General Information
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in
this leaflet
This leaflet answers some
common questions about Fasigyn. 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 doctor has weighed the risks of you
taking Fasigyn against the benefits they expect it
will have for you.
If you have any concerns
about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or
pharmacist.
Read this leaflet carefully
before starting Fasigyn and keep it with your
medicine. You may need to read it again.
What Fasigyn is used for
Fasigyn is
used to:
treat certain infections of the male
and female genital systems, liver and bowel
prevent certain infections that may occur
during surgery.
Fasigyn is an antibiotic,
which belongs to a group of medicines called
nitroimidazoles.
Fasigyn works by killing
or stopping the growth of bacteria causing your
infection.
Fasigyn will not work against
viral infections such as colds or flu.
Your
doctor, however, may prescribe Fasigyn for another
purpose.
Ask your doctor if you have any
questions about why Fasigyn has been prescribed
for you. This medicine is available only with a
doctor's prescription.
Before you take
Fasigyn
When you must not take it
Do
not take Fasigyn if you are allergic to:
Fasigyn
any ingredients listed at the end
of the leaflet
or related medicines such as
Simplotan, Flagyl, Metrogyl and Metozine (not all
brands given)
If you are not sure if you
are allergic to any of the above, ask your doctor.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction include:
asthma, wheezing or shortness of breath
swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may
lead to difficulty swallowing or breathing
hives, itching, skin rash or redness of skin
fainting, light-headedness
Do not take
Fasigyn if you have a history of any blood
disorder.
Do not take Fasigyn if you have
any disease of the brain, spinal cord or nerves.
Do not take Fasigyn if you are pregnant or
intend to become pregnant. Your doctor will
discuss the risks and benefits of taking Fasigyn
during pregnancy (pregnancy up to four months).
If you are a woman of child-bearing age,
make sure you do not become pregnant while taking
Fasigyn.
Do not take Fasigyn if you are
breastfeeding. Like many other medicines, Fasigyn
passes into breast milk and may harm your baby.
Do not breastfeed your baby while taking,
and until at least three days after stopping
Fasigyn.
If you are not sure whether you
should be taking Fasigyn, talk to your doctor.
Do not take Fasigyn if the expiry date (EXP)
or use by date printed on the pack has passed. If
you take this medicine after this date, it may not
work.
Do not take Fasigyn if the packaging
is torn or shows signs of tampering. If this is
the case, return it to your pharmacist.
If
you are not sure whether you should start taking
Fasigyn, talk to your doctor.
Before you
start to take it
You must tell your doctor
if:
1. you have any allergies to:
any other
medicines
any other substances, such as foods,
preservatives or dyes
2. you are pregnant or
intend to become pregnant
Like most other
medicines, Fasigyn is not recommended in
pregnancy. However, your doctor will discuss the
possible risks and benefits of taking Fasigyn
during pregnancy.
3. you are breastfeeding or
plan to breast-feed
Like most other
medicines, Fasigyn is not recommended in breast-
feeding. However, your doctor will discuss the
possible risks and benefits of taking Fasigyn
during breast-feeding.
4. you have or have had
any other medical conditions, including any kidney
problems
5. you drink alcohol, even
occasionally. Do not drink during and for 3 days
after stopping treatment with Fasigyn.
If
you drink alcohol with Fasigyn it may make you
feel sick, vomit, have stomach cramps, headache or
flushing.
If you have not told your doctor
about any of the above, tell them before you are
given Fasigyn.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other
medicines, including medicines you buy without a
prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or
health food shop.
Some medicines may
interfere with Fasigyn. These include:
warfarin
or other medicines used to prevent blood clots
These medicines may be affected by Fasigyn or
may affect how well it works.
Your doctor
or pharmacist has more information on medicines to
be careful with or avoid while taking Fasigyn.
Do not take medicines that contain alcohol (eg
cough syrups) while using, or for three (3) days
after stopping Fasigyn.
Talk to your doctor
about the need for an additional method of
contraception while taking Fasigyn. Some
antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of some
birth control pills, although this has not been
shown with Fasigyn.
How to take Fasigyn
Follow all directions given to you by your
doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ
from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions
on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for
advice.
How much to take
Adults
Fasigyn is usually given as a single dose of
four tablets, to be taken at the same time.
However, depending on your condition and how
you react to the medicine, your doctor may ask you
to take some other dose or take it for a longer
time.
Children
For children, the
dose depends on body weight.
