Rimactazid

Rimactazid

rifampicin/isonazid

Ciba

Information for Patients

What you need to know about Rimactazid 150 and 300 tablets

Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your tablets. It contains important information about your tablets

What's in your medicine

Rimactazid contains two substances called rifampicin and isoniazid. These belong to the group of medicines called antibiotics. The tablets come in two strengths:

Round, pink tablets containing 150mg of rifampicin and 100mg of isoniazid
Capsule-shaped, orange-brown tablets containing 300mg of rifampicin and 150mg of isoniazid

The tablets also contain the following inactive ingredients:

calcium stearate, sodium lauryl sulphate, maize starch, sodium carboxymethylcellulose, talc, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, povidone, titanium dioxide, cellulose, polyethylene glycol, sugar (sucrose), red iron oxide, yellow iron oxide (Rimactazid 300 tablets only).

Rimactazid 150 tablets come in blister packs of 84.

Rimactazid 300 tablets come in blister packs of 56

Made by: Ciba-Geigy Limited, Stein, Switzerland for Ciba Laboratories, Horsham, West Sussex.

Product Licence Holder: Ciba-Geigy plc, Hulley Road, Macclesfield, Cheshire.

What this medicine is used for

Rimactazid is used together with other medicines to treat tuberculosis (TB) and some other infections.

Before taking your medicine

Are you allergic to rifampicin or isoniazid?

Do you have or have you ever had any serious liver disease?

Do you suffer from any numbness, tingling or pain in your hands or feet?

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, do not take the tablets without talking to your doctor again.

Do you suffer from epilepsy?

Do you suffer from a blood disorder called porphyria?

Have you ever taken a course of rifampicin in the past?

Are you pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breast feeding?

If the answer to any of these question is YES, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Are you taking any of the following:

Oral contraceptives (birth control pills) or hormone replacement therapy?
Anticoagulants (blood thinning tablets like warfarin)?
Tablets for diabetes?
Any medicines for high blood pressure or heart disorders?
Any medicines for epilepsy (fits)?
Any medicines for stomach problems including antacids and cimetidine?
Any medicines for pain like morphine or codeine?
Disulphiram (a medicine used to treat drinking problems)?
Steroid tablets?
Chloramphenicol or ketoconazole?
Dapsone, methadone or theophylline?
Cyclosporin A or azathioprine?
Any other medicines which your doctor does not know about?

If the answer to any of these questions is YES, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

Other special warnings

Rimactazid can permanently discolour soft contact lenses. Do not wear soft contact lenses whilst you are taking these tablets or for 1 week after stopping Rimactazid.

Do not drink alcohol whilst taking these tablets.

If you notice any numbness, tingling or pain in your hands or feet, do not drive or work machinery. Tell your doctor as soon as possible.

Whilst you are taking these tablets, your doctor may want to carry out a number of tests from time to time. This is quite usual and nothing to worry about.

These tablets contain sugar (sucrose) and may be unsuitable for diabetics.

Rimactazid is not suitable for children.

Taking your medicine

It is important to take your tablets at the right times. You must take them as instructed by your doctor. The usual dose is two Rimactazid 300 or three Rimactazid 150 tablets daily, depending on your weight, for six to nine months. Your doctor will probably prescribe other medicines for you to take with Rimactazid. If you have been treated with Rimactazid tablets before your doctor will probably start with a smaller dose.

If you are not sure how many tablets to take, ask your doctor or pharmacist

Take your tablets once a day on an empty stomach The best time to take them is in the morning, half an hour before breakfast.
Do not stop taking your tablets suddenly. Ask your doctor first.
If you forget to take a dose. take it as soon as you remember. Then go on as before. Do not take a double dose.
If you accidentally take too many Rimactazid tablets, tell your doctor at once or contact your nearest hospital casualty department.

After taking your medicine

These tablets sometimes cause unwanted effects in some people. If you get any of the following tell your doctor:

Skin rash, itching or eye irritation and redness.
Yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes.
High temperature, sore throat or flu-like symptoms.
Unusual bruising or bleeding.

Other effects which may occur include:

Upset stomach, including sickness, pain or diarrhoea.
Headache, dizziness. unusual tiredness or weakness.
Irregular periods.
Loss of appetite

These effects are often mild and may wear off after a few days' treatment. If they are severe or last for more then a few days, tell your doctor

Rarely, the following unwanted effects have been seen: clumsiness or unsteadiness whilst walking, blurred or loss of vision, convulsions (fits), difficulty in breathing, inflammation of the colon, mood or mental changes, dry mouth, heartburn, problems with passing urine, muscle and bone pain, and fever. You are most unlikely to get any of these. However, if you do, tell your doctor. Also if your tablets upset you in any other way, tell your doctor. You may also notice an orange-red discolouration of body fluids (for example, tears, urine). This is nothing to worry about and will disappear when you stop taking Rimactazid.

Storing your medicine

The expiry date for these tablets is given on the carton. Do not take the tablets after this date

Keep your tablets in a cool (below 25°C), dry place out of reach of children. Return any unused tablets to your pharmacist.

REMEMBER: this medicine is for you. Only a doctor can prescribe it for you. Never give it to someone else. It may harm them even if they have the same symptoms as you.

The information in this leaflet applies only to Rimactazid. This leaflet does not contain the complete information about your tablets. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.