Lasix 20 mg Tablets

LASIX contains the active ingredient furosemide. Furosemide belongs to a group of medicines called diuretics. Diuretics are sometimes called ‘water tablets’. Diuretics are used to remove excess fluid from your body by making you pass more urine.

Do not take LASIX:

• If you are hypersensitive (allergic) to furosemide or any of the other ingredients of LASIX (listed in section 6).
• If you are hypersensitive (allergic) to sulfonamides, such as sulfadiazine or co-trimoxazole.
• If your doctor has told you that you have a low blood volume, low blood pressure or are dehydrated.
• If you have been told by a doctor that you have kidney failure. In some types of kidney failure, it is still acceptable to take LASIX. Your doctor will be able to decide.
• If you have severe liver problems.
• If you are not passing any water (urine).
• If you have low potassium or sodium levels in your blood (determined by a blood test).
• If you are breastfeeding (see “Pregnancy and breastfeeding”).

Do not use LASIX if any of the above applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking LASIX.

Warnings and precautions

Take special care with LASIX if:

• You have difficulty in passing water (urine).
• You are 65 years of age or older.
• You have liver or kidney problems.
• You have diabetes (high blood sugar).
• You have low blood pressure or feel dizzy when you stand up.
• You are male and you have prostate problems.
• You have gout.
• You feel dizzy or feel dehydrated. This can happen if you have lost a lot of water through being sick, having diarrhoea or passing water very often. It can also happen if you are having trouble drinking or eating, or are sweating excessively, such as during strenuous exercise.
• You are going to have a glucose test.
• You have a condition called lupus erythematosus.

It is recommended to undergo regular monitoring of blood levels for sodium, potassium, kidney function (creatinine levels) while taking LASIX. If you are not sure if any of the above applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking LASIX.

Do not share medicines prescribed for you with any other person. Always take LASIX exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.

How to take LASIX 20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg tablets

The recommended initial oral dose is 20 mg to 80 mg daily. This may be adjusted as necessary according to response. It is recommended that LASIX tablets be taken on an empty stomach. Swallow the tablets without chewing, with sufficient amounts of liquid. LASIX should preferably be taken in the morning and at the about same time each day.

Your doctor will tell you how long your treatment with LASIX will last. If you have the impression that the effect of LASIX is too strong or too weak, tell your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take more LASIX than you should

In the event of overdosage, tell your doctor or pharmacist. If neither is available, contact the nearest hospital or poison centre. Take this leaflet and the remaining LASIX with you so the doctor will know what you have taken.

If you forget to take LASIX

If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten individual doses.

LASIX can have side effects. Not all side effects reported for LASIX are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking LASIX, please consult your health care provider for advice.

If any of the following happens, stop taking LASIX and tell your doctor immediately or go the casualty department at your nearest hospital:

• Swelling of your hands, feet, ankles, face, lips and mouth or throat, which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing.
• Rash or itching.
• Fainting.

These are very serious side effects. If you have them, you may have had a serious reaction to LASIX. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

• Severe pain in your stomach area radiating to your back. This could be a sign of pancreatitis.
• Severe skin and mucous membrane reactions, for example with blisters or skin detachment (Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis [AGEP] [acute febrile drug eruption], drug eruption with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms); lichenoid reactions that manifest as small, itchy, reddish-purple, uneven changes to the skin, genitals or in the mouth.
• Unexplained bleeding, bruising more easily, frequent infections (including fever, severe chills, sore throat), or feeling weaker or more tired than usual. LASIX can affect the number of blood cells, causing serious blood problems.
• Increased thirst, headache, feeling dizzy or light-headed, fainting, confusion, muscle or joint pains or weakness, cramps or spasms, stomach upset or uneven heartbeats. These could be signs of dehydration or changes in your normal body chemicals. Severe dehydration can lead to blood clots or gout.
• Yellowing of your skin or eyes, or your urine becomes darker in colour. These could be signs of a liver problem. In patients who already have liver problems, a more serious liver problem known as liver encephalopathy may occur. Symptoms include forgetfulness, fits, mood changes and coma.
• Kidney failure (drowsiness, shortness of breath, fatigue, confusion, nausea, fits, passing less urine than is normal for you).
• Embolism (difficulty breathing, chest pains, light-headedness, dizziness, numbness, confusion, difficulty walking or talking, fast heartbeat, sweating, feeling anxious, coughing up blood or pink, foamy mucus).
• Kidney problems and difficulty passing urine.

These are all serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:

Frequent side effects:

• Too low levels of sodium in your blood (shortness of breath, headache, dizziness, confusion, coma).
• Too low levels of potassium in your blood (abnormal or slow heart rate, low blood pressure, cramps, weakness).
• LASIX can decrease the levels of chloride in your blood.
• LASIX can increase the levels of creatinine in your blood.
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed when standing up quickly from a lying or sitting position. This could be due to low blood pressure.
• An increase in the volume of urine you produce.
• Increased uric acid levels, which may cause gout attacks (warmth, pain swelling in a joint, usually the big toe).

Less frequent side effects:

• If you have diabetes, you may be less able to control the levels of glucose in your blood.
• Dry mouth.
• Tingling or numbness of your hands and feet (pins and needles).
• Problems hearing or ringing in your ears (tinnitus). This especially affects people who already have problems with their kidneys.
• Deafness, which could be permanent.
• Feeling sick (nausea), being sick (vomiting) and diarrhoea.
• Erythema multiforme (red, often itchy spots, which starts on the limbs and sometimes spreads to the face and the rest of the body, the spots may blister or may progress to form raised, red, pale-centred marks, other symptoms include fever, sore throat, headache and/or diarrhoea).
• Purple spots on your skin caused by bleeding from small blood vessels.
• Increased sensitivity of your skin to the sun.
• Fever.
• Vasculitis (inflammation of your blood vessels, causing fever, general aches and pains, night sweats, headache, fatigue and weight loss).

Side effects with an unknown frequency:

• Blood clotting problems (pain, swelling and tenderness in one of your legs, warm skin in the area of the clot, red skin).
• Worsening of systemic lupus erythematosus.
• Decreased levels of calcium or magnesium in your blood (muscle weakness, muscle tightness, tremors, or twitches, irritability or insomnia, numbness and tingling, severe drowsiness, fatigue, and confusion, fast or irregular heart rate, seizures).
• Unusual muscle movements, such as jerking, twitching or muscle spasm, muscle cramps.
• Muscle injury resulting in muscle pain in your shoulders, thighs, or lower back.
• Vertigo (spinning sensation or loss of balance), visual impairment, feeling pressure in your head.
• People with bladder and prostate problems may notice urine retention (your bladder does not empty all the way).
• Headache, dizziness and fainting.

Blood tests: LASIX can change the levels of liver enzymes or body fats known as cholesterol and triglycerides. If you notice any side effects not mentioned in this leaflet, please inform your doctor or pharmacist.

• LASIX 20 mg, 40 mg and 80 mg tablets in amber glass bottles: Store at or below 25 °C and protect from light.
• LASIX 40 mg tablets in blister strips: Store at or below 30 °C and protect from light.
• Do not use LASIX if you notice a yellowish discolouration of the tablets.
• Store all medicines out of reach of children.
• Do not store medicines in the bathroom.
• Do not use your medication after the expiry date shown on the carton.
• Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist.
• Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).