This leaflet tells you about 'Tagamet' (cimetidine) Syrup Please read it before taking your medicine.

If there is anything you do not understand, or if you want to know more about your medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist (chemist).

Please keep this leaflet. You may want to read it again.

Your syrup contains the active ingredient cimetidine. Each 5 ml of syrup contains 200 milligrammes (mg) of cimetidine. Your medicine also contains inactive ingredients. These are saccharin sodium, hydrochloric acid (E507), ethyl alcohol, methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216), propylene glycol, sodium chloride, disodium hydrogen phosphate (E339), sorbitol (E420), sucrose, FD&C Yellow No. 6 (E110), peach flavour, spearmint flavour, Mafco Magnasweet 180, ethylene oxide and propylene oxide polymer and water.

The sodium content of 'Tagamet' Syrup is 12.8 mg per 5 ml.

Your syrup is available in bottles of 600 ml.

Your medicine is known as a histamine Hz antagonist. It works by reducing the natural production of acid in the stomach.

The Product Licence/Authorisation Holder is Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd., trading as SmithKline Beecham Pharmaceuticals, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 1EY.

Your medicine is manufactured by Smith Kline & French Laboratories Ltd., Manor Royal, Crawley.

Your medicine is used to treat and relieve the symptoms of stomach and duodenal ulcers, oesophageal reflux disease and the Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

It will also help the healing of ulcers and reduce the inflammation due to these conditions.

Your medicine may also be prescribed for a range of other medical conditions where the reduction of acid production in the stomach is needed.

If you answer YES to any of the following questions, DO NOT take this medicine until you have talked to your doctor. You may need to be given a different medicine or the dose may need to be changed.

• Are you allergic to 'Tagamet' (cimetidine)?
• Do you have a kidney problem?
• Do you have a blood disease?
• Have you had a stomach ulcer or a duodenal ulcer before? You should discuss this with your doctor particularly if you are taking a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
• Are you pregnant or do you think you may be?
• Are you breast feeding?
• Are you taking any of the medicines listed below?
• Drugs to thin your blood (anticoagulants)
• Drugs to prevent fits (anticonvulsants), e.g. phenytoin
• Theophylline
• Lignocaine

The usual dose of 'Tagamet' Syrup is shown in the table below.

The maximum recommended dose of 'Tagamet' is 2.4 g a day. The usual length of treatment with Tagamet' Is at least four weeks though treatment may be longer (at least six or eight weeks) in some conditions .

Your doctor may reduce your dose when you start to feel better.

Doctors sometimes prescribe different doses to those described above. If this applies to you, you should discuss it with your doctor if you have not already done so.

The pharmacist's label on your pack will tell you how much your doctor would like you take and when to take it. Please read the label carefully.

You may feel better after a few days, but you should keep taking your medicine until the prescribed course Is finished. Your symptoms may come back if you stop your treatment too soon.

You should only take the dose that your doctor or pharmacist has told you. if you have taken too much tell your doctor or hospital casualty department straight away. Take your syrup pack with you.

If you forget to take a dose leave out that dose completely. Take your next dose at the normal time.

Side effects with your medicine are usually mild and do not last long. The most common unwanted effects are diarrhoea, dizziness, rash and tiredness.

Other more rare side effects are confusion, breast enlargement in men, blood changes, kidney disorders, liver disorders, inflammation of the pancreas, fever, headache, aching muscles, aching joints, heart effects and impotence. All these side effects should disappear when treatment is stopped.

Very rarely allergic reactions (rash, itching, shortness of breath and low blood pressure) and hair loss have occurred.

• Your medicine will have an expiry date on the pack. You should not use your medicine after this date.
• Keep your syrup in its original pack. Store in a cool place (below 25°C).
• Remember this medicine has been prescribed just for you. Never offer your medicine to other people. It may not be suitable for them even if their symptoms seem the same as yours.

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