effervescent tablets
Sodium phosphate monobasic
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet?
This leaflet answers some common questions about Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets.
It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
The information in this leaflet was last updated on the date listed on the final page.
Some more recent information on the medicine may be available.
You should ensure that you speak to your pharmacist or doctor to obtain the most up to date information on the medicine.
You can also download the most up to date leaflet from www.novartis.com.au.
Those updates may contain important information about the medicine and its use of which you should be aware.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking this medicine against the benefits they expect it will provide.
If you have any concerns about this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What Phosphate - Sandoz is used for
Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets provide extra phosphorous for people with low phosphorous levels in their blood (also known as hypophosphataemia), or with high calcium levels in their blood (hypercalcaemia) due to:
overactivity of the parathyroid glands (hyperparathyroidism);
cancer in the bone marrow (multiple myelomatosis); or
bone disease caused by the spread of cancers.
Your doctor may have put you on Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets for another reason.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you.
Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets are not addictive.
Before you take Phosphate - Sandoz
When you must not take it
Do not take Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets if you have an allergy to 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 after the expiry date printed on the carton and on the tube.
The expiry date is shown as an expiry month and year after "EXP" on the carton and the tube.
Do not take Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets if the packaging is torn or if it shows signs of tampering.
In that case, return it to your pharmacist.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Your doctor will want to know if you are prone to allergies.
If you experience an allergic reaction, stop using the medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following medical conditions:
kidney disease
congestive cardiac failure
pre-eclamptic toxaemia
hypertension
sodium restrictions in your diet
Your doctor may want to take special precautions if you have any of the above conditions.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, or are breast-feeding.
Your doctor can discuss the risks and benefits involved in taking this medicine with you.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any antacid medications.
Antacids may reduce the effectiveness of Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets and could change the dose you will need to take.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any calcium, aluminium, magnesium or vitamin D supplements, or any other medicines.
This includes any medicines that you buy without a prescription from your health food shop, pharmacy or supermarket.
If you are taking other medicines, you may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor and pharmacist will be able to advise you about this.
If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell him/her before you start taking Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets.
How to take Phosphate - Sandoz
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 label, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Follow your doctor's instructions on how much Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets to take.
The number of tablets you need to take will depend on the reason that your doctor has asked you to take Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets, and will also depend on your individual requirements.
If you are receiving it to reduce the calcium levels in your blood, you can take up to:
6 tablets daily (adults) or
3 tablets daily (children).
If you are taking it to increase your phosphate levels, you can take:
4-6 tablets daily (adults) or
2-3 tablets daily (children).
If you have kidney problems or are elderly, the dose may be reduced as directed by your doctor.
Do not change the dose yourself, without your doctor's advice, regardless of how well you may feel.
How to take it
Always dissolve the Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets in one third to half a glass of water.
The tablets will effervesce and dissolve to give a palatable orange-flavoured solution.
Drink the solution as soon as the fizzing has stopped.
Never swallow the tablets whole.
When to take it
Take Phosphate-Sandoz effervescent tablets at about the same time each day, as directed by your doctor.
Taking your tablets 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 Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets for as long as your doctor tells you.
It is important to keep taking your medicine even if you feel well.
Your doctor will check the amount of phosphorous in your body from time to time to make sure the medicine is working and will discuss with you how long your treatment should continue.
If you forget to take it
If you miss a dose and then remember, take the missed dose right away. Then continue with your regular schedule.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed.
This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) or your doctor for advice, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too many Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets.
Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. Keep the telephone numbers for these places handy.
While you are taking Phosphate - Sandoz
Things you must do
Keep all of your doctor's appointments so that your progress can be checked.
Your doctor may do some tests from time to time to check the phosphate levels in your blood and to make sure the medicine is working.
If you become pregnant while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks of taking it while you are pregnant.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you are going to have any diagnostic tests, tell your doctor that you are taking this medicine.
It may interfere with the results of some tests.
If you are going to start on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking this medicine.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets.
Things you must not do
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their condition seems similar to yours.
Do not use it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor.
If you stop your tablets suddenly, your condition may worsen or you may have unwanted side effects. Your doctor will advise you how to stop taking this medicine.
Things to be careful of
Do not dissolve Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets in warm or hot water.
Always dissolve these tablets in drinking water at room temperature before taking.
Never swallow the tablets whole.
Make sure that the lid on the tube is firmly closed at all times.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets, even if you think it is not connected with the medicine.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, but most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
stomach upsets
nausea
abdominal pain
vomiting
Some side effects could be serious:
very little urination/no urine
diarrhoea
electrolyte disturbance
If you experience any of them, tell your doctor immediately.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Some people may have other side effects not yet known or mentioned in this leaflet.
Some of these side effects can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.
After using Phosphate - Sandoz
Storage
Keep your medicine in the original container until it is time to take your tablets.
Store Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets in a cool, dry place at room temperature.
Do not store this medicine or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink
Do not leave the tablets in the car or on window sills.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines. Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets will keep best if they are stored cool and dry.
Keep the medicine in a safe place 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 Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets or if the expiry date has passed, return any tablets to the pharmacist.
Product description
What it looks like
Phosphate Sandoz effervescent tablets are large, white, flat, circular tablets with a slightly rough surface. They come in cartons of 100 tablets. Each carton contains 5 tubes of 20 tablets.
Ingredients
Phosphate - Sandoz effervescent tablets contain elemental phosphorous 500 mg, present as sodium phosphate monobasic. They also contain:
sodium bicarbonate (E500)
potassium bicarbonate (E501)
macrogol 4000
sucrose
citric acid - anhydrous
orange flavour 52570 TP0551
sodium saccharin (E594).
This medicine does not contain lactose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
