Contains the active ingredients Paracetamol, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, Codeine phosphate and Chlorpheniramine maleate
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your pharmacist or doctor has weighed the risks of you taking APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine.
You may want to read it again.
What APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets is used for
This product is used for temporary relief of cold and flu symptoms.
Paracetamol works to stop the pain messages from getting through to the brain. It also acts in the brain to reduce fever.
Pseudoephedrine belongs to a group of medicines called sympathomimetic decongestants. It works by reducing congestion in the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, nasal passages and sinuses, and making it easier to breathe.
Chlorpheniramine belongs to a group of medicines called 'antihistamines'. Antihistamines help reduce allergic symptoms by preventing the effects of a substance called histamine. Histamine is produced by the body in response to foreign substances that the body is allergic to.
Codeine phosphate belongs to a group of medicines called analgesics. It is an opioid analgesic and it acts by blocking pain and your emotional response to pain.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about this medicine.
Your pharmacist or doctor may have given it for another reason.
This medicine is only available from a pharmacist.
Before you take/give APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets
When you must not take it
Do not take APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing codeine, paracetamol, pseudoephedrine, or chlorpheniramine, or other antihistamines
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets if you have:
very high blood pressure
severe coronary artery disease (heart disease caused by poor blood flow or narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart)
taken monoamine oxidase inhibitors, medicines used to treat depression, in the last 14 days
Do not take this medicine if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes)
stomach or duodenal ulcer, or other stomach problems
prostate problems
bladder problems
acute breathing difficulties such as bronchitis, unstable asthma or emphysema
chronic constipation
diarrhoea caused by antibiotics or poisoning
Do not take this medicine if you have alcohol dependence.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the benefits and possible risks of taking the medicine during pregnancy.
Do not take this medicine during labour, especially if the baby is premature.
The medicine may produce withdrawal effects in the newborn baby.
Do not take this medicine if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.
It passes into the breast milk and there is a possibility that the baby may be affected.
Do not give this medicine to newborn or premature babies.
Do not give to children under 12 years.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
high blood pressure
low blood pressure
underactive thyroid
overactive thyroid gland
diabetes
heart disease and poor blood flow in the blood vessels of the heart
glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes)
prostate problems
liver or kidney disease
epilepsy
difficulty breathing, wheezing, chronic cough, asthma or other chronic breathing conditions
a history of drug dependence, including alcohol dependence
recent surgery on the stomach or intestines
head injury
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you take sedatives (medicines used to help you relax or sleep).
If you have not told your pharmacist or doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets.
Taking other medicines
Do not take with other medicines containing paracetamol. It is important to check the labels of all other medicines you are taking to make sure they do not contain paracetamol. Taking too much paracetamol may cause serious liver damage.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets may interfere with each other. These include:
warfarin, a medicine used to prevent blood clots
metoclopramide, a medicine used to control nausea and vomiting
medicines such as phenytoin used to treat epilepsy or fits
chloramphenicol, an antibiotic used to treat ear and eye infections
medicines used to treat depression, especially monoamine oxidase inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants, taken within the last 14 days
medicines used to treat heart conditions
medicines used to treat high blood pressure
medicines used to treat urinary tract infections and bladder problems
medicines used to treat behavioural disorders
phenylephrine, a medicine used to treat congestion
appetite suppressants
medicines used to help you relax, sleep or relieve anxiety, such as barbiturates, sedatives and hypnotics
medicines used to relieve stomach cramps or spasms, to prevent travel sickness and to treat Parkinson's disease
medicines for diarrhoea, such as kaolin, pectin and loperamide
other opioid analgesics and medicines used to treat pain
quinidine, a medicine used to treat abnormal or irregular heart beat
phenothiazines and antipsychotic agents, medicines used to treat mental disorders
alcohol
These medicines may be affected by APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets, or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your pharmacist and doctor will have more information on these and other medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets
Follow all directions given to you by your pharmacist or doctor carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box, ask your pharmacist or doctor for help.
How much to take
DAY MEDICATION DOSAGE
(White tablets)
Adults & Children 12 years and over: Take 2 white Day tablets in the morning and two in the afternoon when necessary with water.
NIGHT MEDICATION DOSAGE (Pink tablets)
Adults & Children 12 years and over: Take 2 pink Night tablets at bedtime if required.
Dosage may be repeated after 4 to 6 hours if required.
Do not take the Night tablet within 4 hours of taking the Day tablet.
Do not exceed 4 doses (8 Day & Night tablets) in 24 hours.
Do not take more than the recommended dose.
Do not give to children under 12 years.
May cause sleeplessness if it is taken up to several hours before going to bed in people sensitive to pseudoephedrine.
Talk to your doctor about pain control if the medicine is not helping.
About 8% of people are poor metabolisers of codeine. If your body cannot metabolise codeine properly, you may be getting reduced benefit from the medicine.
If you are over 65 years of age, talk to your pharmacist or doctor about how much to take.
Elderly patients are more likely to have side effects such as less effective kidney function from taking these medicines due to age. This may increase the risk of side effects.
How to take it
Take tablet or tablets as required with water.
When to take it
Take tablet or tablets every 4 to 6 hours as required.
How long to take it for
Do not take this medicine for longer than a few days at a time (Adults) or 48 hours at a time (Children over 12 years) unless advised to by a doctor.
If you forget to take it
If it is less than 4 hours before 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 your medicine 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 not sure what to do, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets
Things you must do
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Your pharmacist or doctor will assess your condition and decide if you should continue to take the medicine.
Things you must not do
Children 12 years and over:
Do not give this medicine for more than 48 hours unless a doctor has told you to.
Adults:
Do not take for more than a few days at a time unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Do not take APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets to treat any other complaints unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not drink alcohol while taking APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets.
The sedation effects of alcohol may be increased.
Drinking large quantities of alcohol while taking paracetamol may increase the risk of liver side effects.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness or sleepiness in some people. If this happens, do not drive, use or operate machinery.
Do not take high doses of the medicine for long periods of time unless your doctor tells you to.
Codeine may be habit forming.
Possible side effects
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets.
This medicine helps most people with the symptoms of Cold and Flu, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
nausea or dyspepsia
vomiting
difficulty sleeping
nervousness and irritability
excitability
restlessness
dizziness
fear or anxiety
fast or rapid heart beat
tremor
hallucinations
drowsiness or sleepiness
dry mouth, nose and throat
constipation
anxiety
twitching or jerking muscles
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Children and people over 65 years of age may have an increased chance of getting side effects.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
difficult or painful urination
seizures (fits)
shallow breathing
unusual or extreme mood swings
dizziness, light-headedness
flushing of the face
fast heart beat
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. These side effects are rare.
If any of the following happen, tell your pharmacist or doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
urine retention
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare for low doses of this medicine and when used for a short period of time.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets
Storage
Keep your medicine in the original pack until it is time to take it.
Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
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
Ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over, or if the expiry date has passed.
Product description
What it looks like
This medicine is sold in a carton containing 24 tablets in blister packs.
16 tablets are white in colour and are for Day time use.
8 tablets are pink in colour and are for Night time use.
Ingredients
APOHEALTH Cold & Flu Relief Day/Night tablets contains 500 mg of Paracetamol, 30 mg of Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride, 6 mg of Codeine phosphate (Day tablets only) and 2 mg of Chlorpheniramine maleate (Night tablets only) as the active ingredients.
It also contains:
Cellulose - microcrystalline
Crospovidone
Magnesium stearate
Povidone
Stearic acid
Starch - pregelatinised maize
Erythrosine (Night tablets only)
