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Uremide

CLICK HERE TO BUY APO-FRUSEMIDE TAB 40MG 100

contains the active ingredient frusemide

CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION

View our online compounding pharmacy.

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Uremide.

It does not contain all of the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have benefits and risks. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Uremide against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with your medicine. You may need to read it again.

What Uremide is used for

Uremide is used to treat:

• oedema (swelling of the ankles, feet or legs) which can occur in some heart, liver or kidney conditions
• hypertension (high blood pressure). Uremide may be used alone or in combination with other medicines to treat this condition.

Uremide belongs to a group of medicines called diuretics. These medicines reduce the amount of excess fluid in the body by increasing the amount of urine produced.

Your doctor may have prescribed Uremide for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Uremide has been prescribed for you.

Uremide is available only with a doctor`s prescription.

Before you take Uremide

When you must not take it

Do not take Uremide if you are allergic to:

• frusemide
• sulphonamide medicines
• any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.

Do not take Uremide if you have:

• certain kidney problems
• certain liver problems
• no production or passing of urine
• low blood pressure
• low sodium or potassium levels in your blood.

Do not take Uremide if you are breastfeeding.

Uremide passes into breast milk and may harm your baby.

Do not take Uremide if the expiry date (Exp.) printed on the pack has passed.

Do not take Uremide if the packaging shows signs of tampering or the tablets do not look quite right.

Before you start to take it

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking Uremide during pregnancy.

Tell your doctor if you plan to breastfeed.

Tell your doctor if you are on a salt restricted diet.

Restricting your salt intake may lead to increased side effects.

Tell your doctor if you have, or have had, any medical conditions, especially the following:

• liver problems
• kidney problems
• heart problems
• diabetes
• gout
• systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
• passing no urine or less urine than normal
• prostate problems.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking Uremide.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may be affected by Uremide, or may affect how well it works. These include:

• certain other fluid tablets or diuretics
• medicines used to treat high blood pressure and certain heart conditions
• medicines used to relieve pain, swelling and other symptoms of inflammation, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and salicylates
• medicines used to treat diabetes
• medicines used to treat epilepsy such as phenytoin, barbiturates
• antibiotics, medicines used to treat infections
• muscle relaxants
• steroid medicines, such as cortisone, prednisone, dexamethasone
• lithium, a medicine used to treat mood swings and some types of depression
• adrenaline and noradrenaline, medicines used in emergency situations
• strong pain killers such as codeine, morphine and dextropropoxyphene
• amphotericin, a medicine used to treat fungal infections
• cisplatin, a medicine used to treat cancer
• probenecid, a medicine used to treat gout
• large amounts of laxatives
• methotrexate, a medicine used to treat arthritis and some types of cancers
• sucralfate, a medicine used to treat stomach and intestinal ulcers.

Your doctor can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.

If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Uremide.

How to take Uremide

How much to take

The dose varies from patient to patient.

Your doctor will tell you how many tablets you need to take each day and when to take them. This depends on your condition and how you respond to this medicine.

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.

How to take Uremide

Swallow the tablets with a glass of water.

When to take Uremide

Take Uremide on an empty stomach, for example, 1 hour before food or 2 hours after food.

Food can interfere with the absorption of Uremide.

If you forget to take Uremide

If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.

Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.

Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take too much Uremide (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor, or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much Uremide. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are taking Uremide

Things you must do

Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Uremide.

Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Uremide.

If you become pregnant while taking Uremide, tell your doctor.

If you plan to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Uremide.

Tell your doctor if you have severe vomiting or diarrhoea, or any of the following symptoms:

• dry mouth or thirst
• weakness, tiredness or drowsiness
• muscle pain or cramps
• passing less urine than normal
• fast heart beat.

If you experience these symptoms, you may be dehydrated because you are losing too much fluid.

Make sure you drink enough water in hot weather and during exercise while you are taking Uremide, especially if you sweat a lot.

If you do not drink enough water while taking Uremide, you may feel faint, lightheaded or sick. This is because your blood pressure is dropping suddenly and you are losing too much fluid. If you continue to feel unwell, tell your doctor.

Ask your doctor about special dietary requirements while you are taking Uremide.

Uremide affects the levels of sodium and potassium in your blood. Your doctor may recommend a special diet while taking Uremide.

If you have to have any urine tests, tell your doctor that you are taking Uremide.

Uremide may affect the results of some tests.

Visit your doctor regularly so they can check on your progress.

Your doctor may want to perform some blood tests and check your liver function from time to time.

Things you must not do

Do not use Uremide to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells you to.

Do not give Uremide to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Uremide affects you.

Uremide may cause dizziness or lightheadedness in some people. If either of these occur, do not drive, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous.

Be careful getting up from a sitting or lying position.

Dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting may occur, especially when you get up quickly. Getting up slowly may help.

Be careful drinking alcohol while taking Uremide.

Combining Uremide and alcohol can increase the chance of developing side effects.

Be careful if you eat liquorice while taking Uremide.

Eating large amounts of liquorice can increase the chance of developing side effects.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Uremide.

Like all other medicines, Uremide may have unwanted side effects in some people. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

If you are over 65 years of age, you may have an increased chance of getting side effects.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.

You may not experience any of them.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

• headache
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• restlessness
• dry mouth
• numbness or tingling in the hands or feet
• blurred vision
• loss of appetite
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation
• increased sensitivity to sunlight.

Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• irregular or fast heart beat
• painful, swollen joints
• ringing or buzzing in the ears
• yellowing of the eyes or skin
• dark coloured urine
• severe stomach pain with nausea and vomiting
• signs of frequent infections such as fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
• bruising or bleeding more easily than normal
• unusual tiredness or weakness, shortness of breath when exercising, dizziness and looking pale
• swelling or redness along a vein that is extremely tender when touched.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

• any type of skin rash, itching, hives, flaking or peeling of the skin
• swelling of the face, lips, mouth or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing.
• lockjaw
• loss of hearing.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

After taking Uremide

Storage

Keep Uremide where children cannot reach it.

A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 degrees C.

Do not store Uremide or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave Uremide in the car or on window sills.

Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor tells you to stop taking Uremide, or your tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that are left over.

Product description

What it looks like

Uremide is a round white tablet marked FE/40 and Greek alpha symbol.

Each pack contains 100 tablets.

Ingredients

The active ingredient in Uremide is frusemide. Each Uremide tablet contains 40 mg of frusemide.

The tablets also contain:

• lactose
• maize starch
• pregelatinised maize starch
• magnesium stearate.

The tablets are gluten free.

Manufacturer

Uremide is made in Australia by:

Alphapharm Pty Limited

• (ABN 93 002 359 739)
• Chase Building 2
• Wentworth Park Road
• Glebe NSW 2037
• Phone: (02) 9298 3999
• www.alphapharm.com.au
• Medical Information
• Phone: 1800 028 365
• Australian registration numbers:
• Aust R 17704
• This leaflet was prepared on
• 5 April 2006.

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