Migraine should be medically diagnosed.
Migraleve tablets are intended for short-term use only. Migraleve tablets contain potent medicaments and should not be taken continuously for extended periods without the advice of a doctor.
Codeine
Codeine is an opioid agent. Tolerance, psychological and/or physical dependence may occur with prolonged use and/or high doses of codeine (see Section 4.8). Codeine may cause addiction if taken continuously for more than three days.
POM only
Drug dependence, tolerance and potential for abuse
For all patients, prolonged use of this product may lead to drug dependence (addiction), even at therapeutic doses. The risks are increased in individuals with current or past history of substance misuse disorder (including alcohol misuse) or mental health disorder (e.g., major depression).
Additional support and monitoring may be necessary when prescribing for patients at risk of opioid misuse.
A comprehensive patient history should be taken to document concomitant medications, including over the-counter medicines and medicines obtained on-line, and past and present medical and psychiatric conditions.
Patients may find that treatment is less effective with chronic use and express a need to increase the dose to obtain the same level of pain control as initially experienced. Patients may also supplement their treatment with additional pain relievers. These could be signs that the patient is developing tolerance. The risks of developing tolerance should be explained to the patient.
Overuse or misuse may result in overdose and/or death. It is important that patients only use medicines that are prescribed for them at the dose they have been prescribed and do not give this medicine to anyone else.
Patients should be closely monitored for signs of misuse, abuse, or addiction.
The clinical need for analgesic treatment should be reviewed regularly.
Drug withdrawal syndrome
Prior to starting treatment with any opioids, a discussion should be held with patients to put in place a withdrawal strategy for ending treatment with codeine.
Drug withdrawal syndrome may occur upon abrupt cessation of therapy or dose reduction. When a patient no longer requires therapy, it is advisable to taper the dose gradually to minimise symptoms of withdrawal. Tapering from a high dose may take weeks to months.
The opioid drug withdrawal syndrome is characterised by some or all of the following: restlessness, lacrimation, rhinorrhoea, yawning, perspiration, chills, myalgia, mydriasis and palpitations. Other symptoms may also develop including irritability, agitation, anxiety, hyperkinesia, tremor, weakness, insomnia, anorexia, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, increased blood pressure, increased respiratory rate or heart rate.
If women take this drug during pregnancy, there is a risk that their newborn infants will experience neonatal withdrawal syndrome.
Hyperalgesia
Hyperalgesia may be diagnosed if the patient on long-term opioid therapy presents with increased pain. This might be qualitatively and anatomically distinct from pain related to disease progression or to breakthrough pain resulting from development of opioid tolerance. Pain associated with hyperalgesia tends to be more diffuse than the pre-existing pain and less defined in quality. Symptoms of hyperalgesia may resolve with a reduction of opioid dose.
POM and P
Codeine should be used with caution in patients with convulsive disorders, decreased respiratory reserve, such as bronchial asthma, pulmonary oedema and obstructive airways disease.
Concomitant use of opioids with benzodiazepines or other central nervous system (CNS) depressants, including alcohol, may result in profound sedation, respiratory depression, coma and death (see section 4.5).
Administration of pethidine and possibly other opioids analgesics to patients taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) has been associated with very severe and sometimes fatal reactions. If the use of codeine is considered essential then great care should be taken in patients taking MAOIs or within 14 days of stopping MAOIs (see section 4.5).
Codeine should be used with caution in patients with renal or hepatic impairment.
If codeine is taken for headaches for more than 3 days it can make them worse (medication overuse headaches).
The risk-benefit of continued use should be assessed regularly by the prescriber.
Opioids have also been associated with:
• Adrenal insufficiency (long term use).
• Hypogonadism.
• Prostatic hypertrophy and urethral stenosis (in adults).
CYP2D6 metabolism
Codeine is metabolised by the liver enzyme CYP2D6 into morphine, its active metabolite. If a patient has a deficiency or is completely lacking this enzyme an adequate analgesic effect will not be obtained. Estimates indicate that up to 7% of the Caucasian population may have this deficiency. However, if the patient is an extensive or ultra-rapid metaboliser there is an increased risk of developing side effects of opioid toxicity even at commonly prescribed doses. These patients convert codeine into morphine rapidly resulting in higher than expected serum morphine levels.
