What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
The information in this leaflet was last updated on the date listed on the final page. More recent information on the medicine may be available.
You should ensure that you speak to your pharmacist or the doctor to obtain the most up to date information on the medicine. Those updates may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking this medicine against the benefits they expect it will provide.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 is used for
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 belongs to a group of medicines called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (swelling and redness).
It is used for short-term treatment of the following conditions:
- migraine headaches and it may also relieve the accompanying symptoms, such as nausea and vomiting, which you sometimes;
- experience when you have a migraine;
- relief of menstrual cramps (period pain);
- short-term treatment (up to 1 week) of other painful conditions where swelling is a problem such as back or joint pain, dental pain, muscle strains or sprains and tendonitis (eg. tennis elbow).
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 can relieve the symptoms of pain and inflammation but it will not cure your condition.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another purpose.
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 is only available with a doctor’s prescription. It is not addictive.
There is not enough information to recommend this medicine for children and adolescents under 14 years of age.
Before you take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25
When you must not take it
Do not take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 if you are allergic (hypersensitive) to:
- diclofenac (the active ingredient in PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25) or any ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet;
- other medicines containing diclofenac;
- aspirin;
- ibuprofen;
- any other NSAID.
If you are not sure if you are taking any of the above medicines, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
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.
Many medicines used to treat headache, period pain and other aches and pains contain aspirin or NSAID medicines. If you are allergic to aspirin or NSAID medicines and you take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac rapid 25, these symptoms may be severe.
Do not take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 if you have had any of the following medical conditions:
- a stomach or intestinal ulcer;
- bleeding from the stomach or bowel (symptoms of which may include blood in your stools or black stools);
- kidney or liver problems;
- severe heart failure;
- heart bypass surgery.
Do not take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 during the first 6 months of pregnancy, except on doctor’s advice.
Do not use during the last three months of pregnancy. Use of this medicine during the last 3 months of pregnancy may affect your baby and may delay labour and birth.
Use of non-aspirin NSAIDs can increase the risk of miscarriage, particularly when taken close to the time of conception.
Do not take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. In that case, return it to your pharmacist.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following health problems medical conditions:
- established disease of the heart or blood vessels (also called cardiovascular disease, congestive heart failure, established ischemic heart disease, peripheral arterial disease or atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease), as treatment with PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 is generally not recommended;
- established cardiovascular disease (see above) or significant risk factors such as high blood pressure, abnormally high levels of fat (cholesterol, triglycerides) in your blood, diabetes, or if you smoke, and your doctor decides to prescribe PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, you must not increase the dose above 100 mg per day if you are treated for more than 4 weeks;
- history of ulcers (stomach or intestinal);
- gastrointestinal problems such as stomach ulcer, bleeding or black stools, or have experienced stomach discomfort or heartburn after taking anti-inflammatory medicines in the past diseases of the bowel or inflammation of the intestinal tract (Crohn’s disease) or colon (ulcerative or ischemic colitis);
- liver or kidney problems;
- a rare liver condition called porphyria;
- bleeding disorders or other blood disorders (eg. anaemia);
- asthma or any other chronic lung disease that causes difficulty in breathing;
- hayfever (seasonal allergic rhinitis);
- repeated chest infections;
- polyps in the nose;
- diabetes;
- dehydration (eg. by sickness, diarrhoea, before or after recent major surgery;
- swollen feet.
Your doctor may want to take special precautions if you have any of the above conditions.
It is generally important to take the lowest dose of PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 that relieves your pain and/or swelling and for the shortest time possible in order to keep your risk for cardiovascular side effects as small as possible.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. There is not enough information to recommend the use of PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 during the first 6 months of pregnancy and it must not be used during the last 3 months.
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 may also reduce fertility and affect your chances of becoming pregnant.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your doctor if you currently have an infection. If you take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 while you have an infection, some of the signs of the infection such as pain, fever, swelling and redness may be hidden. You may think, mistakenly, that you are better or that the infection is not serious.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is not recommended while you are using this medicine. The active ingredient in PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 passes into breast milk and may affect your baby.
