Panadol ActiFast Tablets (GSL)

This medicine is available without prescription, but you still need to use Panadol ActiFast tablets carefully to get the best results from them.

• Keep this leaflet, you may need to read it again.
• If you have any questions, or if there is anything you do not understand, ask your pharmacist.
• Contains paracetamol.

1. What Panadol ActiFast does
2. Check before you take Panadol ActiFast
3. How to take Panadol ActiFast
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Panadol ActiFast
6. Further information

• if you have ever had an allergic reaction to paracetamol or to any of the other ingredients (listed in Section 6)
• if you are taking any other prescription or non-prescription medicines containing paracetamol to treat pain, fever, symptoms of cold and flu, or to aid sleep.

• if you are on a controlled sodium diet. Each tablet contains 173 mg of sodium.
• if you have liver or kidney problems
• if you are underweight or malnourished
• if you regularly drink alcohol
• if you have severe infection or severe illnesses, including severe renal impairment or sepsis (when bacteria and their toxins circulate in the blood leading to organ damage), or you suffer from malnutrition, chronic alcoholism or if you are also taking flucloxacillin (an antibiotic). A serious condition called metabolic acidosis (a blood and fluid abnormality) has been reported in patients in these situations when paracetamol is used at regular doses for a prolonged period or when paracetamol is taken together with flucloxacillin.

Signs of metabolic acidosis may include:

• serious breathing difficulties with deep rapid breathing
• drowsiness
• feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting)
• loss of appetite

During treatment with Panadol ActiFast, tell your doctor straight away if you get a combination of these symptoms. You may need to avoid using this product altogether or limit the amount of paracetamol that you take.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking these tablets if you are taking any prescribed medicines; particularly metoclopramide or domperidone (for nausea [feeling sick] or vomiting [being sick]) or colestyramine (to lower blood cholesterol); flucloxacillin (antibiotic), due to a serious risk of blood and fluid abnormality (called metabolic acidosis) that must have urgent treatment (see section 2). If you take blood thinning drugs (anticoagulants e.g. warfarin) and you need to take a pain reliever on a daily basis, talk to your doctor because of the risk of bleeding. But you can still take occasional doses of Panadol ActiFast at the same time as anticoagulants.

Talk to your healthcare professional before taking Panadol ActiFast if you are pregnant. You can take this product whilst breast feeding.

Talk to a doctor at once if you take too much of this medicine even if you feel well. This is because too much paracetamol can cause delayed, serious liver damage.

If your symptoms continue or your headache becomes persistent, see your doctor.

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.