General symptoms of opioid toxicity include confusion, somnolence, shallow breathing, small pupils, nausea, vomiting, constipation and lack of appetite. In severe cases this may include symptoms of circulatory and respiratory depression which may be life-threatening and very rarely fatal.
Estimates of prevalence of ultra-rapid metabolisers in different populations are summarized below:
| Population | Prevalence % |
| African/Ethiopian | 29% |
| African American | 3.4% to 6.5% |
| Asian | 1.2% to 2% |
| Caucasian | 3.6% to 6.5% |
| Greek | 6.0% |
| Hungarian | 1.9% |
| Northern European | 1%-2% |
When physicians prescribe codeine-containing drugs, they should choose the lowest effective dose for the shortest period of time and inform their patients about these risks and the signs of morphine overdose.
Use of the drug should be discontinued and immediate medical advice sought at the earliest sign of codeine toxicity including symptoms such as confusion, shallow breathing, or extreme sleepiness which may be life threatening.
Post-operative use in children
There have been reports in the published literature that codeine given post-operatively in children after tonsillectomy and/or adenoidectomy for obstructive sleep apnoea, led to rare, but life-threatening adverse events including death (see also section 4.3). All children received doses of codeine that were within the appropriate dose range; however there was evidence that these children were either ultra-rapid or extensive metabolisers in their ability to metabolise codeine to morphine.
Children with compromised respiratory function
Codeine is not recommended for use in children in whom respiratory function might be compromised including neuromuscular disorders, severe cardiac or respiratory conditions, upper respiratory or lung infections, multiple trauma or extensive surgical procedures. These factors may worsen symptoms of morphine toxicity.
Paracetamol
Care is advised in the administration of paracetamol to patients with severe renal or severe hepatic impairment. The hazards of overdose are greater in those with non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease. Chronic alcohol users should ask their doctors whether they should take paracetamol or other pain relievers or fever reducers.
Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine.
Taking this product with other paracetamol-containing products, could lead to overdose and should therefore be avoided.
Patients should be informed about the signs of serious skin reactions, and the use of the drug should be discontinued at the first appearance of skin rash or any other sign of hypersensitivity.
Cases of high anion gap metabolic acidosis (HAGMA) due to pyroglutamic acidosis have been reported in patients with severe illness such as severe renal impairment, and sepsis, or in patients with malnutrition or other sources of glutathione deficiency (e.g. chronic alcoholism), who were treated with paracetamol at therapeutic dose for a prolonged period or a combination of paracetamol and flucloxacillin. If HAGMA due to pyroglutamic acidosis is suspected, prompt discontinuation of paracetamol and close monitoring, is recommended. The measurement of urinary 5-oxoproline may be useful to identify pyroglutamic acidosis as underlying cause of HAGMA in patients with multiple risk factors.
Buclizine
Buclizine is a sedating antihistamine that may enhance the sedative effects of central nervous system depressants, including alcohol, sedatives, tranquilizers, tricyclic antidepressants, MAOIs and antimuscarinics drugs. While taking this product, patients should be advised to avoid alcoholic beverages and consult a healthcare professional prior to taking with central nervous system depressants (see Section 4.5).
Buclizine has an antimuscarinic action and therefore should be used with caution in prostatic hypertrophy and urinary retention. Also where susceptibility exists to angle-closure glaucoma.
For POM (Prescription Only Medicine) Pack:
The label will state (To be displayed prominently on the outer pack – not boxed):
-Do not take for longer than directed by your prescriber as taking codeine regularly for a long time can lead to addiction.
Front of Pack
Can cause addiction
Contains opioid
The leaflet will state in a prominent position in the 'before taking' section:
- This medicine contains paracetamol. Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine.
-Do not take for longer than directed by your prescriber.
-Taking codeine regularly for a long time can lead to addiction, which might cause you to feel restless and irritable when you stop the tablets.
-Taking a painkiller for headaches too often or for too long can make them worse.
For P (Pharmacy only) Pack:
The label will state:
Front of pack
• Can cause addiction.
• Contains opioid.
• For three days use only.
Back of Pack
• List of indications as agreed in 4.1 of the SmPC.
• If you need to take this medicine continuously for more than three days you should see your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine contains codeine which can cause addiction if you take it continuously for more than three days. If you take this medicine for headaches for more than three days it can make them worse.