What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Ulcaid.
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 Ulcaid against the benefits it is expected to have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with this medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Ulcaid is used for
The name of your medicine is Ulcaid. It contains the active ingredient ranitidine hydrochloride.
Ulcaid belongs to a group of medicines called H2-antagonists or H2-blockers.
Ulcaid works by reducing the amount of acid produced by your stomach.
Ulcaid is used for the following:
- to treat and prevent peptic ulcers. Peptic ulcers are ulcers that occur in the stomach or duodenum.
- treatment of reflux or heartburn
- Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome
- Scleroderma oesophagitis
By reducing the amount of acid produced by the stomach, Ulcaid reduces the pain associated with the above conditions, helps ulcers to heal and helps heal oesphagitis.
Your doctor may have prescribed Ulcaid for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Ulcaid has been prescribed for you.
Ulcaid is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Ulcaid is not addictive.
Before you take Ulcaid
When you must not take it
Do not take Ulcaid if you have an allergy to ranitidine or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath, swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing, hives, itching or skin rash or fainting.
Do not take Ulcaid if you have or have had acute porphyria
Do not take Ulcaid after the expiry date printed on the pack.
Do not take Ulcaid if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering or if the tablets do not look quite right.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking Ulcaid, talk to your doctor.
Use in children
Your child’s doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of your child using Ulcaid .
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have any allergies to:
- any other medicines
- any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Ulcaid may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Ulcaid if you are pregnant.
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed.
Ulcaid passes into breast milk and may affect your baby. Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of using Ulcaid if you are breast-feeding.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
- kidney problems
- liver problems
- acute porphyria
- chronic lung disease
- diabetes
- problems with your immune system
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you use Ulcaid.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interfere with Ulcaid . These include:
- sucralfate, another medicine used to treat peptic ulcers
This medicine may be affected by Ulcaid or may affect how well it works. You may need to use different amounts of your medicine or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking Ulcaid .
How to take Ulcaid
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 box, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how many tablets you will need to take each day. This depends on your condition and whether you are taking any other medicines.
How to take it
Swallow Ulcaid with a full glass of water.
When to take it
It does not matter if you take Ulcaid before or after food.
Take each dose of your Ulcaid at the same time each day.
Taking each dose of Ulcaid at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you to remember when to take the tablets.
How long to take it
If you are taking Ulcaid to heal an ulcer you may need to take it for 4 to 8 weeks.
If you are taking Ulcaid to treat reflux disease you may need to take it for up to 3 months.
It is important that you take the full course of Ulcaid prescribed by your doctor so that your condition is properly treated.
Even when you finish your tablets, your doctor may want you to continue taking Ulcaid , possibly at a different dose, to help stop the problem coming back again.
Continue taking Ulcaid for as long as your doctor prescribes.
If you forget to take it
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, and then go back to taking your tablets as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else has taken too much Ulcaid. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking Ulcaid
Things you must do
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking Ulcaid.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Ulcaid.
Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking Ulcaid.
Things you must not do
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not use Ulcaid to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Ulcaid affects you.
Ulcaid may cause dizziness, drowsiness or light-headedness in some people. Make sure you know how you react to Ulcaid before you drive a car, operate machinery or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are affected.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Ulcaid.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- dizziness, light-headedness or drowsiness
- headache
- muscle or joint pain
- constipation or diarrhoea
- feeling sick (nausea) or vomiting
- sexual problems
- difficulty sleeping
- abdominal pain
- blurred vision
These side effects are usually mild.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
- yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
- depression, confusion or hallucinations
- signs of frequent infections such as fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
- bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
- any blood in the urine
These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
If any of the following happen, stop taking Ulcaid and tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital:
- any skin reaction, for example rash, itching, hives, flaking or peeling of the skin
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
- asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- chest pain, changes in heart rate (fast, slow or irregular), low blood pressure
- severe upper stomach pain often with nausea and vomiting
These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are rare.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients. Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor immediately if you develop any of the following, which may be complications of your condition rather than the treatment:
- ongoing stomach pains
- unexpected weight loss
- passing black or bloody motions
- vomiting blood
After taking Ulcaid
Storage
Keep your tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the box or the blister pack they will not keep well.
Keep your Ulcaid in a cool dry place where it stays below 25ºC. Protect From Light.
Do not store it, 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 this medicine 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 Ulcaid or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any tablets that are left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Ulcaid 150 mg tablets are round creamish-yellow, biconvex, film-coated tablets printed with ‘RAN 150’ in black ink on one side; available in packs of 60 tablets.
Ingredients
Active ingredient
Ulcaid 150 mg - 150 mg ranitidine (as ranitidine hydrochloride) per tablet.
Inactive ingredients
Each Ulcaid tablet also contains:
- microcrystalline cellulose
- croscarmellose sodium
- colloidal anhydrous silica
- purified talc
- magnesium stearate
- hypromellose
- castor oil
- iron oxide yellow
- titanium dioxide
- Opacode monogramming ink S-1-17823 Black
Sponsor
Ranbaxy Australia Pty Ltd
Suite 4.02, Level 4, Building D
12 - 24 Talavera Road
North Ryde, NSW 2113
Australia
Australian Registration Number
Ulcaid 150 mg tablets: AUST R 116927
This leaflet was prepared in August 2012