Surmontil 50mg Capsules
PACKAGE LEAFLET:
INFORMATION FOR THE USER
Surmontil™ 50mg Capsules/ Trimipramine 50mg Capsules
(trimipramine maleate)
Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine
• Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their symptoms are the same as yours.
• 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 pharmacist.
Your medicine is available as any of the above names but will be referred to as Surmontil Capsules throughout this leaflet.
In this leaflet:
1. What Surmontil Capsules are and what they are used for.
2. Before you take Surmontil Capsules
3. How to take Surmontil Capsules
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Surmontil Capsules
6. Further information
1. What Surmontil Capsules are and what they are used for
Surmontil Capsules contain a medicine called trimipramine. This belongs to a group of medicines called antidepressants.
Surmontil Capsules can be used to treat depression. They are especially useful for treating depression in people who also have problems sleeping, stress (anxiety) or feel irritable and restless (agitation).
2. Before you take Surmontil Capsules
Do not take this medicine and tell your doctor if:
• You are allergic (hypersensitive) to trimipramine or any of the other ingredients of Surmontil Capsules (listed in Section 6 Further Information).
Signs of an allergic reaction include: a rash, swelling or breathing problems, swelling of your lips, face, throat or tongue
• You have had a heart attack
• You have had any other heart problems including slow or uneven heart beat
• You have severe liver problems
• You have mania (signs include very high mood, energy and unusual behaviour)
• You are breast-feeding
Do not take this medicine if this applies to you. If you are not sure, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Surmontil Capsules.
Take special care with Surmontil Capsules
Thoughts of suicide and worsening of your depression or
anxiety disorder
If you are depressed and/or have anxiety disorders you can sometimes have thoughts of harming or killing yourself.
These may be increased when first starting antidepressants, since these medicines all take time to work, usually about two weeks but sometimes longer.
You may be more likely to think like this:
• If you have previously had thoughts about killing or harming yourself.
• If you are a young adult. Information from clinical trials has shown an increased risk of suicidal behaviour in adults aged less than 25 years with psychiatric conditions who were treated with an antidepressant.
If you have thoughts of harming or killing yourself at any time, contact your doctor or go to a hospital straight away.
You may find it helpful to tell a relative or close friend that you are depressed or have an anxiety disorder, and ask them to read this leaflet. You might ask them to tell you if they think your depression or anxiety is getting worse, or if they are worried about changes in your behaviour.
If you have diabetes or are at risk of getting diabetes, your doctor may do blood tests to monitor your blood sugar levels.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine if:
• You are elderly
• You have an enlarged prostate gland
• You have glaucoma (painful eyes with blurred vision)
• You have or have ever had fits or seizures
• You have thyroid problems
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Surmontil Capsules.
Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines. This includes medicines you buy without a prescription, including herbal medicines.
This is because Surmontil Capsules can affect the way some other medicines work. Also some medicines can affect the way Surmontil Capsules work.
Tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
• MAOI (MonoAmine Oxidase Inhibitors) medicine such as tranylcypromine, phenelzine and isocarboxazid (for Parkinson's disease), or have taken them in the last
2 weeks
• Sedatives (such as tranquilizers or sleeping pills)
• Medicines used to treat high blood pressure
• Adrenaline, noradrenaline, ephedrine or isoprenaline - used in an emergency
• Phenylephrine or phenylpropanolamine - found in cold and flu preparations
• Medicines used for chest pain (angina) or high blood pressure such as diltiazem, verapamil, clonidine, digitalis
• Medicines used for depression (SSRIs such as citalopram, paroxetine, fluoxetine) tryciclics and triptan derivatives, lithium, St John's Wort
• Pain Killers such as tramadol
• Macrolide antibiotics, antifungals or floroquinolones.
Anaesthetics
If you are going to have an anaesthetic (for an operation), tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking Surmontil Capsules.
Taking Surmontil Capsules and drink
You should avoid drinking alcohol while taking Surmontil Capsules Pregnancy and breast-feeding
Talk to your doctor before taking this medicine if you are pregnant, might become pregnant, or think you may be pregnant.
Do not breast-feed if you are taking Surmontil Capsules.
Driving and using machines
Surmontil Capsules may make you feel sleepy or less alert. If this happens, do not drive or use any tools or machines.
