Molipaxin 50 mg Capsules

Molipaxin belongs to a group of medicines called antidepressants. It is used to treat depression and depression associated with anxiety.

Do not take MOLIPAXIN:

• if you are hypersensitive (allergic) to trazodone hydrochloride, or any of the other ingredients of MOLIPAXIN (see WHAT MOLIPAXIN CONTAINS). Signs of an allergic reaction can include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
• if you are taking any other psychotropic medicines of which you have not informed your doctor
• if you are taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) or if you have taken them in the last 2 weeks. You should not receive MAOIs within one week of stopping MOLIPAXIN
• if you have recently had a heart attack
• if you are a heavy drinker or are taking sleeping tablets.

Take special care with MOLIPAXIN:

Molipaxin should not be given to children and teenagers under 18 years of age.

If any of the following applies to you, you must tell your doctor or healthcare professional before taking MOLIPAXIN:

• if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant
• if you are breastfeeding
• if you have epilepsy, since gradual changes to your MOLIPAXIN dose may be required
• if you have liver or kidney disease
• if you have heart disease or taking any medicines for irregular heartbeats (see Taking other medicines with MOLIPAXIN)
• if you are elderly, since you may be more prone to side effects like feeling faint when you stand up quickly (see POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS). If you are taking medicines for high blood pressure the dose may need to be lowered

Do not share MOLIPAXIN prescribed for you with any other people. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.

How much to take:

Always take the number of capsules your doctor has told you to take. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure.

Depression:

You will usually start by taking 150 mg a day, by mouth. Elderly or frail people may need to start with a lower dose of 100 mg a day. Your doctor may later decide to increase your daily dose. The usual dose is between 300 – 400 mg each day, depending on your condition. For adults in hospital the dose may be as high as 600 mg each day. Make sure that you know how many capsules your doctor has prescribed and do not take any more than this. Your doctor may want you to take your capsules either in divided doses after food, or as a single dose as you go to bed.

Mixed Anxiety and Depression:

The starting dose is normally 100 mg to 150 mg a day. When depression is the predominant symptom the dose may be 300 mg to 400 mg. Carefully follow the instructions of your doctor.

If you take more MOLIPAXIN than you should:

If you have taken more capsules than you should, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately. If neither is available, immediately contact the nearest hospital or poison control centre. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Take the medicine pack with you. This is so the doctor knows what you have taken.

If you forget to take MOLIPAXIN:

If you forget a dose, take it as soon as possible when you remember. Do not take extra capsules to make up for the missed dose.

Effects when treatment with MOLIPAXIN is stopped:

You should take MOLIPAXIN for as long as your doctor has told you. Do not stop taking your capsules without your doctor knowing, even if you feel better. The capsules may need to be taken for a number of weeks or months. When your doctor tells you to stop taking MOLIPAXIN, it is better to do so gradually to minimise symptoms such as feeling sick, headache and not feeling well.

MOLIPAXIN can have side effects:

If you experience any of the following side effects, stop taking MOLIPAXIN and tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department at your nearest hospital:

Frequency unknown:

• you get swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, face, lips or throat which may cause difficulty swallowing or breathing, itching of the skin and nettle rash. This may mean you are having an allergic reaction to MOLIPAXIN
• fits or seizures
• a combination of high temperature (fever), sweating, stiff muscles, feeling very drowsy or faint, large increase in blood pressure or heartbeat (a disorder called “Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome”)
• yellowing of the skin or eyes, This could be a serious liver problem (such as jaundice) that could lead to liver failure with potentially fatal outcome
• you have severe abdominal pain and bloating, are being sick (vomiting) and have constipation. These may be signs that your intestine is not working properly (paralytic ileus).

Less frequent:

• getting infections more easily than usual. This could be because of a blood disorder (agranulocytosis)
• bruising more easily than usual. This could be because of a blood disorder (thrombocytopenia)
• painful erection of the penis, unrelated to sexual activity, that will not go away (priapism). These are all very serious side effects. If you have them, 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:

Less frequent:

• rapid, slow or irregular heartbeat.

Frequency unknown:

• feeling tired, faint, dizzy, having pale skin. These could be signs of anaemia
• feeling confused, restless, sweating, shaking, shivering, hallucinations (strange visions or sounds), sudden jerks of the muscles or a fast heartbeat, you may have something called Serotonin syndrome
• feeling very unwell possibly with shortness of breath (dyspnoea), difficulty in walking or walking with a shuffling gait, shaking, uncontrolled muscle twitching, and a high temperature (above 38 ºC). This could be a rare condition known as “Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome”
• having thoughts of harming or killing yourself
• unusual skin sensations such as numbness, tingling, pricking, burning or creeping on the skin (paraesthesia).

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

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following:

Frequent:

• drowsiness
• headache, dizziness, confusion, shaking (tremor), excitement
• nausea (feeling sick), vomiting, dry mouth.

Less frequent:

• constipation or diarrhoea
• weakness
• blurred vision
• skin rashes
• feeling dizzy or light-headed on standing or sitting up quickly (orthostatic hypotension).

Frequency unknown:

• feeling less alert, irritability or agitation, restlessness or difficulty sleeping (insomnia)
• altered taste
• weight loss
• indigestion, increased amounts of saliva,
• unexpected swelling (fluid retention), chest pain
• fainting (syncope)
• blocked nose
• itching, sweating more than usual
• pain in limbs, back pain, pain in your muscles, pain in your joints
• jerking movements that you cannot control, mainly in the arms and legs, uncontrolled muscle movements or twitches, difficulty with speaking
• frequent infections with high temperature, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers. These could be signs of a blood problem called leucopenia.
• feeling anxious or more nervous than usual, feeling agitated
• overactive behaviour or thoughts (mania), believing things that are not true (delusions), memory disturbance
• nightmares
• decreased sex drive
• high blood pressure
• flu type symptoms, high temperature
• higher than normal number of white blood cells or liver enzymes (shown by a blood test)
• feeling tired, weak and confused, having muscle that ache, are stiff or do not work well. There may also be headache, loss of appetite, nausea or vomiting, convulsion. This may be due to low sodium levels in your blood.

Not all side effects reported for MOLIPAXIN are included in this leaflet. Should your general health worsen or if you experience any untoward effects while taking MOLIPAXIN, please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional for advice.

Store all medicines out of reach of children. Store in a cool, dry place at or below 30 ºC and protect from light. Keep blister in carton until required for use. Do not use MOLIPAXIN after the expiry date stated on the blisters and outer carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.