EES 400mg Tablets Pack Of 25

EES 400 mg TABLETS, EES 200 mg/5mL and EES 400 mg/5mL GRANULES


CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION

PLEASE READ THIS INFORMATION CAREFULLY

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about this medicine.

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 EES against the benefits they expect it will have on 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 EES is used for

EES is used to:

  • treat certain bacterial infections; these infections may occur in different parts of the body
  • control acne
  • prevent infections in patients with a history of rheumatic disease who may be allergic to penicillin antibiotics.

    • Your doctor, however, may have prescribed EES for another purpose.

    Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why EES has been prescribed for you.

    EES is an antibiotic that belongs to the group of medicines called macrolides. These medicines work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria, which cause infections or make acne worse.

    EES will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds or flu.

    EES is available only with a doctor`s prescription.

    Before you take EES

    Do not take EES if you have ever had an allergic reaction to medicines containing erythromycin or to other antibiotics from the macrolide family. These may include:

  • erythromycin (Erythrocin, Eryc, E-mycin)
  • clarithromycin (Klacid)
  • roxithromycin (Rulide, Biaxsig)
  • Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty in breathing.
  • you are allergic to any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
  • if you are taking pimozide, ergotamine or dihydroergotamine.
  • you have severe liver problems.
  • the packaging is torn or shows any signs of tampering.
  • the use by date (Exp.) printed on the pack has passed.

    • Before you start to take or are given EES you must tell your doctor if:

  • you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking EES when pregnant
  • you are breastfeeding or wish to breastfeed. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking EES when breastfeeding
  • you have, or have ever had, any other health problems or medical conditions, including liver problems
  • you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives
  • you suffer from myasthenia gravis

  • If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you start taking or are given EES.

    Taking other medicines

  • Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you can buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
  • Some medicines may interfere with EES. These include:
  • medicines used to prevent blood clotting, such as warfarin
  • some medicines used for epilepsy such as phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol) and valproate (Epilim)
  • some medicines for migraines, such as ergotamine (Cafergot) or dihydroergotamine (Dihydergot)
  • theophylline (Nuelin), a medicine used to treat asthma
  • digoxin (Lanoxin), a medicine used to treat heart failure
  • quinidine (Kinidin) for heart arrythmias
  • disopyramide (Rythmodan) for heart arrhythmias
  • cyclosporin (Neoral or Sandimmun) used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems with the immune system
  • tacrolimus (Prograf) used as an adjunct to kidney transplantation
  • triazolam (Halcion) or zopiclone (Imovane) used to treat sleeplessness
  • methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid
  • vinblastine, a medicine used to treat Hodgkin`s Disease
  • sildenafil, used to treat erectile dysfunction in adult males
  • lovastatin or simvastatin, used to treat high cholesterol. Erythromycin has been reported to increase concentrations of these medicines. Rare cases of rhabdomyolysis (temporary paralysis or weakness of muscles) have been reported in patients taking these drugs with Erythromycin.
  • rifabutin (Mycobutin), used to treat infections in patients with advanced HIV infection.
  • bromocriptine (Parlodel), used to treat various conditions including Parkinson`s Disease.
  • Colchicine (Colgout or Lengout), used for pain relief in gout.

    • These medicines may be affected by EES or may affect how well EES works. Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines. They also have a more complete list of medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking EES.

    How to take EES

    Your doctor will tell you how much to take and when to take it. Take EES exactly as directed by your doctor. This may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

    How much to take

    The dose may be given two, three or four times a day. The usual adult dose is one EES 400 mg tablet every six hours or 5mL of the EES 400 mg/5mL liquid every six hours or 10 mL twice a day.

    For children the dose varies depending on their age, weight and how sick they are.

    Your doctor will adjust the amount or frequency of your doses according to the infection being treated and the severity of your condition.

    If you do not understand the instructions on the box/bottle, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

    How to take EES

    EES may be taken before or after meals

    Tablets: Swallow whole with a glass of water.

    Granules: Always shake the bottle well before each dose of EES granules.

    Always use a medicine measure to give the exact dose of liquid medicines.

    How long to take EES for

    Keep taking EES until you finish the pack or bottle, or for as long as your doctor tells you.

    If you are being treated for an infection, EES is usually taken for one or two weeks.

    Do not stop taking EES, even if you feel better after a few days, unless advised by your doctor. Your infection may not clear completely if you stop taking your medicine too soon.

    For controlling acne, EES is normally taken for a few months.

    Check with your doctor if you are not sure how long you should be taking EES

    If you forget to take EES

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

    Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and continue taking your medicine as you would normally.

