carbimazole
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Neo-Mercazole tablets. 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 Neo-Mercazole 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 Neo-Mercazole is used for
Neo-Mercazole contains the active ingredient carbimazole.
This medicine is used to treat hyperthyroidism or overactive thyroid gland (a condition where the thyroid gland produces too much thyroid hormone).
There are different types of medicines used to treat hyperthyroidism.
This medicine belongs to a group of medicines called anti-hyperthyroidism agents. These medicines work by reducing the production of thyroid hormones.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is not addictive.
This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Before you take Neo-Mercazole
When you must not take it
Do not take Neo-Mercazole if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing carbimazole
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 Neo-Mercazole if you have had any of the following medical conditions:
growth of the thyroid gland downwards from the neck into the chest (retrosternal goitre)
serious blood disorder
severe liver disorder
airway obstruction.
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 doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have had any of the following:
mild or moderate liver disorder
allergic reaction to thiamazole or propylthiouracil (medicines used to treat thyroid disorders).
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Neo-Mercazole crosses the placenta and passes into breast milk. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits of using Neo-Mercazole if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you start taking Neo-Mercazole.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist 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 Neo-Mercazole may interfere with each other. These include:
iodine or any preparation containing iodine
theophylline, used to treat asthma or breathing problems
medicines called anticoagulants, which are used to thin blood e.g. warfarin
prednisolone, used to treat allergic disorders, skin conditions, ulcerative colitis, arthritis, lupus, psoriasis or breathing disorders
erythromycin, used to treat bacterial infections
digitalis, used to treat heart conditions
beta-blockers, used to treat heart conditions and high blood pressure.
These medicines may be affected by Neo-Mercazole, or may affect how well it works. You may need to use 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 Neo-Mercazole
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
How much to take
Take Neo-Mercazole exactly as your doctor has prescribed.
Your doctor will tell you how many Neo-Mercazole tablets to take each day.
Be sure to keep your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.
Your dose of Neo-Mercazole may change from time to time according to your progress.
How to take it
Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water.
Do not chew the tablets.
When to take it
Take your medicine at about the same time each day.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.
How long to take it
Continue taking your medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering your dose, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
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 your nearest hospital, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much Neo-Mercazole. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
The following are some symptoms which may or may not occur:
skin rash
fever
extreme tiredness.
While you are taking Neo-Mercazole
Things you must do
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking Neo-Mercazole.
Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking this medicine.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not taken your medicine exactly as prescribed.
Otherwise, your doctor may think that it was not effective and change your treatment unnecessarily.
Tell your doctor if you feel the tablets are not helping your condition.
Be sure to keep all of your appointments with your doctor so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor may want to do some blood and other tests from time to time to check on your progress and detect any unwanted side effects.
Things you must not do
Do not take Neo-Mercazole to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking your medicine or change the dosage without checking with your doctor.
Do not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Neo-Mercazole.
This medicine helps most people with hyperthyroidism 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 treatment 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
headache
pain in joints
stomach upsets
skin rashes
itchiness
loss of sense of taste
hair loss.
These are the more common side effects of Neo-Mercazole.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:
abdominal pain
rash on the hands and feet
facial swelling
hoarseness
difficulty breathing
blood in the urine.
The above list includes serious side effects that may require medical attention.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
liver pain, or yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes
sore throat, mouth ulcers, high temperature or fever, increased tendency for bruising or bleeding, extreme tiredness.
You may have to stop taking Neo-Mercazole.
Some tests should be performed to check for liver function or bone marrow depression before restarting your treatment. Bone marrow depression causes a reduction in the number of blood cells and reduces the ability to fight infection. If it is not treated as soon as it is detected the condition can become life-threatening.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you don't understand anything in this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
After taking Neo-Mercazole
Storage
Keep your tablets in the bottle until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the bottle they may not keep well.
Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store Neo-Mercazole or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.
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
Neo-Mercazole tablets are round, pale pink and are embossed with 'Neo 5' on one side and plain on the other. Each bottle contains 100 tablets.
Ingredients
Neo-Mercazole contains 5 mg of carbimazole as the active ingredient.
It also contains:
lactose monohydrate
maize starch
sucrose
magnesium stearate
purified talc
acacia
iron oxide red
gelatin.
This medicine does not contain gluten.
