Pholcodine (fol-co-dean); Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride (sue-doe-eff-eh-drine hydro-klor-ide)
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Duro-Tuss Dry Cough plus Nasal Decongestant. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Duro-Tuss Dry Cough plus Nasal Decongestant against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant is used for
Pseudoephedrine is used to relieve congestion.
It belongs to a group of medicines called sympathomimetic decongestants.
It works by reducing congestion in the upper respiratory tract, including the nose, nasal passages and sinuses, and making it easier to breath.
Pholcodine works on the cough centre in the brain to control and stop coughing.
Ask your pharmacist or doctor if you have any questions about this medicine.
Before you take Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant
When you must not take it
Do not take this medicine if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing pholcodine or pseudoephedrine
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take this medicine if you have:
very high blood pressure
severe coronary artery disease (heart disease caused by poor blood flow or narrowing of the blood vessels of the heart)
taken monoamine oxidase inhibitors, medicines used to treat depression, in the last 14 days
severe asthma, bronchitis or other serious respiratory conditions.
Do not use this medicine in children under 6 years of age.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your pharmacist or doctor
Before you start to take it
Tell your pharmacist if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor or pharmacist can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your pharmacist if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
high blood pressure
overactive thyroid gland
diabetes
heart disease and poor blood flow in the blood vessels of the heart
glaucoma (high pressure in the eye)
prostate problems
liver or kidney disease
asthma or other breathing problems
Ask your pharmacist or doctor about taking Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant if you are breastfeeding.
Small amounts of pseudoephedrine pass into the breast milk. It is not known if pholcodine passes into the breast milk. Your pharmacist or doctor will discuss the potential benefits and risks of taking the medicine if you are breastfeeding.
If you have not told your pharmacist or doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant may interfere with each other. These include:
medicines used to treat depression
medicines used to treat heart conditions
medicines used to treat high blood pressure
medicines used to treat urinary tract infections and bladder problems
medicines used to treat behavioural disorders
phenylephrine, a medicine used to treat congestion
appetite suppressants
sedatives, medicines used to help you relax or sleep
medicines used to control anxiety
alcohol
These medicines may be affected by Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the bottle, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Over 12 years: 10 - 15 mL
6-12 years: 5 - 10 mL
Use only on the advice of a doctor, pharmacist or nurse practitioner
Children under 6 years: Do not use
How to take it
Accurately measure the dose with a medicine measure. Using a medicine measure will ensure that you get the correct dose. You can buy a medicine measure from your pharmacist.
When to take it
Take your medicine every 6 hours, as required.
Do not take it more than 4 times in one day.
How long to take it
If the cough persists, see your doctor or pharmacist.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
While you are using Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant
Things you must do
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if your symptoms do not improve.
Your pharmacist or doctor will assess your condition and decide if you should continue to take the medicine.
Things you must not do
Do not take Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant to treat any other complaints unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not take more than the recommended dose unless your pharmacist or doctor tells you to.
Do not use this medicine in children under 6 years of age.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant affects you.
This medicine may cause dizziness in some people. If this happens, do not drive or operate machinery.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Duro-Tuss Dry Could Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant.
This medicine helps most people, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
drowsiness
difficulty sleeping
nervousness
excitability
restlessness
dizziness
fear or anxiety
rapid heart beat
tremor
hallucinations
nausea and vomiting
stomach pain
constipation
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
lack of coordination and unsteadiness when walking
unusual mood swings
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
urine retention
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
The above list includes very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After using Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant
Storage
Keep your syrup in the original pack until it is time to take.
Keep your syrup in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Do not store Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant is a red liquid with an odour of raspberry and taste of custard.
A bottle contains 30mL or 200mL.
Ingredients
Each 15 mL of Duro-Tuss Dry Cough Liquid plus Nasal Decongestant contains:
pholcodine 15 mg
pseudoephedrine hydrochloride 60 mg
This medicine also contains:
sorbitol
methyl hydroxybenzoate
propyl hydroxybenzoate
saccharin sodium
citric acid anhydrous
glycerol
amaranth
hydroxyethylcellulose
flavours
purified water
