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SEREPAX(R)

CLICK TO BUY SEREPAX TAB 30MG 25

Oxazepam Tablets
Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about SEREPAX. 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 risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking SEREPAX against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

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

Keep this leaflet with the medicine.

You may need to read it again.

Buy SEREPAX Tablets.

What SEREPAX is used for

SEREPAX is used for anxiety. However, anxiety or tension associated with the normal stress of everyday life usually does not require treatment with medicines.

SEREPAX can also be used to treat trembling, confusional states or anxiety associated with alcohol withdrawal.

Your doctor, however, may have prescribed SEREPAX for another purpose. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why SEREPAX has been prescribed for you.

SEREPAX belongs to a group of medicines called benzodiazepines. They are thought to work by their action on brain chemicals.

In general, benzodiazepines such as SEREPAX should be taken for short periods only (for example 2 – 4 weeks). Continuous long-term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor. The use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence on the medicine.

This medicine is available only with a doctor`s prescription.

Before you take SEREPAX

When you must not take it

Do not take SEREPAX if:

1.you are allergic to
SEREPAX or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
any other medicine from the benzodiazepine group of medicines
2.you have severe lung disease or breathing difficulties.
3.you have sleep apnoea, a condition where you have breathing problems when you sleep.

Do not take SEREPAX if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

Do not take SEREPAX after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.

If you take it after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well or have no effect at all.

Do not give this medicine to children unless advised by the child`s doctor.

The safety and effectiveness of SEREPAX in children under 16 years have not been established.

Before you take it

You must tell your doctor if:

1.you have any allergies to:
any other medicines
any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes
2.you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant
Do not take SEREPAX if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant unless you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved.
3.you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed
Do not take SEREPAX if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed unless you and your doctor have discussed the risks and benefits involved.

SEREPAX may pass into breast milk and cause drowsiness and/or feeding difficulties in the baby.

4.you have or have had any other medical conditions including:
liver, kidney or lung disease
blood disorders
fits or convulsions
severe muscle weakness known as myasthenia gravis
low blood pressure
glaucoma (high pressure in the eye)
depression, psychosis or schizophrenia
5.you drink alcohol regularly.

Alcohol may increase the effects of SEREPAX.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you take any SEREPAX.

Taking other medicines

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

Some medicines may interfere with SEREPAX. These include:

other sleeping tablets, sedatives or tranquillisers
medicines for depression
medicines for allergies, for example, antihistamines or cold tablets
pain relievers
muscle relaxants
medicines to control fits

These medicines may increase the effects of SEREPAX. You may need to take different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.

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

How to take SEREPAX

How much to take

The dose of SEREPAX may be different for each person. Your doctor will decide the right dose for you.

The recommended dose is 7.5 to 30 mg taken up to four times a day.

Elderly people may need a lower dose.

How to take it

Swallow SEREPAX with a glass of water.

SEREPAX can be taken with or without food.

When to take it

SEREPAX is usually taken up to four times a day at evenly spaced intervals. Your doctor will advise you how many times during the day you should take SEREPAX.

How long to take it

Do not take SEREPAX for longer than your doctor says.

SEREPAX is usually used for short periods only (for example 2 – 4 weeks). Continuous long-term use is not recommended unless advised by your doctor. The use of benzodiazepines may lead to dependence on the medicine.

Continue taking SEREPAX as long as your doctor recommends it.

If you forget to take it

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 it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking it as you would normally.

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

This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.

If you are unsure about whether to take your next dose, speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

If you take too much (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26 Australia, (03) 474 7000 NZ) for advice, or go to casualty at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much SEREPAX. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Also report any other medicine or alcohol which has been taken. You may need urgent medical attention. Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.

If you take too much SEREPAX you may feel drowsy, confused, tired, dizzy, have difficulty breathing, feel weak or become unconscious.

While you are using SEREPAX

Things you must do

Take SEREPAX exactly as your doctor has prescribed.

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

If you become pregnant while you are taking SEREPAX, tell your doctor immediately.

Visit your doctor regularly.

Your doctor needs to check your progress and see whether you need to keep taking SEREPAX.

Tell your doctor if you feel SEREPAX is not helping your condition.

