Benadryl for the Family
Chesty Cough & Nasal
Congestion Oral Liquid

Guaiphenesin, Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride

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Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion oral liquid.

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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion 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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion is used for

Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion is used to relieve the symptoms of chesty cough and cold.

Guaiphenesin is an expectorant that loosens and reduces the thickness of phlegm, making it easier to cough up.

Pseudoephedrine 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.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about this medicine. Your pharmacist or doctor may have given it for another reason.

This medicine is only available from your pharmacist.

Before you take Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion

When you must not take it

Do not take Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion if you have an allergy to:

• any medicine containing guaiphenesin
• any medicine containing pseudoephedrine
• 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 (EXP) 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:

• asthma
• bronchitis
• chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• emphysema
• smoker's cough
• porphyria, a rare blood pigment disorder
• 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.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor about taking Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion if you are breastfeeding. It is not known if guaiphenesin passes into the breast milk.

Small amounts of pseudoephedrine pass into the breast milk.

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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion.

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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion 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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.

Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you are unsure about whether you should take Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion. Your pharmacist or doctor will have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.

How to take Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion

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 pack or bottle, ask your pharmacist or doctor for help.

How much to take

The recommended doses of Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion are:

• 2 to 5 years: 2.5 mL
• 6 to 12 years: 5 mL
• Over 12 years: 10 mL

Do not use this medicine for children under 2 years of age without medical advice.

Do not take more than the recommended dose.

How to take it

Measure the recommended dose in a medicine measure and swallow.

When to take it

Take the recommended dose every

4 to 6 hours, as required.

Do not exceed 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 take your next dose when you are meant to.

Otherwise, you may take a dose as soon as you remember if you think you need it.

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.

Your next dose should be taken in 4 to 6 hours if you think you need it.

If you are not sure what to do, ask your pharmacist or doctor.

If you take too much (overdose)

Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (in Australia, call 13 11 26; in New Zealand, call 0800 764 766) for advice or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

While you are using Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion

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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion 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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion 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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion. This medicine helps most people with symptoms of chesty cough and cold, 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:

• nausea or vomiting
• stomach pain
• diarrhoea
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• rash
• difficulty sleeping
• nervousness
• excitability
• restlessness
• fear or anxiety
• rapid heart beat
• raised blood pressure
• tremor
• hallucinations.

The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild.

Children and people over 65 years of age may have an increased chance of getting side effects.

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 Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion

Storage

Keep your medicine in the original pack until it is time to take.

Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30 °C.

Do not store Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion 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 your 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

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

Benadryl Chesty Cough and Nasal Congestion is a red-brown coloured viscous oral liquid with a characteristic berry flavour.

Benadryl Chesty Cough and Nasal Congestion is available in bottles of 100 mL.

Ingredients

Each 5 mL of Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion contains 100 mg of guaiphenesin and 30 mg of pseudoephedrine hydrochloride as the active ingredients.

Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion also contains the following inactive ingredients:

• alitame
• ammonium glycyrrhizinate
• brilliant scarlet 4R
• anhydrous citric acid
• ethanol (alcohol)
• liquid glucose
• glycerol
• macrogol 1450
• menthol
• propyl gallate,
• saccharin sodium
• sodium benzoate
• sodium citrate
• purified water
• Caramel HGP
• Nature Identical Raspberry Flavour 08-3326
• Premium Liquid Sugar.

This medicine does not contain lactose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Manufacturer

Benadryl Chesty Cough & Nasal Congestion is made in Australia by:
Johnson & Johnson Pacific
45 Jones Street
Ultimo NSW 2007

BENADRYL is a registered trademark.

This leaflet was prepared in August 2007.

Australian Register number:
AUST R 68601

Published by MIMS/myDr December 2007

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