Patient leaflet - MOVICOL - HALF 6.9G SACHET POWDER FOR ORAL SOLUTION
1. what movicol-half is and what it is used for
The name of this medicine is Movicol-Half 6.9g sachet, powder for oral solution. It is a laxative for the treatment of constipation in adults, adolescents and the elderly. It is not recommended for children below 12 years of age.
Movicol-Half helps you to have a comfortable bowel movement even if you have been constipated for a long time. Movicol-Half also works in very bad constipation called faecal impaction.
2. what you need to know before you take movicol-half
Do not take Movicol-Half if your doctor has told you that you have:
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– a blockage in your intestine (gut obstruction, ileus)
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– a perforated gut wall
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– severe inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease or toxic megacolon
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– an allergy to any of the ingredients of Movicol-Half (listed in section 6)
Warnings and precautions
When taking Movicol you should continue to take plenty of fluids. The fluid content of Movicol should not replace your regular liquid intake.
Heart conditions
Follow the special instructions in section 3 if you are taking Movicol-Half for faecal impaction.
Other medicines and Movicol-Half
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. Some medicines, e.g. anti-epileptics, may not work as effectively during use with Movicol-Half.
Pregnancy and breast feeding
Movicol-Half can be taken during pregnancy and whilst breast feeding. If you are pregnant, or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Movicol-Half does not usually affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Movicol-Half contains sodium
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need 6 or more sachets daily for a prolonged period, especially if you have been advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet.
Movicol-Half contains 93.4 mg (4.062 mmol) sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per sachet. This is equivalent to 4.6% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.
3. how to take movicol-half
This medicine can be taken at any time of day with or without food.
Dissolve the content of each sachet in 62.5ml (% glass) of water and drink.
Chronic constipation:
A dose of Movicol-Half is 2 sachets. Each sachet is dissolved in 62.5ml (% glass) of water. Take this 1–3 times a day according to the severity of your constipation.
Faecal impaction:
Before you take Movicol-Half for faecal impaction, it should be confirmed that you have this condition. A dose of 16 sachets a day of Movicol-Half is needed for the treatment of faecal impaction. Each sachet dissolved in 62.5ml (% glass) of water. The 16 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 4 sachets in any one hour. Movicol 13.8g sachet is a more convenient product to use for treating faecal impaction.
How to mix
Open the sachet and pour the contents into a glass. Add % glass (about 62.5ml) of water to the glass. Stir well until all the powder has dissolved and the Movicol-Half solution is clear or slightly hazy, then drink it. If you like you can add a flavour such as orange squash to the drink.
For use in faecal impaction the correct number of sachets can be reconstituted in advance and kept covered and refrigerated for up to 6 hours. For example 16 sachets can be made up into one litre of water.
Bar prints 100mm @ 100%
Duration of treatment:
Chronic Constipation:
Treatment with Movicol-Half 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 Movicol-Half for longer than 2 weeks. If you need to take Movicol-Half for longer, please see your doctor.
Usually for long term treatment the dose can be lowered to either 2 or 4 sachets a day.
Faecal impaction:
Treatment with Movicol-Half can be for up to 3 days.
If you take more Movicol-Half than you should:
You may develop diarrhoea. Stop taking Movicol-Half until it clears, and then start again at a lower dose. If you are worried contact your doctor or pharmacist.
If you forget to take Movicol-Half:
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 Movicol-Half 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 Movicol-Half. These side effects generally get better if you reduce the amount of Movicol-Half you take.
If any of the above are troublesome or last more than a few days or if you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform 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 Yellow Card Scheme Website: 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 movicol-half
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use Movicol-Half after the expiry date which is stated on the sachet and carton.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Once you have made up Movicol-Half in water, if you cannot drink it straight away keep it covered and in the fridge (2°C – 8°C). Throw away any solution not used within a 6 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.
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6. Contents of pack and other Information