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives. Your doctor will want to know if you are prone to allergies, especially if you get skin reactions with redness, itching or rash.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines that are important to mention include:
- other anti-inflammatory medicines, eg. aspirin, salicylates or ibuprofen;
- warfarin or other “blood thinners” (medicines used to prevent blood clotting);
- digoxin (a medicine for your heart problems);
- lithium or selective serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), medicines used to treat some types of depression;
- diuretics (medicines used to increase the amount of urine);
- ACE inhibitors or beta-blockers (medicines used to treat high blood pressure, conditions, glaucoma and migraine);
- Prednisone, cortisone or other corticosteroids (medicines used to provide relief for inflamed areas of the body);
- medicines (such as metformin) used to treat diabetes, except insulin methotrexate (a medicine used to treat arthritis and some cancers);
- cyclosporin, tacrolimus (a medicine used in patients who have received organ transplants);
- trimethroprim (a medicine used to prevent or treat urinary tract infections);
- some medicine used to treat infection (quinolone antibacterials);
- glucocorticoid medicines used to treat arthritis;
- sulfinpyrazone (a medicine used to treat gout);
- voriconazole (a medicine used to treat fungal infections);
- phenytoin (a medicine used to treat seizures);
- rifampicin (an antibiotic medicine used to treat bacterial infections).
You may need to take different amounts of your medicines or to take different medicines while you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25. Your doctor and pharmacist have more information.
If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell him/ her before you start taking this medicine.
How to take PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25
Follow all directions given to you by your pharmacist or doctor carefully. These instructions may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand any of the instructions, ask your pharmacist or doctor for help.
How much to take
Do not take more than the recommended dose. Take the lowest dose that relieves your pain and/or swelling. Stop taking as soon as symptoms are relieved.
For most painful conditions:
Adults (According to pain): Take 1-2 tablets initially, followed by 1-2 tablets at 8 hourly intervals.
Children over 14 years: Take 1-2 tablets initially, followed by 1 tablet at 8 hourly intervals.
For menstrual pain (period pain):
Take 2 tablets at the first sign of symptoms, then 2 tablets up to three times daily for the next 3 days if required.
For migraine:
Take 2 tablets at the first sign of a migraine attack. If the pain is not relieved within 2 hours, a further 1 to 2 tablets may be taken. After that dose, you must wait at least 4 hours before taking any more PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25. For migraine attack do not take more than 8 tablets per day even if you have more than one migraine attack within that 24 hour period.
Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours, for relief of any of the above conditions. Do not take for longer than 3 days at a time unless on the advice of a healthcare professional.
If symptoms persist or worsen, see your doctor to ensure that they are not due to a serious illness.
The use of PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 could mask potentially serious infections.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets with a full glass of liquid.
Take the tablets on an empty stomach (at least half an hour before food or two hours after food). They will work more quickly if you take them on an empty stomach. If they upset your stomach, take the tablets with food.
Do not lie down for about 15 to 30 minutes after taking the tablets.
This helps them reach your stomach quickly and prevents throat irritation, which could lead to problems with swallowing.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or 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 may have taken too much PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Keep the telephone numbers for these places handy.
If you take too much PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, you may experience:
- vomiting
- bleeding from the stomach and bowel;
- diarrhoea;
- dizziness;
- ringing in the ears;
- convulsions (fits).
While you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25
Things you must do
If you become pregnant while you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, tell your doctor immediately. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks of taking it while you are pregnant.
Be sure to keep all your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor will periodically re-evaluate whether you should continue treatment with PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, if you have established heart disease or significant risks for heart disease, especially in case you are treated for more than 4 weeks.
Your doctor may want to check your kidneys, liver and blood from time to time to help prevent unwanted side effects.
If, at any time while taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 you experience any signs or symptoms of problems with your heart or blood vessels such as chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, or slurring of speech, contact your doctor immediately. These may be signs of cardiovascular toxicity.
If you are going to have surgery, make sure the surgeon and anaesthetist know that you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25. NSAID medicines can slow down blood clotting and affect kidney function.
If you get an infection while taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, tell your doctor. This medicine may hide some of the signs of an infection (pain, fever, swelling, redness). You may think, mistakenly, that you are better or that the infection is not serious.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25.
Tell any other doctor, dentist or pharmacist who treats you that you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25.
Things you must not do
Do not take any of the following medicines while you are taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 without first telling your doctor:
- aspirin (also called ASA or acetylsalicylic acid), or other salicylates;
- other medicines containing diclofenac;
- ibuprofen;
- any other NSAID medicine If you take these medicines together with PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, they may cause unwanted side effects.
If you need to take something for headache or fever, it is usually okay to take paracetamol. If you are not sure, your doctor or pharmacist can advise you.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their condition seems similar to yours.
Do not use it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving, operating machinery or doing jobs hat require you to be alert until you know how PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 affects you. This medicine may cause dizziness, drowsiness, spinning sensation (vertigo) or blurred vision in some people. If you have any of these symptoms, do not drive, use machines, or carry out other activities that need careful attention.
