Patient leaflet - Maximum Flu strength Caplets
1. What Maximum Flu Strength Caplets are and what they are used for
The name of your medicine is Maximum Flu Strength Caplets. These caplets contain a combination of Paracetamol (a painkiller), caffeine (a mild stimulant) and phenylephrine hydrochloride (a decongestant).
Maximum Flu Strength Caplets are used to relieve the symptoms of the common cold and flu; including fever, aches and pains, headaches, tiredness and drowsiness, nasal congestion (blocked nose and sinus) and reducing temperatures.
2. What you need to know before you take Maximum Flu Strength Caplets
Do not take Maximum Flu Strength Caplets if you:
- are allergic to paracetamol, caffeine, phenylephrine hydrochloride or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
- are extremely sensitive to phenylephrine
- have had ulcers of the stomach or small intestine (peptic ulcer disease)
- have an overactive thyroid
- have swelling of blood vessels (aneurysms) or narrowing of blood vessels
- suffer from heart disease, including high blood pressure
- suffer from a tumour called a phaeochromocytoma
- suffer from an enlarged prostate
- suffer from diabetes
- suffer from an eye condition called closed angle glaucoma
- are taking sympathomimetic decongestants
- are taking beta blockers (used to treat high blood pressure)
- are taking tricyclic antidepressants (e.g. imipramine or amitriptyline) or if you are taking or have taken within the last two weeks monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (e.g. moclobemide) prescribed for depression.
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Maximum Flu Strength Caplets if you:
- suffer from kidney disease or liver disease, particularly if caused by alcohol
- suffer from alcoholism
- suffer from asthma, particularly if your asthma is worsened by aspirin
- have a blood vessel disease such as Raynaud’s Phenomenon
- have heart or circulation disease
This medicine contains paracetamol; do not take with any other paracetamol-containing products at the same time.
Do not take with any other flu, cold or decongestant products.
During treatment with and Maximum Flu Strength Caplets ,tell your doctor straight away if:
If you have severe illnesses, including severe renal impairment or sepsis (when bacteria and their toxins circulate in the blood leading to organ damage), or you suffer from malnutrition, chronic alcoholism or if you are also taking flucloxacillin (an antibiotic). A serious condition called metabolic acidosis (a blood and fluid abnormality) has been reported in patients in these situations when paracetamol is used at regular doses for a prolonged period or when paracetamol is taken together with flucloxacillin. Symptoms of metabolic acidosis may include: serious breathing difficulties with deep rapid breathing, drowsiness, feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting).
Other medicines and Maximum Flu Strength Caplets
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. The following medicines can affect or be affected by Maximum Flu Strength Caplets:
- medicines used to treat bacterial infections (e.g. quinolone antibiotics such as isoniazid, enoxacin, pipemidic acid and ciprofloxacin used to treat tuberculosis)
- medicines used to treat epilepsy (fits) (e.g. carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, primodone and lamotrigine)
- medicines used to treat depression (e.g. fluvoxamine, tricyclic antidepressants such as amitriptyline or imipramine, reversible inhibitors of monoamine oxidase (RIMAs ) such as moclobemide and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or if you have taken MAOIs within the past 14 days)
- digoxin (used to treat heart disease) and cardiac glycosides (used to treat heart failure)
- metoclopramide and domperidone (used to treat sickness and nausea)
- oral contraceptives (“The Pill”, mini-pill), hormonal implants and HRT
- warfarin and other coumarin medicines (used to thin the blood)
- probenecid (used to treat gout)
- diflunisal (an anti-inflammatory painkiller)
- colestyramine (used to treat high cholesterol and in diseases of the intestine and liver)
- benzodiazepine medicines (sedatives e.g. diazepam)
- disulfiram (used to treat alcoholism)
- lithium (used to treat manic depression/bipolar disorder)
- mexiletine (used to treat abnormal heart rhythms)
- phenylpropanolamine (a decongestant)
- theophylline (used in the treatment of asthma)
- alpha-blockers (used in high blood pressure and problems associated with enlarged prostate)
- beta-blockers (used to treat high blood pressure)
- medicines used to decrease appetite
- amphetamine-like psychostimulants also known as ‘uppers’ or ‘speed’
- atropine (used in anaesthesia or to increase the heart rate)
- ergot alkaloids (used in the treatment of migraines e.g. ergotamine and methysergide)
- oxytocin (used to induce childbirth)
- sympathomimetics (used to maintain blood pressure in critically ill patients).