How long to
take
Your doctor will tell you how long
you need to keep taking Fasigyn. In some cases,
you may need to take Fasigyn for up to ten days.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets with
liquid.
When to take it
Take Fasigyn
during or immediately after a meal. If taken on an
empty stomach, it may cause stomach upset, nausea
or vomiting.
If you forget to take it
If you are taking more than a single dose of
Fasigyn and 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, take it as
soon as you remember, then go back to taking it as
you would normally.
Do not try to make up
for missed doses by taking more than one dose at a
time. This may increase the chance of you getting
an unwanted side effect.
If you are not
sure what to do, check with your doctor or
pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering
to take your Fasigyn, ask your pharmacist for some
hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or Poisons
Information Centre (telephone in Australia - 13 11
26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency
(Casualty) at your nearest hospital if you think
you or anyone else may have taken too much
Fasigyn. Do this even if there are no signs of
discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent
medical attention.
Keep telephone numbers
of these places handy.
If you take too many
tablets, you may get an upset stomach, diarrhoea
or skin rashes.
While you are taking
Fasigyn
Things you must do
If you
become pregnant while taking Fasigyn, tell your
doctor immediately.
If you get a sore,
white mouth or tongue while taking, or soon after
stopping Fasigyn, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
If you get vaginal itching, burning or a
white discharge while taking, or soon after
stopping Fasigyn, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
This may mean you have a yeast infection called
thrush. Sometimes use of Fasigyn allows yeast to
grow and the above symptoms to occur. Fasigyn does
not work against yeast.
If you are about to
be started on any new medicines, tell your doctor
or pharmacist that you are taking Fasigyn.
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who
are treating you that you are taking Fasigyn.
Things you must not do
Do not give
Fasigyn to anyone else, even if they have the same
condition as you.
Do not use Fasigyn to
treat any other medical complaints unless your
doctor tells you to.
Side effects
Check with your doctor as soon as possible if
you have any problems while taking Fasigyn, even
if you do not think the problems are connected
with the medicine or are not listed in this
leaflet. Like other medicines, Fasigyn can cause
some side effects. If they occur, most are likely
to be minor and temporary. However, some may be
serious and need medical attention.
Ask
your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions
you may have.
Tell your doctor if you
notice any of the following and they worry you:
generally feeling unwell
a metallic taste
in the mouth
loss of appetite, feeling sick,
stomach pain, diarrhoea or constipation
dark
coloured urine
oral thrush - white, furry,
sore tongue and mouth
vaginal thrush - sore
and itchy vagina and/or discharge
These
side effects are usually mild.
See your
doctor immediately and before you take your next
dose of Fasigyn if you notice any of the
following:
asthma, wheezing or shortness of
breath
hives, itching or skin rash
swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may
lead to difficulty swallowing or breathing
fainting
tingling or numbness of the hands
or feet, or muscle weakness.
Tell your
doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency
(Casualty) at your nearest hospital if you notice
any of the following:
headache, dizziness, a
spinning sensation, shaky or unsteady movements
unusual tiredness or flu-like illness
These side effects are rare but may be serious
and need urgent medical attention. Other side
effects not listed above may also occur in some
patients.
Tell your doctor if you notice
any other effects.
After using Fasigyn
Storage
Keep Fasigyn in its original
packaging until it is time to use it. If you take
Fasigyn out of its packaging, it may not keep as
well.
Keep your Fasigyn in a cool, dry
place where it stays below 25°C.
Do not
store Fasigyn or any other medicine in the
bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the
car or on a window sill. Heat and dampness can
destroy some medicines.
Keep your Fasigyn
where young 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 Fasigyn, or the tablets have passed
their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do
with any left over.
Product description
What it looks like
White, round tablets
marked FAS 500 on one side and plain on the other,
in packs of four.
Ingredients
Fasigyn contains 500 mg of tinidazole per
tablet as the active ingredient. It also contains:
microcrystalline cellulose
alginic acid
(400)
maize starch
magnesium stearate
(470)
sodium lauryl sulfate
hypromellose
propylene glycol (1520)
titanium
dioxide
Manufacturer
Fasigyn is
supplied in Australia by:
Pfizer Australia
Pty Ltd
(ABN 50 008 422 348)
38-42 Wharf
Road
West Ryde NSW 2114
Australia
Toll free number: 1800 675 229
Australian Registration Number:
AUST R
48414
This leaflet was revised on 06
September 2006