Levocetirizinedihydrochloride

Levocetirizine5mgtablets Whenusedinurticaria Levocetirizinedihydrochloride(Leevohsetteerriz eendyehidrohclorride)isamedicinewhichis usedinallergicrhinitisandurticaria. Yourmedicine Levocetirizinedihydrochlorideisanantihistamine.It blockstheeffectsofachemicalwhichcauses symptomsofallergysuchasitching.Itisusedto treatallergicrhinitisorurticariawhichhaspersisted foralongtime. Donotshareyourmedicinewithotherpeople.It maynotbesuitableforthemandmayharmthem. Thepharmacylabelonyourmedicinetellsyouhow muchmedicineyoushouldtake.Italsotellsyou howoftenyoushouldtakeyourmedicine.Thisis thedosethatyouandyourprescriberhaveagreed youshouldtake.Youshouldnotchangethedoseof yourmedicineunlessyouaretoldtodosobyyour prescriber. Ifyoufeelthatthemedicineismakingyouunwellor youdonotthinkitisworking,thentalktoyour prescriber. Whentotakeyourmedicine Somemedicinesworkbestiftheyaretakenata specifictimeofday.Gettingthemostbenefitfrom yourmedicinecanalsobeaffectedbywhatyoueat, whenyoueatandthetimesatwhichyoutakeother medicines. SpecificinformationonwhentotakeLevocetirizine dihydrochloridecanbefoundinthePatient InformationLeafletthatcomeswiththismedicineor onthemedicinelabel.Youcanalsoaskyourdoctor orpharmacistforinformationaboutwhentotake yourmedicine. Howtotakeyourmedicine Somemedicineshavespecificinstructionsabout howtotakethem.Thisisbecausetheyworkbetter whentakencorrectly.Theseinstructionscaninclude gettingtherightdoseandspecialinstructionsfor preparingthemedicine. SpecificinformationonhowtotakeLevocetirizine dihydrochloridecanbefoundinthePatient InformationLeafletthatcomeswiththismedicineor onthemedicinelabel.Alternatively,youcanrequest informationabouthowtotakeyourmedicinefrom yourdoctororpharmacist. Ifyouarehavingproblemstakingthisformof Levocetirizinedihydrochloride,youshouldtalkto yourprescriberorpharmacist.Theymaybeableto giveyouadviceonotherwaystotakeyourmedicine orotherpreparationsthatareeasierforyoutotake. Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides Takingtoomuchofyourmedicine Takingextradosesofsomemedicinescanbe harmful.Insomecasesevenoneextradosecan causeyouproblems.Ifyoutakeextradosesofyour medicine,youmustgetmedicaladviceimmediately. Youmayneedatesttoassesstheeffectoftaking extradoses.Thisisbecausetheeffectsoftaking toomuchmedicineareverycomplexsoitisvery importantthatyouseekmedicaladvice. Contactyourprescriber,pharmacist,specialistclinic orNHSDirecton08454647foradvice. Makesureyoutakeallofyourmedicinecontainers withyouifyouareadvisedtogotohospital. Stoppingyourmedicine Onlystoptakingthismedicineontheadviceofyour prescriberorifthemedicinehashaditsintended effectandyounolongerneedrelieffromyour symptoms. Ifyouareinanydoubt,contactyourprescriber, pharmacist,specialistclinicorNHSDirecton0845 4647. Lookingafteryourmedicine Theinstructionsonhowyoushouldkeepyour medicineareonthepharmacylabel.Itisagood ideatokeepyourmedicineintheoriginalcontainer. Thiswillhelptokeepyourmedicineinthebest conditionandalsoallowyoutocheckthe instructions.Donottakethemedicineifthe packagingappearstohavebeentamperedwithorif themedicineshowsanysignsofdamage.Make surethatthemedicineisoutofthesightandreach ofchildren. Specificinformationonhowtolookafter Levocetirizinedihydrochloridecanbefoundinthe PatientInformationLeafletthatcomeswiththis medicineoronthemedicinelabel.Alternatively,you canrequestinformationabouthowtolookafteryour medicinefromyourdoctororpharmacist. Youmustnottakethemedicineaftertheexpirydate shownonthepackaging.Ifyouhaveanyunused medicine,returnittoyourpharmacistwhowill disposeofitsafely. Whetherthismedicineissuitableforyou Levocetirizinedihydrochlorideisnotsuitablefor