3. How to take Surmontil Capsules
Always take Surmontil Capsules exactly as your doctor has told you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
Taking this medicine
• Take this medicine by mouth
• Swallow the Capsules whole with a drink of water
• If you have been told to take Surmontil Capsules only once each day then you should take it before going to bed
• It may take 7 to 10 days before you feel the full benefit of the medicine
• If you feel the effect of your medicine is too weak or too strong, do not change the dose yourself but ask your doctor
How much to take Adults:
Depression
• Adults usually start by taking 50mg to 75mg each day.
• Your doctor may then increase the dose to 150mg or 300mg each day depending on your condition
• Once you start to feel better, the usual daily dose then stays the same at 75mg to 150mg each day
Elderly:
• Elderly usually start by taking 10mg to 25mg three times each day
• Your doctor will then increase this slowly
• Once you start to feel better, the usual daily dose stays the same at 35mg to 75mg each day
Children:
Children should not take Surmontil Capsules.
If you take more Surmontil Capsules than you should
If you take more Surmontil Capsules than you should, tell a doctor or go to a hospital casualty department straight away. Take the medicine pack with you.
This is so the doctor knows what you have taken.
The following effects may happen: fits (seizures), collapse and falling into a coma.
If you forget to take Surmontil Capsules
If you forget a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. However, if it is nearly time for the next dose, skip the missed dose.
Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Surmontil Capsules
Keep taking Surmontil Capsules until your doctor tells you to stop. Do not stop taking Surmontil Capsules just because you feel better. This is because your illness may come back. When your doctor tells you to stop taking these Capsules he/she will help you stop taking them gradually. Stopping your medicine too quickly could cause sleep problems, feeling irritable and sweating more than usual.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, Surmontil Capsules can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Stop taking Surmontil Capsules and see a doctor or go to a hospital straight away if:
• 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 Surmontil Capsules.
Talk to your doctor straight away if you notice the following side-effects:
• Painful erection of the penis, unrelated to sexual activity, that will not go away (priapism)
• Yellowing of the eyes or skin. This could be a liver problem (such as jaundice)
• Overactive behaviour or thoughts (mania or hypomania)
• Numbness or weakness in the arms and legs (peripheral neuropathy)
• Feeling that someone is ‘out to get you'
• Getting infections more easily than usual.
This could be because of a blood disorder (agranulocytosis)
• Convulsions/fits
• Unusual skin sensations such as numbness, tingling, pricking, burning or creeping on the skin (paraesthesia)
• Increased thirst and passing water (urine) more often than normal. You may also feel tired and hungry. This could be due to high blood sugar levels or a condition called diabetes
• An uneven or fast heartbeat.
Below is a list of other side effects that have been reported:
• Feeling drowsy or sleepy
• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Tremor (shaking)
• Blurred vision
• Rapid heartbeat
• Sweating more than usual
• Feeling dizzy or light-headed on standing or sitting up quickly (postural hypotension)
• Sexual problems
• Delay when starting to pass water (urine)
• Skin rash
An increased risk of bone fractures has been observed in patients taking this kind of medicine.
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.
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Surmontil Capsules
Keep this medicine in a safe place where children cannot see or reach it.
Do not use Surmontil Capsules after the expiry date which is stated on the blister and carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
Do not store above 25°C. Store in original package.
If the tablets become discoloured or show any signs of deterioration, seek the advice of your pharmacist who will advise you what to do.
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.
6. Further information
What Surmontil Capsules contain
• Each hard capsule contains 50mg Trimipramine (as maleate).
• Other ingredients include maize starch, microcrystalline cellulose, anhydrous colloidal silica, magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide (E171), gelatin, indigo carmine (E132), yellow iron oxide (E172) and pharmaceutical grade printing ink that contains shellac, soya lecithin, antifoam DC 1510, black iron oxide (E172).
What Surmontil Capsules look like and contents of the pack
Surmontil 50mg capsules are opaque hard gelatin capsules, with a white body, and a green cap. Both the body and the cap are printed longitudinally with “SU50” in black. Containing a white or almost white powder.
They are supplied in blister packs of 28 capsules.
Manufacturer
FAMAR HEALTH CARE SERVICES MADRID S.A.U.,
Avenida de Leganes 62,
28923 Alcorcon-Madrid,
Spain
Procured from within the E.U. and re-packaged by Munro Wholesale Medical Supplies Ltd., 3 Young Place, East Kilbride, G75 0TD.
Product Licence holder: Ecosse Pharmaceuticals Ltd.,
3 Young Place, East Kilbride, G75 0TD.
PL 19065/0294 ECMA: PA540/128/3
POM
This leaflet was revised: 30.11.2015 E0294-5 ™ denotes a trademark