Pholcodine
Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral
Liquid.
It does not contain all the available information.
It does not take the place of talking to your pharmacist or doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your pharmacist or doctor has weighed the risks
of you taking Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid against the benefits they
expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
This leaflet was last updated on the date at the end of this leaflet. More recent
information may be available. The latest Consumer Medicine Information is available
from your pharmacist, doctor, or from www.medicines.org.au and may contain important
information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
Keep this leaflet with your medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is used for
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is used to help stop stubborn, dry tickly
coughs.
Pholcodine is the active ingredient in Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid,
and works on the cough centre in the brain to control and stop coughing.
Your doctor or pharmacist may have prescribed or recommended Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry
Forte Oral Liquid for another purpose.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about why Bisolvon Pholcodine
Dry Forte Oral Liquid has been prescribed or recommended for you.
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is not addictive.
This medicine is only available from your pharmacy.
Before you take Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
When you must not take it
Do not take Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing pholcodine
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 Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid if you have:
severe asthma, bronchitis or other serious respiratory conditions.
Do not give Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid to a child under the age of
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
use this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your pharmacist
or doctor.
Before you start to use it
Tell your doctor if:
you have any allergies to any other medicines or any other substances, such as foods,
preservatives or dyes
you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant
Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Bisolvon Pholcodine
Dry Forte Oral Liquid when pregnant.
you are breast-feeding or intend to breast-feed
It is not known if pholcodine passes into breast milk. Your pharmacist or doctor will
discuss the risks and benefits of using Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
when breast-feeding.
you have or have had any other medical conditions, including asthma or other breathing
problems.
If you have not told your pharmacist or doctor about any of the above, tell them before
you start taking Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid.
Using other medicines
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 pholcodine may interfere with each other. These include:
sedatives, medicines used to help you relax or sleep
medicines used to control anxiety
alcohol.
These medicines may be affected by Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid or may
affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you
may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or
avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
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/bottle, ask your pharmacist or
doctor for help.
How much to take
Do not give this medicine to a child under the age of 12 years.
Children over 12 years:
2.5 mL three to four times daily when necessary.
Adults:
3.75 mL three to four times daily when necessary.
How to take it
Shake the bottle well before use. Use the enclosed measuring cup to measure the doses
correctly.
Shaking the bottle and using a medicine measure will make sure that you get the correct
dose.
When to take it
Take your medicine every 6-8 hours when necessary.
Do not take it more than 4 times in one day.
It is important to use Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid exactly as your pharmacist
or doctor has told you.
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, you may take a dose as soon as you remember
if you think you need it.
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.
Your next dose can be taken in 6-8 hours, if you think you need it.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26)
for advice, or go to Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone
else may have taken too much Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid. Do this even
if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are taking Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
Things you must do
Tell all pharmacists and doctors who are treating you that you are taking Bisolvon
Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid.
If you feel that Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is not helping your condition,
tell your pharmacist or doctor.
Your pharmacist or doctor will assess your condition and decide if you should continue
to take the medicine.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor, if for any reason, you have not used Bisolvon Pholcodine
Dry Forte Oral Liquid exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise, your pharmacist or doctor may think that it was not effective and change
your treatment unnecessarily.
If you become pregnant while taking Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid, tell
your pharmacist or doctor.
Things you must not do
Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your pharmacist or doctor tells
you to.
Do not give Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid to anyone else, even if they
have the same symptoms as yours.
Do not take Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid to treat other complaints unless
your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry
Forte Oral Liquid affects you.
This medicine may cause drowsiness or dizziness in some people. Drowsiness may continue
the following day. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive, operate machinery
or do anything else that could be dangerous. Children should be careful when riding
bicycles or climbing trees.
Avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking this medicine.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you do not feel well while you are taking Bisolvon
Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid.
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid helps most people with stubborn, dry, tickly
coughs 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 treatment 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:
dizziness
drowsiness
nausea
vomiting
stomach pain
constipation.
These are the more common side effects of Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid,
and are usually mild.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
lack of coordination and unsteadiness when walking
unusual mood swings.
These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side
effects are rare.
If any of the following happen, stop taking Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
and tell your doctor immediately or go to Emergency at your nearest hospital:
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.
These are 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 doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid
Storage
Keep your medicine in the original bottle until it is time to take it.
Keep Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid in a cool dry place where the temperature
stays below 30°C.
Do not store Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid or any other medicine in the
bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Do not refrigerate Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid.
Keep Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid 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 this medicine or the expiry date has passed,
ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is a clear liquid with a peach flavour.
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid are available in 100 mL* or 200 mL bottles.
* Not distributed in Australia.
Ingredients
Each 1 mL of Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid contains 4 mg of pholcodine
as the active ingredient.
It also contains:
citric acid-anhydrous
glycerol
propylene glycol
saccharin sodium
sodium cyclamate
water-purified
xanthan gum
sodium benzoate.
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid also contains the following proprietary
ingredient:
Peaches Flavour Natural & Artificial FADU043
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo
dyes.
Supplier
Bisolvon Pholcodine Dry Forte Oral Liquid is supplied in Australia by:
Sanofi Consumer Healthcare,
87 Yarraman Place, Virginia,
Qld 4014 Australia.
Toll-free: 1800 802 777
www.bisolvon.com.au
Date of preparation: June 2017
bisolphodryforliq-local-cmiv01-30jun17
Registration No AUST R 262514