everyoneandsomepeopleshouldneveruseit. Otherpeopleshouldonlyuseitwithspecialcare.It isimportantthatthepersonprescribingthis medicineknowsyourfullmedicalhistory. Yourprescribermayonlyprescribethismedicine withspecialcareormaynotprescribeitatallifyou: areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehada reactiontoanyoftheingredientsinthe medicine havekidneyproblems areallergicorsensitivetoorhavehadabad reactiontopiperazinederivativesinthepast areelderly Furthermoretheprescribermayonlyprescribethis medicinewithspecialcareormaynotprescribeitat allforachildundertheageofsixyears. OvertimeitispossiblethatLevocetirizine dihydrochloridecanbecomeunsuitableforsome people,ortheymaybecomeunsuitableforit.Ifat anytimeitappearsthatLevocetirizine dihydrochloridehasbecomeunsuitable,itis importantthattheprescriberiscontacted immediately. Sideeffects Amedicineisonlymadeavailabletothepublicifthe clinicaltrialshaveshownthatthebenefitsoftaking themedicineoutweightherisks. Onceamedicinehasbeenlicensed,informationon themedicine'seffects,bothintendedand unintended,iscontinuouslyrecordedandupdated. Somesideeffectsmaybeseriouswhileothersmay onlybeamildinconvenience. Everyone'sreactiontoamedicineisdifferent.Itis difficulttopredictwhichsideeffectsyouwillhave fromtakingaparticularmedicine,orwhetheryou willhaveanysideeffectsatall.Theimportantthing istotellyourprescriberorpharmacistifyouare havingproblemswithyourmedicine. Common:Morethan1in100peoplewhotake Levocetirizinedihydrochloride drymouth headaches sleepiness tiredness weakness Uncommon:Morethan1in1000peoplewhotake Levocetirizinedihydrochloride stomachpain Thefrequencyofthesesideeffectsisunknown abnormallaboratorytestresults aggressivebehaviour allergicreactions angioedema breathingdifficulties convulsions eyeoreyesightproblems feelingagitated hypersensitivityreactionsincluding anaphylaxis itching liverproblems musclepainortenderness nausea palpitations skinrashorrashes urticaria weightgain Ifyoufeelunwellorifyouhaveconcernsabouta sideeffect,youwillneedtoseekadvice.Ifyoufeel veryill,getmedicalhelpstraightaway.Contactyour prescriber,pharmacist,nurseorcallNHSDirecton 08454647. Takingothermedicines Ifyouaretakingmorethanonemedicinetheymay interactwitheachother.Attimesyourprescriber maydecidetousemedicinesthatinteract,inother casesthismaynotbeappropriate. Thedecisiontousemedicinesthatinteractdepends onyourspecificcircumstances.Yourprescribermay decidetousemedicinesthatinteract,ifitisbelieved thatthebenefitsoftakingthemedicinestogether outweightherisks.Insuchcases,itmaybe necessarytoalteryourdoseormonitoryoumore closely. Tellyourprescriberthenamesofallthemedicines thatyouaretakingsothattheycanconsiderall possibleinteractions.Thisincludesallthemedicines whichhavebeenprescribedbyyourGP,hospital doctor,dentist,nurse,healthvisitor,midwifeor pharmacist.Youmustalsotellyourprescriberabout medicineswhichyouhaveboughtoverthecounter withoutprescriptions. Thefollowingmedicinesmayinteractwith Levocetirizinedihydrochloride: theophylline Thefollowingtypesofmedicinemayinteractwith Levocetirizinedihydrochloride: medicineswhichdepresstheCNS cytochromeP450enzymeinducers IfyouaretakingLevocetirizinedihydrochlorideand oneoftheabovemedicinesortypesofmedicines, makesureyourprescriberknowsaboutit. Complementarypreparationsandvitamins Medicinescaninteractwithcomplementary preparationsandvitamins.Ingeneral,thereisnot muchinformationavailableaboutinteractions betweenmedicinesandcomplementary preparationsorvitamins. Lastupdated13Feb12 Copyright2010Datapharm

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Levocetirizinedihydrochloride
