Patient leaflet - Tiempe/trimethoprim 100 mg
1.What TIEMPE / Trimethoprim is and what it is used for
The name of this medicine is TIEMPE / Trimethoprim. It contains active substance called Trimethoprim.
Trimethoprim belongs to a group of medicines called anti-infectives; it is a broad spectrum antibiotic which kills a wide range of bacteria causing your symptoms.
TIEMPE is used for the treatment of infections caused by organisms that are susceptible to Trimethoprim, and particularly for the prevention of recurring urinary tract infection.
2. What you need to know before you take TIEMPE / Trimethoprim Tablets
Do not take TIEMPE /Trimethoprim 200mg Tablets and tell your doctor if you
- are allergic (hypersensitive) to trimethoprim or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
- have any blood disorder
- are pregnant (first 3 months) or might be pregnant
- have severe liver disease
- have ever developed a severe skin rash or skin peeling, blistering and/or mouth sores after taking trimethoprim.
Trimethoprim should not be given to premature babies or babies during the first few weeks of life.
Warnings and precautions - Take special care with TIEMPE / Trimethoprim Tablets:
Serious skin reactions, such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) have been reported in association with trimethoprim treatment. Stop using trimethoprim and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms related to these serious skin reactions described in section 4.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking Trimethoprim tablets if you have:
- kidney disease or are having dialysis treatment
- a deficiency of folic acid (may cause anaemia).
Trimethoprim can increase potassium blood levels. Patients at risk of increased potassium blood levels include those with kidney problems, poorly controlled diabetes, or those on certain medicines or potassium supplements. The symptoms of severe hyperkalaemia might include muscle cramps, irregular heart rhythm, diarrhoea, nausea, dizziness or headache. Your doctor may perform blood tests to monitor your potassium blood levels.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. Especially:
- antibiotics such as rifampicin
- anticoagulants to prevent your blood clotting such as warfarin
- digoxin (to treat heart conditions)
- phenytoin (to treat epilepsy)
- pyrimethamine or dapsone (to treat malaria)
- immunosuppressant drugs - used in cancer treatment (e.g. methotrexate) or to treat organ rejection after transplant (e.g. azathioprine or ciclosporin)
- bone marrow depressants
•Potassium supplements
•Medicines known as ACE inhibitors and angiotensin II antagonists (used to treat high blood pressure and certain heart conditions).
•Heparin (used to treat and prevent blood clots)
- repaglinide (to treat diabetes)
- diuretics (water tablets such as frusemide, eplerenone, spironolactone, amiloride or triamterene)
- procainamide, to treat abnormal heart rhythm.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
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.
This medicine should not be taken during first three months of pregnancy. Treatment with trimethoprim in the first three months of pregnancy may increase the risk of miscarriage. Children born to mothers treated with trimethoprim during the first trimester of pregnancy may have an increased risk of birth defects, in particular neural tube defects (where the spine and spinal cord do not form properly), oral clefts (where the lip and palate do not form properly) and defects affecting the heart.
Trimethoprim should not be used in pregnancy. If you are breast-feeding, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.
Trimethoprim tablets contain lactose.
Sugar intolerance
If you have been told you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before taking this medicine, as it contains a type of sugar called lactose.
Blood tests
If you are having treatment over a long time, your doctor may carry out regular blood tests.
3.How to take TIEMPE / Trimethoprim Tablets
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
You should take these tablets exactly as your doctor has ordered. Do not take more of it, and do not take it more often or for a longer time than your doctor ordered. Do not stop the treatment without talking to your doctor first. You may feel well but the tablets are helping to prevent another attack of your disease.
The recommended dose is
Dosages:
Adults and the elderly:
Treatment of urinary tract infections and all other susceptible infections: One 200 mg tablet (or two 100 mg tablets) twice daily.
Long term prevention of recurrent urinary tract infections: One 100 mg tablet at night before bedtime.
Children:
Trimethoprim tablets must not be given to premature infants or children under the age of 4 months.
4 months to 12 years of age.
