Revised: 11 June 2015
Information for Consumers
Consumer Medicine Information
Movicol®
Macrogol 3350
What is in this leaflet
Please read this leaflet carefully before taking your medicine. If you have any questions or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
What is this medicine?
The name of this medicine is Movicol. Each sachet contains:
Macrogol 3350 13.125 g
Sodium chloride 350.7 mg
Sodium bicarbonate 178.5 mg
Potassium chloride 46.6 mg
When it is made into a drink with 125 mL of water, each sachet gives the equivalent of:
Sodium 65 mmol/L
Chloride 53 mmol/L
Bicarbonate 17 mmol/L
Potassium 5.4 mmol/L
Movicol also contains lime and lemon flavour, and potassium acesulfame as a sweetener.
There are 8, 20 or 30 sachets in a box. Each sachet contains 13.8 grams of Movicol powder. You add the powder to water to make a drink.
What is Movicol used for?
Movicol helps you to have a comfortable bowel movement even if you have been constipated for a long time. Movicol also works in faecal impaction (as determined by your doctor).
Before you take Movicol
Do not take Movicol if your doctor has told you that you have:
- an obstruction in your intestine (gut)
- a perforated gut wall
- severe inflammatory bowel disease, like ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, or toxic megacolon
- an allergy to macrogol.
If you are pregnant or breast feeding, talk to your doctor before you take Movicol.
Laxative products such as Movicol have the potential to interact with other medications, by altering their absorption. Close monitoring of the effects of your medications may be necessary when you commence or cease to take Movicol regularly. It is important that you should discuss this with your doctor.
How to take Movicol
Constipation:
The recommended dose of Movicol is 1 sachet a day.
This can be increased to 2 or 3 sachets daily if necessary.
Faecal Impaction:
The dose is 8 sachets a day taken within 6 hours. You may need to take this dose for up to 3 days. If you have a heart condition do not take more than two sachets in any one hour.
Open the sachet and put the powder into a glass which is half full of water (about 125 mL). Stir well until the water is clear again then drink it. If you like, you can add a flavour such as orange squash to the drink.
If you are taking Movicol for faecal impaction, it may be easier to dissolve 8 sachets in 1 litre of water.
Drink plenty of water. Increase the fibre in your diet. Prolonged use of laxatives is undesirable and may lead to dependence. If symptoms persist seek medical advice.
Overdosage
If you take too much Movicol and get bad diarrhoea, stop taking Movicol until it clears. If constipation recurs, you should check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking a new course of Movicol then start again at a lower dose. If you are worried, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Side effects
Sometimes people have a stomach ache or rumbles, or an allergic reaction, or feel bloated or sick. You may have diarrhoea especially when starting to take Movicol. If you feel weak, breathless, very thirsty with a headache, or get puffy ankles stop taking Movicol and tell your doctor. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you think Movicol is causing you any problem.
How to store Movicol
Store your Movicol at room temperature (below 25°C). Do not use Movicol after the expiry date on the label. Once you have made up Movicol in water, put it in the fridge (2-8°C) and keep it covered.
Throw away any solution not used within a six hour period.
Keep all medicines away from children.
Sponsor
Norgine Pty Limited
C/- Zuellig Pharma Limited
PO Box 62-027
Mt. Wellington
Auckland
Ph. (09) 570 1080
Fax. (09) 570 1081
This leaflet was prepared on 1 August 2002