If you are being treated for anxiety, be sure to discuss with your doctor any problems you may have and how you feel, especially if your anxiety attacks are getting worse or more frequent.

This will help your doctor to determine the best treatment for you.

Always discuss with your doctor any problems or difficulties during or after taking SEREPAX.

Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.

Otherwise your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.

Keep enough SEREPAX to last weekends and holidays.

Things you must not do

Do not drive or operate machinery until you know how SEREPAX affects you.

SEREPAX may cause drowsiness or dizziness in some people and therefore may affect alertness.

Make sure you know how you react to SEREPAX before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are drowsy, dizzy or not alert.

Even if you take SEREPAX at night, you may still be drowsy or dizzy the next day.

Do not take SEREPAX for a longer time than your doctor has prescribed.

SEREPAX should be taken for short periods only (for example 2 to 4 weeks), unless advised otherwise by your doctor.

Do not stop taking SEREPAX or change the dose, without first checking with your doctor.

Stopping this medicine suddenly may cause some unwanted effects. Your doctor will slowly reduce your dose of SEREPAX before you can stop taking it completely.

Do not suddenly stop taking SEREPAX if you suffer from epilepsy.

Stopping this medicine suddenly may make your epilepsy worse.

Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor says to.

Do not give SEREPAX to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.

Things to be careful of

Be careful when drinking alcohol while taking SEREPAX.

Combining SEREPAX and alcohol can make you more sleepy, dizzy or lightheaded.

Your doctor may suggest that you avoid alcohol or reduce the amount of alcohol you drink while you are taking SEREPAX.

Be careful if you are elderly, unwell or taking other medicines.

Some people may experience side effects such as drowsiness, confusion, dizziness and unsteadiness, which may increase the risk of a fall.

Side effects

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

SEREPAX helps most people with anxiety, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people.

All medicines may 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.

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

If side effects do happen, they are more likely to happen when you first start taking SEREPAX. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the dose. However, tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

drowsiness

This is a common side effect of SEREPAX.

Less common or rare side effects of SEREPAX include:

clumsiness or unsteadiness
dizziness or lightheadedness
headache
fainting
confusion or depression
hallucinations
outbursts of anger and increased excitement
sleep disturbances
skin rash or itching
feeling sick or stomach pain
tiredness
changes in sex drive
slurred speech
blurred vision
fever
shaking or tremors
numbness and tingling
difficulty in concentrating
memory loss
swelling of the hands, ankles or feet or other parts of the body
low blood pressure

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell when you are taking, or soon after you have finished taking, SEREPAX.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don`t understand anything in this list.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

After using SEREPAX

Storage

Keep your tablets in their blister pack until it is time to take them.

If you take the tablets out of the blister pack they may not keep well.

Keep SEREPAX in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 degrees C. Do not store it, or any other medicines, in a bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.

Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep it 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.

Disposal

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

Product description

What it looks like

SEREPAX comes in two tablet strengths.

1.SEREPAX 15 mg are white, round tablets, one face convex marked “15” and the opposite face flat with Ezi-split breakline.
2.SEREPAX 30 mg are orange, round tablets, one face convex marked “30” and the opposite face flat with Ezi-split breakline.

SEREPAX comes in a box of blister strips containing 25 tablets.

Ingredients

The active ingredient in SEREPAX tablets is oxazepam.

Each SEREPAX 15 mg tablet contains 15mg oxazepam.

Each SEREPAX 30 mg tablet contains 30mg oxazepam.

SEREPAX 15mg and 30mg tablets also contain:

magnesium stearate
methylcellulose
polacrilin potassium
lactose

SEREPAX 30 mg also contains Sunset Yellow CI 15985 as a colouring agent.

SEREPAX does not contain gluten, sucrose, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Manufacturer

SEREPAX is supplied in Australia by:

Sigma Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd
(A.C.N. 004 118 594)
1408 Centre Road
Clayton Victoria 3168
Australia
Phone: (03) 9839 2800.
Australian Registration Numbers:
SEREPAX 15 mg tablets
AUST R 10414
SEREPAX 30 mg tablets
AUST R 10417
This leaflet was prepared on 13 March 2001 and updated on 13 February 2003.
(R) Registered Trade Mark

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