be taking other medicines to treat, for example, pain or spasticity, that have similar side effects to pregabalin and the severity of these effects may be increased when taken together.
- There have been reports of heart failure in some patients when taking Alzain; these patients were mostly elderly with cardiovascular conditions.
Before taking this medicine you should tell your doctor if you have a history of heart disease.
- There have been reports of kidney failure in some patients when taking Alzain. If while taking Alzain you notice decreased urination, you should tell your doctor as stopping the medicine may improve this.
- A small number of people being treated with anti-epileptics such as Alzain have had thoughts of harming or killing themselves. If at any time you have these thoughts, immediately contact your doctor.
- When Alzain is taken with other medicines that may cause constipation (such as some types of pain medicines) it is possible that gastrointestinal problems may occur (e.g., constipation, blocked or paralysed bowel). Tell your doctor if you experience constipation, especially if you are prone to this problem.
- Before taking this medicine you should tell your doctor if you have a history of alcoholism or any drug abuse or dependence. Do not take more medicine than prescribed.
- There have been reports of convulsions when taking Alzain or shortly after stopping Alzain. If you experience a convulsion, contact your doctor immediately.
- There have been reports of reduction in brain function (encephalopathy) in some patients taking Alzain when they have other conditions. Tell your doctor if you have a history of any serious medical conditions, including liver or kidney disease.
- There have been reports of breathing difficulties. If you have nervous system disorders, respiratory disorders, renal impairment, or you are older than 65, your doctor may prescribe you a different dosing regimen. Contact your doctor if you experience trouble breathing or shallow breaths.
Children and adolescents
The safety and efficacy in children and adolescents (under 18 years of age) has not been established and therefore, pregabalin should not be used in this age group.
Other medicines and Alzain
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Alzain and certain other medicines may influence each other (interaction). When taken with certain other medicines, which have sedative effects (including opioids), Alzain may potentiate these effects, and could lead to respiratory failure, coma and death. The degree of dizziness, sleepiness and decreased concentration may be increased if Alzain is taken together with medicines containing:
Oxycodone – (used as a pain killer) Lorazepam – (used for treating anxiety) Alcohol
Alzain may be taken with oral contraceptives.
Alzain with food, drink and alcohol
Alzain capsules may be taken with or without food.
It is advised not to drink alcohol while taking Alzain.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
- if you are pregnant, or think you may be pregnant, you must tell your doctor straight away anddiscuss possible risks the medicine you are taking might pose to your unborn baby
- if you are planning to become pregnant you should discuss your treatment with your doctor as early as possible before you become pregnant
- you should not stop your treatment without discussing this with your doctor.
Pregnancy
Alzain should not be taken during pregnancy or when breast-feeding, unless you are told otherwise by your doctor. Effective contraception must be used by women of child bearing potential. There has been limited research specifically looking at the use of Alzain in pregnant women. A recent study suggested that women who took Alzain while they were pregnant might have a slightly higher chance of having a baby born with physical birth abnormalities. More research is needed to better understand and inform on the safety of use of Alzain during pregnancy and whether it is associated with an increased risk of harm to the unborn child.
Driving and using machines
Alzain may produce dizziness, sleepiness and decreased concentration. You should not drive, operate complex machinery or engage in other potentially hazardous activities until you know whether this medicine affects your ability to perform these activities.
3. how to take alzain
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Your doctor will determine what dose is appropriate for you.
Alzain is for oral use only.
Peripheral and central neuropathic pain, epilepsy or Generalised Anxiety Disorder:
- Take the number of capsules as instructed by your doctor.
- The dose, which has been adjusted for you and your condition, will generally be between 150 mg and 600 mg each day.
- Your doctor will tell you to take Alzain either twice or three times a day. For twice a day take Alzain once in the morning and once in the evening, at about the same time each day. For three times a day take Alzain once in the morning, once in the afternoon and once in the evening, at about the same time each day.
If you have the impression that the effect of Alzain is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
If you are an elderly patient (over 65 years of age), you should take Alzain normally except if you have problems with your kidneys.
Your doctor may prescribe a different dosing schedule and/or dose if you have problems with your kidneys.
Swallow the capsule whole with water.
Continue taking Alzain until your doctor tells you to stop.
If you take more Alzain than you should
Call your doctor or go to the nearest hospital emergency unit immediately. Take your box of Alzain capsules with you. You may feel sleepy, confused, agitated, or restless as a result of taking more Alzain than you should. Fits have also been reported.
If you forget to take Alzain
It is important to take your Alzain capsules regularly at the same time each day. If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is time for your next dose. In that case, just carry on with the next dose as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Alzain
Do not stop taking Alzain unless your doctor tells you to. If your treatment is stopped it should be done gradually over a minimum of 1 week.
After stopping long and short-term Alzain treatment, you need to know that you may experience certain side effects. These include, trouble sleeping, headache, nausea, feeling anxious, diarrhoea, flu like symptoms, convulsions, nervousness, depression, pain, sweating, and dizziness. These symptoms may occur more commonly or severely if you have been taking Alzain for a longer period of time.
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.
If you experience swollen face or tongue or if your skin turns red and starts to blister or peel, you should seek immediate medical advice.
Very common: may affect more than 1 in 10 people
- Dizziness, drowsiness, headache.
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people
- Increased appetite.
- Feeling of elation, confusion, disorientation, decrease in sexual interest, irritability.
- Disturbance in attention, clumsiness, memory impairment, loss of memory, tremor, difficulty with speaking, tingling feeling, numbness, sedation, lethargy, insomnia, fatigue, feeling abnormal.
- Blurred vision, double vision.
- Vertigo, problems with balance, fall.
- Dry mouth, constipation, vomiting, flatulence, diarrhoea, nausea, swollen abdomen.
