What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Chemists' Own Chesty Cough. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your pharmacist or doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your pharmacist or doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Chemists' Own Chesty Cough against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Chemists' Own Chesty Cough is used for
Chemists' Own Chesty Cough contains pseudoephedrine, bromhexine and guaphenesin as active ingredients.
Pseudoephedrine is used to help:
- clear stuffy heads
- runny noses
It belongs to a group of medicines called sympathomimetic decongestants.
It works by reducing congestion in the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, nasal passages and sinuses, and making it easier to breathe.
Bromhexine hydrochloride helps:
- liquefy mucus
Bromhexine helps to clear the chest by thinning the mucus in your air passages.
Guaiphenesin acts as a:
- cough expectorant
Guaiphenesin is an expectorant that loosens and reduces the thickness of phlegm, making it easier to cough up.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about this medicine.
Your pharmacist or doctor may have given it for another reason.
Chemists' Own Chesty Cough is only available from your pharmacist.
Before you take/give Chemists' Own Chesty Cough
When you must not take it
Do not take Chemists' Own Chesty Cough if you have an allergy to:
- any medicine containing pseudoephedrine, bromhexine or guaphenesin
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
- rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take this medicine if you have:
- very high blood pressure
- severe coronary artery disease (heart disease caused by poor blood flow or narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart)
- taken monoamine oxidase inhibitors, medicines used to treat depression, in the last 14 days
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
It may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy. Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the benefits and possible risks of taking the medicine during pregnancy.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- high blood pressure
- overactive thyroid gland
- diabetes
- heart disease and poor blood flow in the blood vessels of the heart
- glaucoma (high pressure in the eyes)
- prostate problems
- liver or kidney disease
- stomach ulcers
- asthma
- bronchitis
- chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- emphysema
- smoker's cough
- porphyria, a rare blood pigment disorder
Ask your pharmacist or doctor about taking this medicine if you are breastfeeding.
Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the potential benefits and risks of taking the medicine if you are breastfeeding.
If you have not told your pharmacist or doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Chemists' Own Chesty Cough.
Taking other medicines
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Chemists' Own Chesty Cough may interfere with each other. These include:
- medicines used to treat depression
- medicines used to treat heart conditions
- medicines used to treat high blood pressure
- medicines used to treat urinary tract infections and bladder problems
- medicines used to treat behavioural disorders
- phenylephrine, a medicine used to treat congestion
- appetite suppressants
These medicines may be affected by Chemists' Own Chesty Cough or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist will have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take Chemists' Own Chesty Cough
Follow all directions given to you by your pharmacist or doctor carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the box/bottle, ask your pharmacist or doctor for help.
How much to take
Adults & Children over 12 years:
10 mL
Children 6 - 12 years:
5 mL
Children 2 - 5 years:
2.5 mL
How to take it
Accurately measure the dose with a medicine measure provided.
When to take it
May be taken every 4 - 6 hours as required with a maximum of 4 doses in 24 hours.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and give the next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
If you have trouble remembering 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) 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 Chemists' Own Chesty Cough. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using Chemists' Own Chesty Cough
Things you must do
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Your pharmacist or doctor will assess your condition and decide if you should continue to take the medicine.
Things you must not do
Do not take Chemists' Own Chesty Cough to treat any other complaints unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Chemists' Own Chesty Cough affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness in some people. If this happens, do not drive or operate machinery.
Side effects
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Chemists' Own Chesty Cough.
This medicine helps most people with Chesty cough and cold symptoms, 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.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- drowsiness
- difficulty sleeping
- nervousness
- excitability
- restlessness
- dizziness
- fear or anxiety
- rapid heart beat
- tremor
- hallucinations
- nausea
- diarrhoea
- indigestion
- abdominal fullness
- headache
- sweating
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Children and people over 65 years of age may have an increased chance of getting side effects.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
- shortness of breath
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
- skin rashes
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. These side effects are rare.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
- urine retention
- shortness of breath
- wheezing or difficulty breathing
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
- rash, itching or hives on the skin
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Chemists' Own Chesty Cough
Storage
Keep your medicine in the original pack until it is time to take.
Keep your tablets/capsules/syrup in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store Chemists' Own Chesty Cough 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
Ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over, or if the expiry date has passed.
Product description
What it looks like
Chemists' Own Chesty Cough AUST R 55137 is a red-coloured, clear, slightly viscous oral liquid.
Ingredients
Each 10 mL of Chemists' Own Chesty Cough contains bromhexine 8 mg, guaphenesin 100 mg and pseudoephedrine 60 mg.
It also contains:
- glycerol
- sorbitol solution,
- acesulfame potassium
- povidone
- propylene glycol
- citric acid monohydrate
- sodium benzoate
- ammonium chloride
- methyl hydroxybenzoate
- ethyl hydroxybenzoate
- propyl hydroxybenzoate
- ethanol
- amaranth ci16185 (123)
- sunset yellow (110)
- quinoline yellow (104),
- water
- Natural Raspberry Flavour
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten or tartrazine
Manufacturer/Distributor/ Supplier
Chemists' Own Pty Ltd
(A member of Sigma Group of Companies)
96 Merrindale Drive,
Croydon, Victoria 3136
Tel: 1800 003 013
This leaflet was prepared in February 2006.