Gemeprost 1mg Pessary
gemeprost
Is this leaflet hard to see or read? Phone 01483 505515 for help
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you are given this medicine
- Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
- If you have any further questions, ask you doctor or nurse.
- If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor or nurse.
In this leaflet:
- 1. What Gemeprost Pessary is and what it is used for.
- 2. Before you are given Gemeprost Pessary
- 3. How you are given Gemeprost Pessary
- 4. Possible side effects
- 5. How Gemeprost Pessary is stored
- 6. Further information
What Gemeprost Pessary is and what it is used for
Gemeprost Pessary contains a medicine called gemeprost. This belongs to a group of medicines called prostaglandins. It works by making the womb contract. Gemeprost is normally given to women in the following situations:
- To make the operation to terminate a pregnancy in the first three months easier.
- To terminate a pregnancy between the fourth and sixth month.
- To terminate a pregnancy between the fourth and sixth month, if the unborn baby (foetus) has already died.
Before you are given Gemeprost Pessary
Do not use Gemeprost Pessary if:
- You are allergic (hypersensitive) to gemeprost or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (See section 6: Further information). Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swallowing or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue.
- You are allergic or sensitive to prostaglandin medicines such as alprostadil, bimatoprost, latanoprost, travoprost or misoprostol.
- You have or have had placenta previa (light or heavy vaginal bleeding which may be sudden, painless and recurring). Your doctor should check on this and may perform a ultrasound scan.
- You have kidney problems.
- You have had an operation on your womb, like a caesarean section.
Do not use this medicine if any of the above apply to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or nurse before you are given the first pessary.
Take special care with Gemeprost Pessary
Talk to your doctor or nurse before you are given this medicine if:
- You have breathing problems.
- You have glaucoma (raised pressure in the eye which affects your sight).
- You have any heart problems.
- You have dizziness, lightheadedness or fainting. This may be due to low blood pressure
- You have a rare genetic disease known as sickle cell anaemia
- You have epilepsy
- You have unusual vaginal discharge, pain when passing water or increased need to pass water. These may be signs of cervicitis
- You have vaginal pain, itching or discharge. These may be signs of vaginitis
- You have an illness where the level of glucose in your blood is not controlled properly (diabetes mellitus)
- You have a problem with your blood clotting
Taking or using other medicines
Please tell your doctor or nurse if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, including medicines obtained without prescription. This includes medicines you can buy without prescription, including herbal medicines. This is because gemeprost can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some medicines can affect the way gemeprost works.
In particular, tell your doctor you are taking any of the following.
Medicines used to speed up labour such as oxytocin. This can increase the effect of Gemeprost.
How you will be given Gemeprost Pessary
- Gemeprost pessaries will be given to you by a doctor or nurse.
- The pessaries are inserted into your vagina.
- The number of pessaries given to you will depend on the reason for its use.
The doctor or nurse will keep an eye on you while you are being treated with Gemeprost
pessaries.
Gemeprost pessaries can be given in one of the following ways in these situations:
Termination of pregnancy in the first three months to make the operation easier
- One pessary inserted three hours before the operation.
- If the operation is delayed for more than three hours, you will be kept under observation. This is because termination may occur anyway.
- If you start to bleed, tell the doctor or nurse.
Termination of pregnancy between the fourth and sixth month
- One pessary inserted every three hours.
- Up to 5 pessaries are normally given.
- Sometimes you may need up to five more pessaries.
- If the termination has not happened by this time, your doctor or nurse will use another method to finish the termination.
Termination of a pregnancy between the fourth and sixth month, if the unborn baby (foetus) has already died
- One pessary will be inserted every three hours.
- Up to 5 pessaries are normally given to you.
After the treatment, the doctor or nurse will check to make sure the termination has been completed properly.
It is important to keep your appointment if you are due a follow-up examination after this treatment.
Gemeprost Side Effects
Like all medicines, Gemeprost Pessary can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Very rare allergic reactions that can occur with prostaglandins such as Gemeprost
You could notice the following signs of an allergic reaction:
- Flushing, fainting, fever and chills
- Itching and redness all over your body
- Tight chest and difficulty in breathing
- Back pain
If you think that Gemeprost is causing an allergic reaction, tell your doctor straight away.
Very rare side effects
- Splitting or tearing of the womb. This usually happens in women who have had several children or a previous operation on the womb (such as a caesarian section).
- Heart and circulation problems.
Other side effects
If you have any of the following side effects, do not worry. However if they are troublesome, talk to your doctor or nurse.
These side effects usually last for a short time.
- Bleeding from your vagina and mild pain in your womb (like period pain)
- Feeling sick (nausea) and being sick (vomiting)
- Diarrhoea
- Headache and flushing
- Muscle weakness and backache
- Feeling dizzy, light headed and faint
- High temperature and chills (shivering)
- Difficulty in breathing
- Very fast and uneven heartbeat (palpitations)
- Fall in blood pressure
- Chest pain or in some cases with tightness, crushing or squeezing pressure on the chest and may radiate to the neck, shoulder or arms (coronary spasm)
- Heart attack
If any of the side effects gets serious, or if you notice any side effects not listed in this leaflet,
please tell your doctor or nurse.
How to store Gemeprost Pessary
- Keep this medicine in a safe place where children cannot see or reach them
- Store below minus 10°C in a freezer
- Do not use Gemeprost Pessary after the expiry date stated on the box and the foil pouches. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
- Before use, each pessary should be allowed to warm up to room temperature
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your doctor or nurse how to dispose of medicines no longer required. These measures will help to protect the environment.
Further Information
What Gemeprost Pessary contains
- The active substance is gemeprost.
- The other ingredients are Witepsol S 52 and dehydrated ethanol.
What Gemeprost Pessary looks like and contents of the pack
The pessary is a bullet-shaped waxy solid, 2-3 centimetres long and it comes in boxes of 5 pessaries.
Marketing Authorisation Holder and Manufacturer
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Manufacturer
This leaflet does not contain all the information about your medicine. If you have any questions
or are not sure about anything, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
This leaflet was last revised in 03/2008
©Sanofi-aventis, 2000 - 2007
89016217
No comments:
Post a Comment