Maalox Oral Suspension 175mg/200mg 250ml

Maalox Suspension contains two different medicines. They are called aluminium hydroxide and magnesium hydroxide. They belong to a group of medicines called antacids.

Maalox Suspension is used for:

• Heartburn or when your stomach has too much acid (indigestion)
• Inflammation of the stomach (gastritis), and
• When prescribed by a doctor it may also be used for lowering the amount of acid in your stomach or gut (intestine) when you have an ulcer

Maalox Suspension works by lowering the amount of acid in your stomach.

Like all medicines, Maalox Suspension can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Stop taking Maalox Suspension and see a doctor or go to a hospital straight away if:

Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)

You have a red and lumpy skin rash, swollen eyelids, face, lips, mouth or tongue, itching and difficulty breathing or swallowing. This could be an allergic reaction.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following side effects get serious or lasts longer than a few days. Also tell them if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet:

Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):

• Constipation
• Diarrhoea

• Hypermagnesemia, including observations after prolonged administration to patients with renal impairment.
  Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data)
• Hypophosphatemia is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is an abnormally low level of phosphate in the body. This may occur at high doses of the product or even at normal doses especially in patients with low phosphorous diets
• Abdominal pain
• Hyperaluminemia is an electrolyte disturbance in which there is an abnormally elevated level of aluminium in the body

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.

By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

Maalox Oral Suspension PIL

Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.

Taking this medicine

Shake well before use to ensure the product is mixed properly
Take this medicine by mouth
If necessary, Maalox Suspension may be taken with water or milk

Adults, the elderly and children aged 14 years or older

Take two to four 5ml teaspoonfuls
Take 20 minutes to 1 hour after meals and at bedtime
Alternatively, take as directed by your doctor
If the symptoms do not go away, talk to your doctor

Children less than 14 years old

Maalox Suspension is not recommended for children less than 14 years of age

If you take more Maalox Suspension than you should

Talk to your doctor or go to a hospital straight away. Remember to take any medicine that is left with you so the doctor knows what you have taken.

The following effects may happen: diarrhoea, stomach pain or you may get a bloated feeling and cramping pain in the abdomen (stomach), be sick (vomit), have indigestion, heartburn, upset stomach, constipation, loss of appetite, dry mouth. This could be caused by an obstruction or blockage of the bowel (ileus).

Do not take Maalox Suspension if:

You are allergic to aluminium hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide or any of the other ingredients in Maalox Suspension (listed in section 6).
Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
You are feeling very weak and have no energy (debilitated)
You have kidney problems. Long term exposure to high doses of Maalox Suspension can lead to dementia.
You have severe stomach pain
Your bowel is partially or fully blocked
Do not take this medicine if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Maalox Suspension.
Warnings and precautions

Take special care with Maalox Suspension. Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if:

You are on a low-phosphorous diet
Other medicines and Maalox Suspension

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This includes medicines you buy without a prescription, including herbal medicines.

Maalox Suspension should not be taken at the same time as other medicines. This is because Maalox Suspension can affect the way other medicines work.

Some medicines may be affected by magnesium hydroxide or they may affect how well magnesium hydroxide will work. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are already taking: - salicylates.

In particular, Maalox Suspension can affect the following medicines:

Some medicines used to treat infections such as tetracycline, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin and ketoconazole
Medicines for malaria such as chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine
Chlorpromazine – used for mental illness (psychosis)
Vitamins
Polystyrene sulphonate – used to treat high levels of potassium in the blood
Pregnancy and breast-feeding

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if:

You are pregnant, might become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant. You should not take Maalox Suspension during the first three months of pregnancy
You are breast-feeding or planning to breast-feed
Maalox Suspension contains sorbitol (E420).

If you have been told by your doctor that you cannot tolerate or digest some sugars, talk to your doctor before taking this medicine

Maalox Suspension contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per 5 ml dose, i.e. essentially ‘sodium free’.

Each 5ml of suspension contains 175mg of aluminium hydroxide and 200mg of magnesium hydroxide as the active ingredients.
The other ingredients are: hydrochloric acid, citric acid monohydrate, peppermint oil, mannitol (E421), domiphen bromide, saccharin sodium, sorbitol liquid (E420), hydrogen peroxide and purified water.