- Difficulties with erection.
- Swelling of the body including extremities.
- Feeling drunk, abnormal style of walking.
- Weight gain.
- Muscle cramp, joint pain, back pain, pain in limb.
- Sore throat.
Uncommon: may affect up to 1 in 100 people
- Loss of appetite, weight loss, low blood sugar, high blood sugar.
- Change in perception of self, restlessness, depression, agitation, mood swings, difficulty finding words, hallucinations, abnormal dreams, panic attack, apathy, aggression, elevated mood, mental impairment, difficulty with thinking, increase in sexual interest, problems with sexual functioning including inability to achieve a sexual climax, delayed ejaculation.
- Changes in eyesight, unusual eye movement, changes in vision including tunnel vision, flashes of light, jerky movements, reduced reflexes, increased activity, dizziness on standing, sensitive skin, loss of taste, burning sensation, tremor on movement, decreased consciousness, loss of consciousness, fainting, increased sensitivity to noise, feeling unwell.
- Dry eyes, eye swelling, eye pain, weak eyes, watery eyes, eye irritation.
- Heart rhythm disturbances, increased heart rate, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, changes in heart beat, heart failure.
- Flushing, hot flushes.
- Difficulty breathing, dry nose, nasal congestion.
- Increased saliva production, heartburn, numb around mouth.
- Sweating, rash, chills, fever.
- Muscle twitching, joint swelling, muscle stiffness, pain including muscle pain, neck pain.
- Breast pain.
- Difficulty with or painful urination, incontinence.
- Weakness, thirst, chest tightness.
- Changes in blood and liver test results (blood creatinine phosphokinase increased, alanine amino transferase increased, aspartate aminotransferase increased, platelet count decreased, neutropenia, increase in blood creatinine, decrease in blood potassium).
- Hypersensitivity, swollen face, itchiness, hives, runny nose, nose bleed, cough, snoring.
- Painful menstrual periods.
- Coldness of hands and feet.
Rare: may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people
- Abnormal sense of smell, swinging vision, altered perception of depth, visual brightness, vision loss.
- Dilated pupils, cross eyes.
- Cold sweat, tightness of the throat, swollen tongue.
- Inflammation of the pancreas.
- Difficulty in swallowing.
- Slow or reduced movement of the body.
- Difficulty with writing properly.
- Increased fluid in the abdomen.
- Fluid in the lungs.
- Convulsions.
- Changes in the recording of electrical changes (ECG) in the heart which correspond to heart rhythm disturbances.
- Muscle damage.
- Breast discharge, abnormal breast growth, breast growth in males.
- Interrupted menstrual periods.
- Kidney failure, reduced urine volume, urinary retention.
- Decrease in white blood cell count.
- Inappropriate behaviour.
- Allergic reactions (which may include difficulty breathing, inflammation of the eyes (keratitis) and a serious skin reaction characterised by rash, blisters, peeling skin and pain).
- Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes).
- Parkinsonism, that is symptoms resembling Parkinson’s disease; such as tremor, bradykinesia (decreased ability to move), and rigidity (muscle stiffness).
Very rare: may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people
- Liver failure.
- Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver).
Certain side effects may be more common, such as sleepiness, because patients with spinal cord injury may be taking other medicines to treat, for example, pain or spasticity, that have similar side effects to pregabalin and the severity of these effects may be increased when taken together.
The following adverse reaction has been reported in the post-marketing experience: Trouble breathing, shallow breaths.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet.
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 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 alzain
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton or blister after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Alzain 25 mg and 50 mg capsules: Do not store above 25°C.
Alzain 75, 100, 150, 200, 225 and 300 mg capsules: Do not store above 30°C.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
6. contents of the pack and other information
What Alzain contains
- The active substance is pregabalin. Each hard capsule contains either 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 225 mg or 300 mg pregabalin.
- The other ingredients are: mannitol, Co-processed corn starch (consisting of corn starch and pregelatinised corn starch), talc, gelatine, titanium dioxide (E171) and black ink, (which contains shellac, black iron oxide (E172), potassium hydroxide). The 75 mg, 100 mg, 200 mg, 225 mg and 300 mg capsules also contain red iron oxide (E172).
What Alzain looks like and contents of the pack
| 25 mg capsules | White capsules, hard, size 4 (14.4 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 25” marked on the body. |
| 50 mg capsules | White capsules, hard, size 3 (15.8 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 50” marked on the body. The capsule body is marked with a black band. |
| 75 mg capsules | White and orange capsules, hard, size 4 (14.4 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 75” marked on the body. |
| 100 mg capsules | Orange capsules, hard, size 3 (15.8 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 100” marked on the body. |
| 150 mg capsules | White capsules, hard, size 2 (17.8 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 150” marked on the body. |
| 200 mg capsules | Light orange capsules, hard, size 1 (19.3 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 200” marked on the body. |
| 225 mg capsules | White and light orange capsules, hard, size 1 (19.3 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 225” marked on the body. |
| 300 mg capsules | White and orange capsules, hard, size 0 (21.4 ± 0.4 mm), with “PGB 300” marked on the body. |
Alzain 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg, 100 mg, 150 mg and 200 mg are available in two pack sizes made of PVC with an aluminium foil backing: a 56 capsules pack and a 84 capsules pack.
Alzain 225 mg and 300 mg are available in one pack size made of PVC with an aluminium foil backing: a 56 capsules pack
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (UK) Ltd.
6 Riverview Road, Beverley, East Yorkshire
HU17 0LD
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
Balkanpharma-Dupnitsa AD
3 Samokovsko Shosse Str.
Dupnitsa 2600
Bulgaria
This leaflet was last revised in 02/2022
Dr. Reddy’s
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