- intravenous busulfan (used in chemotherapy to treat cancer)
- flucloxacillin (antibiotic), due to a serious risk of blood and fluid abnormality (called high anion gap metabolic acidosis) that must have urgent treatment (see section 2).
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If necessary, Maximum Flu Strength Caplets can be used during pregnancy. 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. You should use the lowest possible dose that reduces your pain and/or your fever and use it for the shortest time possible. Contact your doctor if the pain and/or fever are not reduced or if you need to take the medicine more often.
Driving and using machines
It is possible that Maximum Flu Strength Caplets may cause dizziness. Do not drive or operate machinery if affected.
Maximum Flu Strength Caplets with alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while taking this medicine
Maximum Flu Strength Caplets contains:
This medicine contains ethylhydroxybenzoate, methylhydroxybenzoate and propylhydroxybenzoate all of which may cause allergic reactions (possibly delayed).
3. How to take Maximum Flu Strength Caplets
Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or as your doctor or pharmacist or nurse has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist or nurse if you are not sure. Swallow tablets whole with a glass of water. Do not chew.
Adults and children 16 years and over: 1 to 2 tablets every 4-6 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.
Children 12 – 15 years: One tablet every 4 – 6 hours when necessary to a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours.
Children under 12 years of age: Do not give to children under 12 years.
Do not take for more than 3 days without consulting a doctor.
If you take more Maximum Flu Strength Caplets than you should
Talk to a doctor at once if you take too much of this medicine even if you feel well. This is because too much paracetamol can cause delayed, serious liver damage. Always take the container and this leaflet with you.
If you forget to take Maximum Flu Strength Caplets
If you forget a dose, take another as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, then do not take the missed dose at all. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Maximum Flu Strength Caplets can have cause side effects, although but not everybody gets them. A small number of people have had side effects.
Stop taking this medicine and tell your doctor immediately if you experience:
- Allergic reactions which may be severe such as skin rash and itching sometimes with swelling of the mouth or face or shortness of breath.
- Skin rash or peeling, or mouth ulcers.
- Breathing problems. These are more likely if you have experienced them before when taking other painkillers such as ibuprofen or aspirin.
- Unexplained bruising or bleeding.
- Reoccurring fevers or infections.
- Nausea, sudden weight loss, loss of appetite and yellowing of the eyes and skin.
- Visual disturbances. This is rare but is more likely in those with glaucoma.
- Unusually fast pulse rate or a sensation of an unusually fast or irregular heartbeat.
- Difficulty passing water. This is more likely to occur in men with an enlarged prostate gland.
•A serious condition that can make blood more acidic (called metabolic acidosis), in patients with severe illness using paracetamol (see section 2)
These reactions are rare.
The following side effects may occur. Tell your doctor if you get them.
- Raised blood pressure, headache, dizziness, difficulty sleeping, nervousness, anxiety, diarrhoea or sickness.
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 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 Maximum Flu Strength Caplets
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
- Maximum Flu Strength Caplets should be stored in a dry place below 25°C
- Store in the original container to protect from light; do not transfer to another container
- Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the label. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
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 Maximum Flu Strength Caplets contain
The active ingredients are: paracetamol 500mg, caffeine 25mg and phenylephrine hydrochloride 6mg.
The other ingredients are: povidone, crospovidone, magnesium stearate, steric acid, talc, colloidal silicon dioxide, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, nipasept (containing ethylhydroxybenzoate (E214), methylhydroxybenzoate (E218), propylhydroxybenzoate (E216)).
What Maximum Flu Strength Caplets look like and the contents of the pack
Maximum Flu Strength Caplets are white, coated, capsule shaped tablets.
Maximum Flu Strength Caplets are available on general sale in blister packs and polypropylene/polyethylene containers in pack sizes of 12 and 16 caplets.
Marketing Authorisation Holder: Wockhardt UK Limited, Ash Road North, Wrexham LL13 9UF, UK.
Manufacturer: CP Pharmaceuticals Limited, Ash Road North, Wrexham LL13 9UF, UK.
Other formats:
To listen to or request a copy of this leaflet in Braille, large print or audio please call, free of charge:
0800 198 5000 (UK Only).
Please be ready to give the following information:
| Product name | Reference number |
| Maximum Flu Strength Caplets | 29831/0170 |
This is a service provided by the Royal National Institute of Blind People.