Phenoxymethylpenicillin (as potassium)
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about LPV. 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 LPV against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What LPV is used for
LPV is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called penicillins. These antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that are causing your infection.
It is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by certain bacteria.
This medicine may also be used to prevent infections before, during and after surgery.
LPV will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why LPV has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another purpose.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
There is no evidence that LPV is addictive.
Before you take it
When you must not take it
Do not take LPV if you have ever had an allergic reaction to:
phenoxymethylpenicillin
any other penicillins
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty in breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or any other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin.
Do not take LPV if you have ever had an allergic reaction to cephalosporins.
You may have an increased chance of being allergic to LPV if you are allergic to cephalosporins.
Do not take LPV after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.
It may have no effect at all or an entirely unexpected effect if you take it after the expiry date.
Do not take it if the packaging is torn or shows signs of having been tampered with.
Do not take this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor has instructed you to do so.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines or any foods, dyes or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any health problems such as asthma.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking LPV during pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breast feeding or plan to breast feed.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking LPV when breast-feeding.
If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell them before you take LPV.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by LPV or may affect how well it works. You may need to take different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking LPV.
Talk to your doctor about the possible need for an additional method of contraception while taking LPV.
Some antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills.
How to take it
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 help.
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much and how often you should take LPV.
This will depend on the type of infection you have. The dose varies from patient to patient.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets/capsules whole with a full glass of water.
When to take it
LPV should be taken preferably about one hour before or two hours after food. It can be taken with food but may not be as effective.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine until you finish the pack or for as long as your doctor tell you.
It is important to complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you do not, the bacteria causing your infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
If you take too much(overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much LPV. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking it
Things you must do
Tell your doctor if the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse.
Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking LPV, especially if you are about to be started on any new medicines.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.
If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking LPV.
It may interfere with the results of some tests.
Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and to prevent unwanted side effects.
Things you must not do
Do not give LPV to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not take it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking your medicine or change the dosage without first checking with your doctor.
If you stop taking it, your condition may worsen.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how LPV affects you.
LPV generally does not cause any problems with the ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines, it may cause dizziness or drowsiness in some people.
Children should be careful when riding bicycles or climbing trees.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking LPV.
This medicine helps most people with infection, 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 attention if you get some of the side effects.
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:
swollen, sore or grooved furry tongue
bad taste and breath
diarrhoea
nausea
vomiting
abdominal pain
fever or high temperature.
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
dizziness, headache
yellowing of the skin or eyes
sore throat or mouth ulcers
unusual tiredness
numbness or weakness of the arms and legs
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal.
The above list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with LPV:
severe stomach cramps or pain
severe, watery or bloody diarrhoea
fever, in combination with one of the above.
Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel requiring urgent medical attention.
If any of the following happen, stop taking LPV and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you notice any of the following symptoms:
sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching or hives on the skin with swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing.
This is a very serious side effect. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. This side effect is very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Some of these side effects can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
After taking it
Storage
Keep the capsules in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the capsules out of the pack, they may not keep as well.
Keep it in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store it or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it 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
In LPV 250 mg capsules are red and grey printed with "LPV250" on both cap and body. They are available in packs of 50.
LPV 500 mg capsules are red and pink printed with "LPV500" on both cap and body. They are available in packs of 50.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
LPV capsules contain either 250 mg or 500 mg of the active phenoxymethylpenicillin (as potassium).
Inactive ingredients:
gelatin
brilliant blue FCF
sunset yellow FCF
erythrosine
titanium dioxide
magnesium stearate
opacode black A-10259
carbon black (250 mg capsule only).
LPV does not contain gluten, sucrose or tartrazine.