Levocetirizine5mgtablets Whenusedinurticaria Ifyouareplanningtotakeorarealreadytakingany complementarypreparationsandvitaminsyou shouldaskyourprescriberwhetherthereareany knowninteractionswithLevocetirizine dihydrochloride. Yourprescribercanadvisewhetheritisappropriate foryoutotakecombinationsthatareknownto interact.Theycanalsodiscusswithyouthe possibleeffectthatthecomplementarypreparations andvitaminsmayhaveonyourcondition. Ifyouexperienceanyunusualeffectswhiletaking thismedicineincombinationwithcomplementary preparationsandvitamins,youshouldtellyour prescriber. Drivingandoperatingmachinery Whentakinganymedicineyoushouldbeawarethat itmightinterferewithyourabilitytodriveoroperate machinerysafely. InthecaseofLevocetirizinedihydrochloride: thismedicinecouldaffectyourabilitytodrive oroperatemachinery Youshouldseehowthismedicineaffectsyou beforeyoujudgewhetheryouaresafetodriveor operatemachinery.Ifyouareinanydoubtabout whetheryoushoulddriveoroperatemachinery,talk toyourprescriber. Diet Medicinescaninteractwithcertainfoods.Insome cases,thismaybeharmfulandyourprescribermay adviseyoutoavoidcertainfoods. InthecaseofLevocetirizinedihydrochloride: therearenospecificfoodsthatyoumust excludefromyourdietwhentaking Levocetirizinedihydrochloride Alcohol Alcoholcaninteractwithcertainmedicines. InthecaseofLevocetirizinedihydrochloride: thismedicinemayinteractwithalcohol Youshouldseekadvicefromyourprescriberasto whetheryoumaydrinkalcoholwhiletakingthis medicine. Familyplanningandpregnancy Mostmedicines,insomeway,canaffectthe developmentofababyinthewomb.Theeffecton thebabydiffersbetweenmedicinesandalso dependsonthestageofpregnancythatyouhave reachedwhenyoutakethemedicine. InthecaseofLevocetirizinedihydrochloride: Providedbywww.medicines.org.uk/guides youshouldonlytakethismedicineduring pregnancyifyourdoctorthinksthatyouneed it Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand benefitsoftakingthismedicine.Youandyourdoctor canmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouaregoingto takethismedicineduringpregnancy. Ifthedecisionisthatyoushouldnothave Levocetirizinedihydrochloride,thenyoushould discusswhetherthereisanalternativemedicine thatyoucouldtakeduringpregnancy. Breastfeeding Certainmedicinescanpassintobreastmilkand mayreachyourbabythroughbreastfeeding. InthecaseofLevocetirizinedihydrochloride: youshouldonlytakethismedicinewhile breastfeedingifyourdoctorthinksyouneed it Youneedtodiscussyourspecificcircumstances withyourdoctortoweighuptheoverallrisksand benefitsofhavingthismedicine.Youandyour doctorcanmakeadecisionaboutwhetheryouare goingtohavethismedicinewhileyouarebreast feeding. Ingredientsofyourmedicine Medicinescontainactiveingredients.Theymayalso containother,additionalingredientsthathelpensure thestability,safetyandeffectivenessofthe medicine.Theyarealsoaddedtoimprovethe medicine'stasteandappearanceandtomakeit easiertotake.Somemaybeusedtoprolongthelife ofthemedicine. Thismedicinecontainslevocetirizine dihydrochloride. Weareunabletolistalloftheingredientsforyour medicinehere.Forafulllist,youshouldrefertothe patientinformationleafletthatcomeswiththis medicine.Youshouldcheckthatyouareableto taketheingredientsofyourmedicine,especiallyif youhaveanyallergies.Youshouldalsocheck whetheranyoftheseingredientsareknowntohave sideeffects. Ifyouarenotabletotakeanyoftheingredientsin yourmedicine,talktoyourprescriberorpharmacist toseeiftheycansuggestanalternativemedicine.If youhavereactedbadlytoLevocetirizine dihydrochloridebefore,donottakeLevocetirizine dihydrochloride.Talktoyourprescriber,pharmacist ornurseassoonaspossible.

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Lastupdated13Feb12 Copyright2010Datapharm