PATIENT INFORMATION LEAFLET

Please read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking Reductil. Reductil 10 mg
Reductil 15 mg

The other ingredients: In Reductil 10 mg and 15 mg: dimeticone, iron oxides and hydroxides (E172), gelatin, colloidal anhydrous silica, indigo carmine (E132), lactose monohydrate, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, sodium lauryl sulphate, shellac, soybean lecithin (E322), titanium dioxide (E171). Reductil 10 mg also contains quinoline yellow (E104).

1 What Reductil is and what it does
Reductil is a medicine to help you lose weight. It works by making you feel satisfied with less food. It helps control how much you eat. You should still get hungry but feel full with less food than before. By eating less, it should be easier for you to lose weight – even if you haven’t been able to before.

Reductil capsules are only part of the story. Losing weight means changing habits, and changing them for good. Your doctor and the doctor’s team are there to help and will give you regular check-ups.

2 Before you take Reductil: points to check
Some people shouldn’t take Reductil
Look at this list. If one or more of these points applies to you, and you haven’t talked it through with your doctor, talk to the doctor before you start taking Reductil.

If you are allergic to sibutramine, or to any of the other ingredients

If you have high blood pressure (more than 145/90), or a history of heart problems, hardening of the arteries or of strokes

If you have liver or kidney problems or if you have problems with your prostate or thyroid, or growths on the adrenal glands

If you are pregnant, might become pregnant or you are breast-feeding

If you are over 65, or under 18

If you have ever had anorexia or bulimia

If you have taken tryptophan for disturbed sleep, or phentermine or diethylpropion (amfepramone) for weight reduction in the last fortnight

If you have the eye disease, `narrow angle glaucoma´ (increased pressure in the eye). Ask your doctor or optician if you think you have glaucoma, but are not sure which type

If you have a history of drug or alcohol problems

If you have a medical condition that is causing your weight problem 

If you have been told by your doctor that you have an intolerance to some sugars, contact your doctor before you take this medicine.

Take special care..
If you have epilepsy. Reductil may make things worse, and it does not mix with some medicines for epilepsy. 

If you have a medical condition which means that you are predisposed to bleeding, including heavy periods, bleeding from the stomach or bowels, bleeding from the gums or bruising.

If you’re a woman who could get pregnant. You should make sure you take contraceptive precautions, because you shouldn’t use Reductil if you are pregnant.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding
Don’t take Reductil if you’re pregnant, might be pregnant or if you’re breast-feeding. Ask your doctor or pharmacist (chemist) for advice.

3 Taking Reductil: points to watch
Checking your blood pressure
You will be in close touch with your doctor’s practice while you take Reductil. They will want to check your progress regularly, measuring your weight, blood pressure and pulse rate. A few people (fewer than 1 in every 10) find their blood pressure rises when they take Reductil. If your blood pressure gets too high, your doctor will take you off the medicine.

Taking Reductil with other medicines

Some antibiotics, such as rifampicin, erythromycin and clarithromycin.
some cough, cold, allergy and decongestant medicines: some of these have ingredients that can raise blood pressure – for example ephedrine, pseudoephedrine or xylometazoline. Ask your pharmacist for advice.
some epilepsy medicines: carbamazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin.

The antifungal medicines, ketoconazole or itraconazole.
Some migraine medicines: for example sumatriptan, dihydroergotamine.
Some opioid pain-killers: for example fentanyl, pentazocine, pethidine, dextromethorphan.
Some steroid drugs and drugs which affect the immune system: cyclosporin, dexamethasone.
anti-coagulants: heparin, warfarin, clopidogrel
If you are taking antidepressants, or took them in the last two weeks, talk to a doctor or pharmacist before you take Reductil.

Types of antidepressant:

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors or MAOIs: these include isocarboxazid, phenelzine and tranylcypromine
Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitors or SSR Is: these include fluoxetine and paroxetine
Tricyclic antidepressants: these include amitryptiline, dothiepin and lofepramine.
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines you’re taking (or recently took). Remember to mention medicines you bought yourself without a prescription, over the counter.

4 How to take Reductil: getting the dose right
The usual dose
Adults aged 18 to 65:

Take 1 capsule every morning.
Swallow it whole, with a glass of water
Keep to this dose unless your doctor told you something different.
You can take Reductil with or without food.
 
5 Possible side effects: what to look for, what to do
Some people taking Reductil get side effects. Most people don’t. Most people who get side effects get them early on (in the first four weeks) and find they wear off over time. Generally, side effects are mild enough for people to decide to carry on taking Reductil.

The most common side effects
These might affect 10 in every 100 people or more.
Digestive system Loss of appetite; constipation; dry mouth.
Other Problems sleeping.
If these effects bother you, talk to a doctor or pharmacist.

Other common side effects
These might affect between 1 and 10 in every 100 people

Heart and circulation Fast heartbeats; palpitations; abnormal heart rhythm; raised blood pressure; hot flushes.

Digestive system Feeling sick; making piles (haemorrhoids) worse.

Skin Sweating.

Senses Odd taste.

Other Light-headedness; pins and needles; headaches; feeling anxious.

If your heart rate goes up enough to make you uncomfortable, or if any other effect worries you, talk to a doctor or pharmacist as soon as you can.