Patient leaflet - Macrolyte 13.8 g sachet, powder for oral solution
1. What Macrolyte is and what it is used for
The name of this medicine is Macrolyte 13.8g sachet, powder for oral solution. It is a laxative for the treatment of constipation in adults, adolescents and elderly. It is not recommended for children below 12 years of age.
Macrolyte helps you to have a comfortable bowel movement even if you have been constipated for a long time. Macrolyte also works in very bad constipation called faecal impaction.
2. What you need to know before you take Macrolyte
Do not take Macrolyte if your doctor has told you that you have:
- a blockage in your intestine (gut obstruction, ileus)
- a perforated gut wall
- severe inflammatory bowel disease, like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or toxic megacolon
- an allergy to the active substance or any of the other ingredients of Macrolyte (listed in section 6).
- Warnings and precautions
When taking Macrolyte you should continue to take plenty of fluids. The fluid content of
Macrolyte should not replace your regular liquid intake.
Heart conditions
Follow the special instructions in section 3 if you are taking Macrolyte for faecal impaction
Other medicines and Macrolyte
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. You should not take other medicines orally one hour before, during and one hour after taking Macrolyte.
Some medicines, e.g. anti-epileptics, may not work as effectively during use with Macrolyte. If you need to thicken fluids in order to swallow them safely, Macrolyte may counteract the effect of the thickener.
Pregnancy and breast feeding
Macrolyte can be taken during pregnancy and whilst breast feeding. If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breast feeding, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice before taking Macrolyte.
Driving and using machines
Macrolyte does not affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Macrolyte contains sodium
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need 3 or more sachets daily for a prolonged period, especially if you have been advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet.
3. How to take Macrolyte
This medicine can be taken at any time with or without food.
Dissolve the content of each sachet in 125ml (1/4 pint) of water and drink.
Constipation:
A dose of Macrolyte is one sachet dissolved in 125ml (1/4 pint) of water. Take this 1 –3 times a day, according to the severity of your constipation.
Faecal impaction:
Before you take Macrolyte for faecal impaction, it should be confirmed that you have this condition.
A dose of 8 sachets a day of Macrolyte is needed for the treatment of faecal impaction. Each sachet dissolved in 125ml (1/4 pint) of water. The 8 sachets should be taken within 6 hours for up to 3 days if required. If you have a heart condition do not take more than two sachets in any one hour.
How to mix:
Open the sachet and pour the contents into a glass. Add 125 ml or ¼ pint of water to the glass until all the powder has dissolved and the Macrolyte solution is clear or slightly hazy, then drink it. If you like, you can add a flavour such as orange squash to the drink. If you are taking Macrolyte for faecal impaction, it may be easier to dissolve 8 sachets in 1 litre of water.
Duration of treatment:
Constipation:
Treatment with Macrolyte usually lasts for about 2 weeks. If your constipation is caused by an illness such as Parkinson’s disease or multiple sclerosis (MS), or if you take medicines that cause constipation your doctor may recommend that you take Macrolyte for longer than 2 weeks. If you need to take Macrolyte for longer, please see your doctor.
Usually for long term treatment the dose can be lowered to either 1 or 2 sachets a day.
Faecal impaction:
Treatment with Macrolyte can be for up to 3 days.
If you take more Macrolyte than you should:
You may develop excessive diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. If this occurs, stop taking Macrolyte and drink plenty of fluids. If you are worried contact your doctor or pharmacist.
If you forget to take Macrolyte:
Take the dose as soon as you remember to take it.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Tell your doctor immediately and stop taking Macrolyte if you:
- Get a serious allergic reaction which causes difficulty in breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat.
Other side effects include:
Allergic reactions which may cause a skin rash, itching, reddening of the skin or a nettle rash, swollen hands, feet or ankles, headaches and high and low levels of potassium in the blood.
Sometimes you may have indigestion, stomach ache or rumbles. You may also feel bloated, suffer from wind, feel sick or vomit, may also experience soreness of the anus (bottom) and may have mild diarrhoea when starting to take Macrolyte. These side effects generally get better if you reduce the amount of Macrolyte you take.
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 Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard 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 Macrolyte
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children
Do not use Macrolyte after the expiry date which is stated on the sachet and carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of the month.
Do not store above 25ºC.
Once you have made up Macrolyte in water, if you cannot drink it straight away, keep it covered and in the fridge (2 - 8ºC). Throw away any solution not used within a six hour period.
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 Macrolyte contains
The active substance (s) are:
Each 13.8g sachet of Macrolyte contains the following:
Macrogol 3350 13.125 g
Sodium Chloride 0.3507 g
Sodium Bicarbonate 0.1785 g
Potassium Chloride 0.0466 g
Macrolyte contains 186.87 mg (8.125 mmol) sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per sachet. This is equivalent to 9.3% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult. See section 2 “Macrolyte contains sodium”.
The other ingredient (s) are:
Macrolyte also contains lime and lemon flavour, and acesulfame potassium as a sweetener. Lemon and lime flavour contains the following ingredients: acacia solids, maltodextrin, lime oil, lemon oil, citral, citric acid and water.
When it is made into a drink with 125 millilitres of water, each sachet gives the equivalent of:
Sodium 65 millimoles/litre
Chloride 53 millimoles/litre
Potassium 5.4 millimoles/litre
Bicarbonate 17 millimoles/litre
What Macrolyte looks like and contents of the pack
Macrolyte is a white powder.
Macrolyte is available in boxes of 2, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 50, 60 or 100 sachets.
Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing authorisation holder:
Norgine Pharmaceuticals Limited
ARC Uxbridge, Building 01,
Sanderson Road,
Uxbridge,
UB8 1DH, UK
Manufacturer:
Norgine Limited, New Road, Hengoed, Mid Glamorgan, CF82 8SJ, U.K.
This leaflet was last revised in 03/2025
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