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

    If you miss more than one dose, or are not sure what to do, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

    If you take too much EES (overdose)

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

  • You may need urgent medical attention. Keep telephone numbers for these places/services handy.

    If you take too much EES, you may have nausea, vomiting, hearing problems or allergic reactions.

    While you are taking EES

    Things you must do

    If you are taking EES for an infection and your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.

    Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking EES.

    If you get severe diarrhoea tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.

    Do this even if it occurs several weeks after stopping EES. Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care. Do not take any medicine to stop your diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.

    If you have to have any urine tests, tell your doctor you are taking EES as it may affect the results of some laboratory tests.

    If you are about to start taking a new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking EES.

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

    Things you must not do

    Do not use EES to treat any other complaints unless your doctor says so.

    Do not give this medicine to any one else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

    Side Effects

  • Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking EES.
  • EES treats infections and controls acne in most people, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.
  • All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the 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.

    • While you are taking EES

    Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following:

  • stomach cramps and pains
  • nausea, vomiting and severe diarrhoea
  • oral thrush
  • vaginal thrush

    • Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following as you may need urgent medical care:

  • yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice), feeling generally unwell and having poor appetite
  • loss of hearing
  • fast, irregular or pounding heart beat
  • chest pain
  • dizziness, confusion, hallucinations, fits
  • any type of skin rash, itching, hives
  • severe diarrhoea especially if bloody

    • Stop taking EES and tell your doctor immediately or go to casualty at your nearest hospital if any of the following happen:

  • swelling to the face, lips, mouth, throat or neck which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing or sudden collapse.

    • After you have finished taking EES

  • Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, even if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with EES:
  • severe stomach or abdominal cramps
  • watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
  • fever, in combination with one or both of the above
  • These are rare but serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel and you may need urgent medical care.
  • Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
  • This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.
  • Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell while you are taking, or soon after you have finished taking EES, even if it is not on this list.

    • After using EES

    Storage

    Keep your medicines where children cannot reach them.

    A locked cupboard at least 1.5 metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

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

    Keep EES Granules in the refrigerator but not in the freezer. Do not use any oral liquid left in the bottle after 10 days.

    Do not keep EES or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave EES in the car or on window sills. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

    Disposal

    If your doctor tells you to stop taking EES, or your medicine has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.

    Product Description

    What it looks like

    EES is available as tablets or granules.

    EES tablets are pink, ovaloid tablets with the Abbott logo on one side. Each bottle contains 25 tablets.

    EES Granules are available in two strengths:

    EES Granules 200 mg/5mL and EES Granules 400 mg/5mL. After mixing with water, the granules become a thick pink liquid. Supplied in a 100mL white plastic bottle.

    Ingredients

    The active ingredient in EES tablets and granules is erythromycin (as erythromycin ethylsuccinate):

    EES Tablets

    Each EES tablet contains 400 mg of erythromycin as erythromycin ethylsuccinate.

    The tablets also contain:

    Sucrose, sodium citrate, maize starch, polacrilin potassium, magnesium stearate, hypromellose, hydroxypropylcellulose, propylene glycol, macrogol 400, sorbic acid, macrogol 8000.

    Colours – allura red (129), brilliant scarlet (124), indigo carmine (132) and sunset yellow (110), titanium dioxide (171).

    EES tablets do not contain lactose or gluten.

  • EES Granules

    Each 5mL of EES 200 mg/5mL granules contains 200 mg erythromycin as erythromycin ethylsuccinate.

    Each 5mL of EES 400 mg/5mL granules contains 400 mg erythromycin as erythromycin ethylsuccinate.

    EES Granules 200 mg/5mL and EES 400 mg /5mL also contain:

    Carmellose sodium, sodium citrate, citric acid, aluminium magnesium silicate.

    Colour – carmoisine (122).

    Flavour – artificial cherry essence.

    Sweetener – sucrose.

    EES 400 mg/5mL granules also contains the additional sweeteners, sodium cyclamate and saccharin sodium.

    EES Granules 200mg/5mL and EES Granules 400mg/5mL do not contain lactose or gluten.

    Manufacturer

  • EES 400 mg tablets and EES 200 mg/5mL and 400 mg/5mL granules are distributed by:
  • Abbott Australasia Pty Ltd
  • 32-34 Lord Street
  • Botany NSW 2019

  • Australian Registration Numbers:

  • EES 400 mg Tablets:
  • AUST R 59205
  • EES 200 mg/5mL Granules:
  • AUST R 54457
  • EES 400 mg/5mL Granules:
  • AUST R 54456

  • Date of Information:

  • 30 September 2005
  • Version 08
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