MORRISONS MAX STRENGTH COLD & FLU CAPSULES HARD, HEALTH ESSENTIALS MAX STRENGTH COLD & FLU CAPSULES HARD, NUMARK MAX STRENGTH COLD & FLU CAPSULES HARD, LLOYDS PHARMACY MAX STRENGTH COLD & FLU CAPSULES HARD, THE CO-OPERATIVE MAX STRENGTH COLD & FLU - patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

4. Possible side effects

6. Contents of the pack and other information

This medicine contains:

paracetamol which is a pain reliever (analgesic) and helps to reduce your temperature when you have a fever

phenylephrine which is a decongestant to reduce swelling in the passages of the nose to help you breathe more easily

caffeine which helps to increase the pain relief from paracetamol and makes you more alert. These capsules are used for the relief of the symptoms of colds and flu, including aches and pains, sore throat, headache, fatigue (tiredness) and drowsiness, nasal congestion (blocked nose) and feverishness (high temperature).

Do not take this medicine if you: are allergic to paracetamol, caffeine, phenylephrine or any of the other ingredients listed in section 6

• are under 16 years of age
• have a serious heart condition or cardiovascular disorder(s)
• have high blood pressure (hypertension)
• have a history of stomach ulcers
• have an overactive thyroid
• have an enlarged prostate
• are taking antidepressant drugs called monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI’s), or have taken them within the last 14 days – these are medicines such as phenelzine and isocarboxazid
• are taking tricyclic antidepressants, such as imipramine, amitriptyline.

Please see your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if you:

• are pregnant or breastfeeding
• suffer from kidney or liver problems, including alcoholic liver disease or have alcohol dependence
• have diabetes
• have circulatory disorders such as a condition called Raynaud’s Phe­nomenon, which results from poor circulation in the fingers and toes.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines

• medicines to treat high cholesterol levels which reduce the amount of fat in the blood such as colestyramine
• medicines to control feeling sick or being sick such as metoclopramide or domperidone
• medicines called anti-coagulants, which are used to thin the blood such as warfarin or other coumarins – you may take occasional doses of paracetamol but should consult your doctor if you need to take it on a regular basis
• barbiturates (for epilepsy or to help you sleep), such as phenobarbitone
• medicines to treat migraines such as ergotamine or methysergide
• medicines to lower blood pressure, treat heart or circulatory problems such as beta blockers (for example atenolol) or vasodilators (for example hydralazine)
• other decongestant drugs such as ephedrine or xylometazoline.

Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine.

(beer, wine, spirits etc) while taking this product.

Swallow the capsules whole with water. Do not chew.

Adults, the elderly and children aged 16 years and over:

Two capsules every 4 to 6 hours, as required. Do not take more than 8 capsules (4 doses) in any 24 hour period.

Do not give to children under 16 years.

Do not take for more than 3 days unless advised by your doctor.

Do not take more medicine than the label tells you to. If you do not get better, talk to your doctor.

Taking this medicine with food and drink:

You should avoid too much caffeine in drinks like coffee and tea. If you are also consuming other medicines or food that contains caffeine (coffee, tea, cola drinks, chocolate) you may have a high caffeine intake and might have difficulty sleeping, start shaking and/or have an uncomfortable feeling in the chest.

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. Go to your nearest hospital casualty department. Take your medicine and this leaflet with you.

4. possible side effects

Most people do not have any side effects while taking this medicine. However, if you experience any of the following side effects, or anything else unusual happens, stop taking the medicine immediately, and see your doctor or pharmacist.

Unknown side effects are:

• bronchospasm
• restlessness, anxiety, nervousness, irritability, agitation.

Rare side effects are:

• allergic reactions such as skin rash
• nausea (feeling sick) or vomiting (being sick) or diarrhoea
• headache, tremor, dizziness
• difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• fast, slow or irregular heart beat (palpitations)
• high blood pressure
• glaucoma
• problems or pain passing urine
• sudden weight loss, loss of appetite and yellowing of the eyes and skin.

More rarely, the following side effects can happen:

• you may become more prone to bleeding, bruising, fever and infections, such as sore throat and ulcers, due to changes in your blood.

Very rare cases of serious skin reactions have been reported.

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.

6. contents of the pack and other information

Each red / yellow capsule contains the active ingredients: paracetamol 500 mg, caffeine 25 mg and phenylephrine hydrochloride 6.1 mg.

The other ingredients are: maize starch, croscarmellose sodium, sodium laurilsulfate, magnesium stearate and talc. The capsule shell is made of gelatin and contains the colours: quinoline yellow (E104), titanium dioxide (E171), patent blue V (E131), erythrosine (E127).

This product is available in a pack size of 16 capsules.

Manufactured for The Boots Company PLC Nottingham NG2 3AA by the Marketing Authorisation holder Wrafton Laboratories Limited Braunton Devon EX33 2DL, UK Text revised: November 2019

If you would like any further information about this medicine, please contact The Boots Company PLC Nottingham NG2 3AA.

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