Oxazepam Tablets 10mg and 15mg
Please read this leaflet carefully before you start to take your medicine.
It gives you important information about your medicine.
If you want to know more, or you are not sure about anything, ask your pharmacist or doctor.
Keep the leaflet until you have finished the medicine.
What's In Your Medicine
Oxazepam Tablets come in two strengths, containing either 10mg or 15mg of the active ingredient oxazepam.
Oxazepam Tablets also contain: colloidal silica, lactose, magnesium stearate, maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose (E460).
The 10mg tablets additionally contain sodium lauryl sulphate.
Oxazepam Tablets are available in a pack size of 28. Your tablets are made by
who are also the Marketing Authorisation holder.
About Your Medicine
Oxazepam is one of a group of medicines called benzodiazepine tranquillisers. The medicines work by acting on brain transmitters and help in the treatment of anxiety.
Oxazepam Tablets may be used for:
- the short term (2-4 weeks) relief of anxiety, which is disabling, distressing, and which may be associated with sleeplessness or with other illnesses.
Before Taking Your Medicine
Make sure it is safe for you to take Oxazepam Tablets. If you answer yes to any of the following questions, or you are unsure, talk to your pharmacist or doctor.
- are you pregnant, might you become pregnant, or are you breast-feeding? If so, DO NOT take this
medicine. If your doctor has decided that you should receive this medicine during late pregnancy or during labour, your baby might have a low body temperature, floppiness, and breathing and feeding difficulties. If this medicine is taken regularly in late pregnancy, your baby may develop withdrawal symptoms. - have you ever had an allergic reaction to oxazepam or any of the ingredients in the product or other similar benzodiazepine medicines (eg nitrazepam or temazepam)?
- do you suffer from any mental illness such as obsessions, phobias (irrational fears) or schizophrenia?
- do you suffer from depression or anxiety associated with depression?
- have you suffered a loss or bereavement (oxazepam can affect the way you react to this)?
- do you have any diseases of the lung, kidneys or liver?
- do you suffer from porphyria (a hereditary disease affecting the liver or bone marrow)?
- do you have any disorder of the brain, such as hardening of the arteries in the brain?
- do you suffer from glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye)?
- do you suffer from muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis)?
- do you suffer from a condition where you stop breathing whilst asleep (sleep apnoea)?
- do you suffer from memory loss (amnesia)?
- do you suffer from low blood levels of the water-soluble blood protein called albumin (detected via a blood test)?
- do you have a history of alcoholism or drug abuse?
- are you taking other medicines, especially
- other medicines which act on the brain causing sedation including antipsychotics, strong painkillers, medicines to treat depression, medicines to make you sleep, anaesthetics, sedative antihistamines, lofexidine and nabilone?
- medicines to treat epilepsy (hydantoins, in particular phenytoin, or barbiturates)?
- medicines which lower high blood pressure (in particular alpha blockers or moxonidine)?
- oestrogen-containing contraceptives (“the pill”)?
- antibiotics (rifampicin)?
- medicines used to treat Parkinsonism (levodopa)?
- Baclofen?
- antivirals (zidovudine and ritonavir)?
- Probenecid (used to treat gout)?
- Theophylline?
The following should be avoided:
- Alcohol will increase the sedative effects of oxazepam.
- Caffeine may decrease the sedative and anxiolytic effects of oxazepam.
Oxazepam Tablets may make you sleepy or affect your concentration. This may affect your performance at skilled tasks eg driving and operating machinery.
If you see another doctor or go into hospital let them know what medicines you are taking.
Taking Your Medicine
Follow your doctor’s instructions. Check the pharmacy label to see how many tablets to take and how often
to take them. If you are not sure how to take them ask your pharmacist or doctor.
The usual dosage(s) are described below.
- Anxiety: 15-30mg three or four times a day.
- Anxiety associated with sleeplessness: 15-25mg one hour before going to bed, your doctor may increase this up to a maximum of 50mg.
- Elderly and patients sensitive to benzodiazepine drugs: 10-20mg three or four times a day.
- Children: Not recommended for children.
These tablets should be taken as instructed - swallowed with water. This medicine should be taken for as long as your doctor tells you to, it may be dangerous to stop without their advice. Treatment should not usually exceed 2-4 weeks and should be gradually withdrawn as adverse effects, such as anxiety, depression, headache, insomnia, tension and sweating have been observed on abrupt withdrawal.
If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember (or, if you are taking oxazepam to help you
sleep, take another one as close as is reasonably possible to the usual time of your next dose in order to maintain a regular sleeping pattern). Then go on as before. DO NOT take two doses at the same time. If you are worried ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice.
Do not take more tablets than your doctor tells you to. If you ever take too many go to the nearest hospital casualty department or tell your doctor immediately. Take the container and any remaining tablets with you to show to the doctor.
After Taking Your Medicine
When oxazepam is taken at the recommended dosage for short term treatment of anxiety, it is unlikely that
you will become addicted to this medicine. However, the risk of addiction does increase with higher doses and longer term use and is further increased if you have a history of alcoholism, drug abuse or a personality disorder.
This medicine sometimes causes unwanted effects in some people. These effects may include
- drowsiness and confusion (particularly when you first start taking Oxazepam Tablets or if the dosage is high).
- Other rare effects include allergic reaction (skin rash or itching) headaches, dizziness, low blood pressure, stomach upsets, visual disturbances, difficulty passing water, changes in desire for sex, aggression, excitement, confusion, depression with suicidal tendencies and lack of co-ordination at high doses. You should consult your doctor if these are troublesome or continue. Changes in the number and types of blood cells can occur and if you develop sore throats, infections, bruising or nose bleeds tell your doctor who may wish to give you a blood test. Also contact your doctor if you develop jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin).
- Oxazepam treatment can be associated with withdrawal symptoms. Talk to your doctor before stopping taking the tablets and follow their advice. If you stop taking the tablets too quickly you may develop depression, nervousness, sleeplessness, irritability, sweating and diarrhoea. If you have been taking a large dose and stop taking the tablets abruptly you may become confused or suffer from delusions, hallucinations or fits.
If you are concerned about any of these effects or get any other unusual effects, tell your doctor immediately. Please do not be worried. Most people taking this medicine will not experience any problems.
Storing Your Medicine
Do not use the tablets after the expiry date shown on the product packaging. Keep the tablets below 25°C
in a dry place protected from light, and in the original packaging.
KEEP THEM IN A SECURE PLACE WHERE CHILDREN CANNOT GET AT OR SEE THEM. REMEMBER, this medicine is for YOU only. NEVER give it to anyone else. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours. Unless your doctor tells you to, do not keep medicines that you no longer need - give them back to your pharmacist for safe disposal.
Date of last revision: November 2006
50106031
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