The dose will be calculated by your doctor, based on the weight of your child.
For treatment of urinary tract infections and all other susceptible infections it is usually 6 mg/kg bodyweight daily, sub-divided into 2 equal doses.
For long-term prevention of recurring urinary tract infections it is usually 2.5 mg/kg. bodyweight daily given as a single dose before bedtime.
If you feel that this medicine is not working as well as you expected after you have taken it for a short time (1-2 weeks) do not increase the dose, instead check with your doctor.
Take this medicine by mouth and only in the doses prescribed by your doctor. Your pharmacist can also help if you are not sure.
If you take more Trimethoprim tablets than you should
If you should accidentally swallow a greater quantity of TIEMPE tablets than have been prescribed for you, contact your doctor or the Accident & Emergency Department of your nearest hospital at once. Always keep any remaining tablets in the labelled container in which they were given to you so that the medicine can be identified by the doctor or pharmacist at the hospital.
If you forgot to take Trimethoprim tablets
If you forget to take your tablets, take your next dose as soon as you remember unless it is time for your next dose.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
4.Possible side effects
Stop using trimethoprim and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- reddish patches on the trunk, often with central blisters, skin peeling, ulcers of mouth, throat, nose, genitals and eyes. These serious skin rashes can be preceded by fever and flu-like symptoms (Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS)/ toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN)).
- Widespread rash, high body temperature and enlarged lymph nodes (DRESS syndrome or drug hypersensitivity syndrome)
Because of the possibility of different types of anaemia, blood tests should be undertaken at regular intervals during treatment, particularly if you are receiving long-term treatment or have a tendency to a deficiency of the vitamin folate.
Particular care should also be taken to ensure that regular blood tests are taken in children on long-term treatment.
Trimethoprim tablets may cause nausea, vomiting, gastro-intestinal disturbance, headache, skin rashes and itching, but all these are rare. Occasionally more serious skin reactions may occur, if concerned contact your doctor.
Allergic reaction has been reported with trimethoprim. Symptoms may include rash, itching, inflamed or reddened skin, facial swelling and breathing difficulties. If you develop swelling of the face and/or throat or difficulty in breathing you may require emergency treatment and you should seek medical advice immediately.
During prolonged treatment with Trimethoprim, a form of anaemia known as megaloblastic anaemia may occur, but the blood will return to normal if the treatment is discontinued or if folinic acid is prescribed.
Tell your doctor if you get any of these side effects:
- Hallucinations
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 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 TIEMPE / Trimethoprim Tablets
You must keep the medicine in a safe place where children cannot get it. Your medicine could harm them.
Keep your medicine in a dry place and store below 25ºC. Keep the tablets in the closed container in which they were given to you.
If your doctor tells you to stop the treatment, return any remaining tablets to the pharmacist. Only keep the medicine if the doctor tells you to.
On the label you will find the words "Expiry Date" followed by some numbers indicating the day, month and year. This is the date when the medicine is no longer fit for use. Do not use the medicine after this date, but return it to your pharmacist.
6.Contents of the pack and other information
What TIEMPE / Trimethoprim tablets contains
Each TIEMPE tablet contains Trimethoprim and is available in strengths of 100 mg and 200 mg per tablet. The active ingredient is Trimethoprim and the other ingredients include lactose, povidone, crospovidone, sodium starch glycollate and magnesium stearate.
TIEMPE tablets of both strengths are available in pack sizes of 50, 100, 500, 1,000 and 5,000. Both strengths of TIEMPE tablets are also available in blister packs of 28 tablets.
The Manufacturer of TIEMPE is DDSA Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Chatfield Road, off York Road, London SW11 3SE.
The Product Licence holder of TIEMPE is DDSA Pharmaceuticals Ltd., 310 Old Brompton Road, London SW5 9JQ.
A reminder
REMEMBER this medicine is for you. Never give it to someone else, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
This leaflet does not contain the complete information about your medicine. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist who have access to additional information.
This leaflet was revised in Dec 2025