contains the active ingredient fluconazole
CONSUMER MEDICINE INFORMATION
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm against the benefits expected for you.
If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet.
You may need to read it again.
What FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is used for
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is used to treat certain fungal and yeast infections.
It belongs to a group of medicines called azole antibiotics.
It works by preventing the growth of the fungal and yeast organisms causing your infection.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is available only with a doctor's prescription.
This medicine is not addictive.
Before you are given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm
When you must not be given
You must not be given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing fluconazole
any other medicines related to fluconazole such as miconazole, ketoconazole or clotrimazole
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet (see 'Product Description').
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.
You must not be given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm if you are taking cisapride (a medicine used to treat stomach problems).
You must not be given this medicine after the expiry date (EXP) 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 be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have any other health problems, including:
any liver problems
any heart problems
any kidney problems.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you are given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm may interfere with each other. These include:
some medicine used to treat allergies
some medicines for diabetes such as glipizide, tolbutamide or glibenclamide
some antibiotics and antiviral drugs such as rifampicin, rifabutin, amphotericin B, erythromycin, voriconazole or zidovudine
some drugs used for heart problems such as quinidine or verapamil
some drugs used in problems with the immune system, such as cyclosporin, tofacitinib, sirolimus or tacrolimus
cyclophosphamide, a medicine used to treat certain types of cancers
warfarin, a medicine used to stop blood clots
phenytoin, a medicine used to treat epilepsy
theophylline, a medicine used to treat asthma
some benzodiazepines such as midazolam
hydrochlorothiazide, a medicine used for treating fluid problems
the contraceptive pill (birth control pill)
carbamazepine, a medicine used in the treatment of epilepsy and bipolar disorder
NSAIDS such as naproxen, diclofenac and celecoxib
Opioid pain killers such as alfentanil, fentanyl and methadone
Losartan, a medicine used for treating high blood pressure
antidepressants such as amitriptyline and nortriptyline.
These medicines may be affected by FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Talk to your doctor about the need for an additional method of contraception while being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills.
Your doctor have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while you are receiving FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
How FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is given
How it is given
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm can only be given by a doctor or nurse.
It is usually infused slowly into a vein.
How much it is given
The amount of FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm you receive, and the length or your treatment, will depend on your body weight and kidney function. It will also depend on how quickly the infection is brought under control.
If you are given too much (overdose)
Because FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is given to you by a health professional, overdose is unlikely to arise. However, if you think you may have been given too much of this medicine, contact the Poisons Information Centre on 131 126 for advice.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns.
While you are given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being given this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while you are being treated with this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Things to be careful of
If you suffer from HIV for have a weakened immune system and develop a rash while being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm, tell your doctor immediately.
If this rash worsens, FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm may need to be stopped.
Be careful when driving vehicles or operating machinery as it should be taken into account that occasionally dizziness or seizures may occur.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
This medicine helps most people with fungal and yeast infections, 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 list 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:
nausea or feeling sick, vomiting
headache
stomach pain, indigestion, diarrhoea
acne
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
swelling of the face, lips or tongue which may cause difficulty in swallowing or breathing
asthma, wheezing, shortness of breath
sudden or severe itching, skin rash, hives
fainting, seizures or fits
flaking or the skin
yellowing of the skin or eyes, also called jaundice
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal, reddish or purplish blotches under the skin
signs of frequent or worrying infections such as fever, severe chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
fast or irregular heart beat
increased sweating.
The above side effects are usually rare but can be serious and need urgent medicinal attention.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may also occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.
After being given FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm
Storage
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm should be kept in a dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C and protect from light. Do not refrigerate. Do not freeze.
Your hospital pharmacy will store the FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm.
Product description
What it looks like
FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm is a clear, odourless and colourless solution and comes in infusion bag of 100 mL and 200 mL.
Ingredients
Each pack of FLUCONAZOLE Alphapharm solution contains active ingredient, fluconazole 2 mg/mL.
It also contains inactive ingredient of sodium chloride 0.9% solution.
