Patient leaflet - SUPERDRUG SENNA TABLETS ADULT, POTTERS SENNA CONSTIPATION RELIEF TABLETS ADULT, HEALTHPOINT SENNA TABLETS ADULT, WILKO SENNA 7.5 MG TABLETS ADULT, TESCO HEALTH SENNA TABLETS ADULT, ESSENTIAL WAITROSE SENNA TABLETS ADULT, CARE SENNA TABLETS ADULT, ASPAR
Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult
Senna Pods
PLEASE READ THESE INSTRUCTIONS BEFORE USE
This medicine is available without prescription. However, you still need to take Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult carefully to get the best results from them.
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- You must contact a doctor or pharmacist if your symptoms worsen or do not improve.
- Ask your pharmacist if you need more information or advice.
- If you experience any of the side effects listed in the leaflet, or if you notice any other side effects, please consult your doctor or pharmacist
-
1. What Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult are and what they are used for
-
2. What you need to know before you take Senna
7.5mg tablets adult3. how to take senna 7.5mg tablets adult4. possible side effects
-
5. How to store Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult
-
6. Contents of the pack and other information
-
1. W hat S enna 7.5 mg T ablets A dult are and what THEY are USED FOR
Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult 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’ of the bowel muscles in older people Pregnancy
- Medicines such as morphine or codeine
- Having to stay in bed for a long time
- Lack of exercise
Whatever the cause, constipation can be uncomfortable. It may make you feel bloated and heavy or generally “off colour”. 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:
- Eat a 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 senna 7.5mg tablets adult
Do not take if you:
- Are hypersensitive to the active ingredient or to any of the excipients.
- Suffer from intestinal obstructions or stenosis, atony, appendicitis, inflammatory colon diseases (e.g. Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis), abdominal pain of unknown origin, severe dehydration (water and electrolyte depletion).
- Are under 18 years of age.
Does this help with weight loss?
Stimulant laxatives (including Senna 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.
- Overuse of laxatives can cause the colon to stop reacting to usual doses of laxatives so that larger and larger amounts of laxatives may be needed to produce bowel movements.
- Laxative dependency occurs from overuse
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, adrenocorticosteroids or liquorice root preparations.
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.
Taking other medicines:
You should consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including those listed above and any medicines obtained without a prescription.
3. how to take senna 7.5mg tablets adult
New users should start with the lowest dose and increase it to the maximum 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.
Do not take more than the leaflet tells you. overuse can be dangerous.
If you take too many Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult: 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 Senna 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 ask 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 any other side effects occur, stop taking this medicine and consult a doctor or pharmacist:
Hypersensitivity reactions (pruritus, urticaria, local or generalized exanthema) may occur.
This product may produce abdominal pain and spasm and passage of liquid stools, in particular in patients with irritable colons. However, these symptoms may also occur generally as a consequence of individual overdose. In such cases dose reduction is necessary.
Chronic use may lead to disorders in water equilibrium and electrolyte metabolism and may result in albuminuria and haematuria.
Furthermore, chronic use may cause pigmentation of the intestinal mucosa (pseudomelanosis coli). Yellow or red-brown (pH dependent) discolouration of urine by metabolites, which is not clinically significant, may occur during the treatment. The frequency is not known.
If other adverse reactions not mentioned above occur, a doctor or a qualified healthcare practitioner should be consulted.
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.
5. how to store senna 7.5mg tablets adult
- Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
- Store below 25°C, but do not freeze.
- 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.
what your tablets look like and the contents of the pack
Senna 7.5mg Tablets Adult are uncoated biconvex greenish tablets. They are packed in cartons containing blister strips. The cartons contain 20 tablets Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Soho Flordis UK Limited, 1 Botanic Court, Martland Park, Wigan, WN5 0JZ PL44893/0031
If you would like a version of this leaflet in an alternative format, please call 01942 219960
Leaflet last revised: 31.12.19
STL-0003