SENOKOT 7.5 MG TABLETS - patient leaflet, side effects, dosage

1. what senokot 7.5mg tablets adult is and what it is used for

Senokot contains Senna/Sennosides which work as a stimulant laxative for the short term relief of occasional constipation. Constipation is a fairly common and uncomfortable complaint. It usually involves difficult or irregular bowel movements, accompanied by hard, dry motions which can be painful to pass. Laxatives do not help with weight loss.

What is constipation?

Normal and regular bowel movement is important for most people. However, what is “normal and regular” varies from person to person. Some may have a bowel movement every day, others less often. Whatever it is like for you, it is best that your bowel movement has a regular pattern.

Constipation is an occasional problem for some people. For others, it may happen more often. It happens when the normal muscle actions in the bowel (large intestine) slow down. This can mean that material is not easily eliminated from the body.

The cause of constipation is often not known. It can be associated with:

• – Sudden change of diet

• – A diet with not enough fibre

• – Not drinking enough fluids

• – Loss of ‘tone’ ofthe bowel muscles in older people

• – Pregnancy

• – Medicines such as morphine or codeine

• – Having to stay in bed fora long time

• – Lack of exercise

Whatever the cause, constipation can be uncomfortable. It may make you feel bloated and heavy or generally “offcolour”. Sometimes it causes headaches.

It is recommended to use changes in diet and bulk forming medicines to control constipation before using this medicine.

These healthy tips are recommended to try to prevent constipation happening:

• – Eata balanced diet including fresh fruit and vegetables

• – Drink enough water so that you do not become dehydrated

• – Keep up your exercise and stay fit

• – Make time to empty your bowels when your body tells you

2. what you need to know before you take senokot 7.5mg tablets adult

Do not take if you:

• – are allergic to any of the ingredients (for a full list of ingredients, see section 6)

• – have blockage or narrowing of the gastro-intestinal tract or bowel (ileus, intestinal obstruction or stenosis)

• – have paralysis or a lack of muscle tone in the bowel (atony)

• – have appendicitis, inflammatory bowel disease such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis.

• – have severe dehydration

• – have persistent or undiagnosed abdominal complaints e.g pain, nausea, or vomiting

• – have faecal impaction or rectal bleeding for which you don't know the cause, or blood in your stools

• – have already taken a laxative and are still constipated

• – have had a sudden change in bowel habit that has lasted for more than 2 weeks

• – are pregnant or breast-feeding

• – have kidney or heart failure

• – are under 18 years of age unless advised bya medical professional

Does this help with weight loss?

Stimulant laxatives (including Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult) do not help with weight loss. They do not reduce the absorption of calories or nutrients. They can cause watery stools (diarrhoea), abdominal cramps and dehydration. Dehydration can seem like weight loss.

Overuse of laxatives may damage your health by:

• – Causing disturbances of electrolyte and mineral balances. Sodium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus are electrolytes and minerals that are present in very specific amounts necessary for proper functioning of the nerves and muscles, including those of the colon and heart. Upsetting this delicate balance can cause incorrect functioning of these vital organs.

• – Severe dehydration may cause tremors, weakness, blurry vision, fainting, kidney damage, and, in extreme cases, death. Dehydration often requires medical treatment.

• – Laxative dependency occurs from overuse and can cause the colon stops reacting to usual doses of laxatives so that larger and larger amounts of laxatives may be needed to produce bowel movements.

Tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse if:

• – you suffer from kidney disorders

• – you are taking medicines for a heart condition (e.g. cardiac glycosides, antiarrhythmic medicines e.g quinidine), medicines inducing QT elongation, diuretics, adrenocortico steroids or liquorice root preparations.

• – you have been told you have an intolerance to some sugars because this medicine also contains lactose monohydrate (15.82mg per tablet)

If you are unsure about interactions with any medicines, talk to your pharmacist. This includes medicines prescribed by your doctor and medicine you have bought yourself, including herbal and homeopathic remedies

When administering this product to incontinent adults, pads should be changed more frequently to prevent extended skin contact with faeces.

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Taking other medicines

You should consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you other medicines,including those listed above and any medicin

3. how to take senokot 7.5mg tablets adult

New users should start with the lowest dose and increase itto the maximum dose if necessary. Once regularity has been regained dosage should be reduced and stopped.

Adults and the elderly:

One to two tablets at bedtime with a drink of water, unless otherwise advised by your doctor.

This medicine should not be used by children under 18 years of age.

Duration of use

Normally it is sufficient to take this medicine up to two to three times a week.

Not to be used for more than one week.

Tell a doctor, pharmacist or nurse if:

• – the symptoms worsen, or persist during the use of the medicinal product

• – there is no bowel movement within 3 days of use

• – you need to take laxatives every day or if abdominal pain persists.

If you take too many tablets:

Do not take more than the leaflet tells you. Overuse can be harmful.

Consult your doctor and take this leaflet with you.

It may be harmful to take too much of this medicine or take it for too long.

This is because it may lead to:

• – lazy bowel, where the muscle in the bowel becomes too relaxed. This means that bowel emptying happens less often.This can lead to long-term constipation.

• – imbalance of fluids and salts in the body. This can affect the tightness of muscles such as those in the bowel. It can also affect the salts in the blood.

• – low levels of potassium in the blood (called hypo-kalaemia). This can make you tired, dizzy, make your muscles weak and cause an uneven heartbeat.

• – dehydration, making you thirsty, feel faint and giving you headaches. It can also mean that you cannot pass enough urine.

If you forget to take Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult

If you miss a dose, take your next dose at the usual time. Do not take or give a double dose, just carry on with the recommended dose. If you have any further questions on the use of this product as your doctor or pharmacist.

4. possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

If any of the following or other side effects occur, stop taking this medicine and consult a doctor or pharmacist:

• – abdominal pain, spasms and diarrhoea, in particular these effects may be experienced by patients with irritable colon. In these cases, a reduction in dose may be necessary.

• – hypersensitivity (allergic) reactions, hives (skin bumps), skin itchiness or local or more widespread rash, or asthma.

• – can make you more likely to catch infections.

• – chronic use may lead to albuminuria and haematuria which is albumin or red blood cells in the urine.

• – yellow or red-brown discolouration of urine may occur, which is harmless

• – chronic use may cause pigmentation of the gastrointestinal tract which usually recedes when the

product is no longer taken.

• – low potassium levels in the blood leading to muscle weakness and/or cramps – severe weight loss

• – changes in the shape of the finger and fingernail, muscular spasms and inflammation of bones and joints

The frequency is not known.

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 theYellowCard Scheme at: or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or AppleApp Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. how to store

• – Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

• – Store below 25°C. Store in the original package.

• – Do not use after the expiry date shown on the pack (EXP month/year).

• – 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 Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adult contains

Each tablet contains powdered Alexandrian Senna fruit (pods) (Cassia senna L (C. acutifolia Delile)) and Tinnevelly Senna fruit (pods) (Cassia angustifolia Vahl) equivalent to 7.5mg hydroxyanthracene glycosides, calculated as sennoside B. This medicine also contains: calcium phosphate, maize starch, magnesium stearate and lactose monohydrate.

What your tablets look like and the contents of the pack

Senokot 7.5mg Tablets Adults are available in a blister pack of 20 tablets.

Product Licence Holder and Manufacturer

Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Limited, Hull, HU8 7DS

Manufacturer: RB NL Brands B.V. WTC Schiphol Airport, Schiphol Boulevard 207, 1118 BH Schiphol, Netherlands

PL 00063/5000R ,

Leaflet last revised August 2021

Senokot is a trademark.

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