Elderly patients should take the minimum number of tablets that provides relief of symptoms. Elderly patients, especially those with a low body weight, may be more sensitive to the effects of PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 than other adults.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25. 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.
If you are over 65 years old, you should be especially careful while taking this medicine. Report any side effects promptly to your doctor. As people grow older, they are more likely to get side effects from medicines.
Do not be alarmed by these lists of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask you doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- stomach upset including nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, indigestion, cramps, loss of appetite, wind;
- heartburn or pain behind or below the breastbone (possible symptoms of an ulcer in the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach);
- stomach or abdominal pain;
- constipation, diarrhoea;
- sore mouth or tongue;
- altered taste sensation;
- headache;
- dizziness, spinning sensation;
- drowsiness, disorientation, forgetfulness;
- feeling depressed, anxious or irritable;
- strange or disturbing thoughts or moods;
- shakiness, sleeplessness, nightmares;
- tingling or numbness of the hands or feet;
- feeling of fast irregular heart beat;
- unusual weight gain or swelling of arms, hands, feet, ankles or legs due to fluid build-up;
- symptoms of sunburn (such as redness, itching, swelling, blistering of the lips, eyes, mouth, and/or skin) that happen more quickly than normal;
- skin inflammation with flaking or peeling;
- vision disorders* (eg. blurred or double vision);
- buzzing or ringing in the ears, difficulty hearing;
- hypertension (high blood pressure);
- hair loss or thinning.
*If symptoms of vision disorders occur during treatment with PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25, contact your doctor as an aye examination may be considered to exclude other causes.
If any of the following signs appear, tell you doctor immediately or go Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
- red or purple skin (possible signs of blood vessel inflammation);
- severe pain or tenderness in the stomach, vomiting blood or material that looks like coffee grounds, bleeding from the back passage, black stick bowel motions (stools) or bloody diarrhoea (possible stomach problems);
- rash, skin rash with blisters, itching or hives on the skin; swelling of the face, lips, mouth, tongue, throat, or other part of the body which may cause difficulty to swallow, low blood pressure (hypotension), fainting, shortness of breath (possible allergic reaction);
- wheezing, troubled breathing, or feelings of tightness in the chest (signs of asthma);
- yellowing of the skin and/or eyes (signs of hepatitis/liver failure) persistent nausea, loss of appetite, unusual tiredness, abdomen, dark urine or pale bowel motions (possible liver problems);
- constant “flu-like” symptoms including chills, fever, sore throat, aching joints, swollen glands, tiredness or lack of energy, bleeding or bruising more easily than normal (possible blood problem);
- painful red areas, large blisters, peeling of layers of skin, bleeding in the lips, eyes, mouth, nose or genitals, which may be accompanied by fever and chills, aching muscles and feeling generally unwell (possible serious skin reaction);
- signs of a possible effect on the brain, such as sudden and severe headache, stiff neck (signs of viral meningitis), severe nausea, dizziness, numbness, difficulty in speaking, paralysis (signs of cerebral attack), convulsions (fits);
- change in the colour or amount of urine passed, frequent need to urinate, burning feeling when passing urine, blood or excess of protein in the urine (possible kidney disorders);
- sudden and oppressive chest pain (which may be a sign of myocardial infarction or a heart attack);
- breathlessness, difficulty breathing when lying down, swelling of the feet or legs (signs of cardiac failure).
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell. Some people may have other side effects not yet known or mentioned in this leaflet.
After taking PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25
Storage
- Keep your medicine in the original container until it is time to take it.
- Store in a cool dry place.
- Do not store PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
- Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
Keep the 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 PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine you have left over.
Product Description
What it looks like
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 25 mg tablets are white to off-white, circular, biconvex film-coated tablets.
Available in blister packs of 4, 5, 6, 10, 20 and 30 tablets.
Ingredients
Active ingredient
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 tablets contain 25 mg diclofenac potassium as the active ingredient.
Other ingredients
Each tablet contains the following inactive ingredients:
- magnesium stearate;
- hypromellose;
- macrogol 6000;
- sodium lauryl sulfate;
- mannitol;
- crospovidone;
- potassium bicarbonate;
- macrogol 400.
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25 does not contain lactose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Australian Registration Numbers
PHARMACY ACTION Diclofenac Rapid 25:
AUST R 337050
Distributor
Generic Health Pty Ltd
Suite 2, Level 2
19-23 Prospect Street
Box Hill, VIC, 3128
Australia
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: +61 3 9809 7900
Website: www.generichealth.com.au
This leaflet was prepared in October 2019.
Published by MIMS December 2022