INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS
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This leaflet answers some common questions about CLOPRESS. It does not
contain all the information available on this medicine. 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 using CLOPRESS against the
benefits expected it will have for you. If you have any concerns about using
this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet. You may want to read it again.
Your CLOPRESS tablets contain clomipramine hydrochloride. It belongs to a group of medicines known as tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs).
CLOPRESS is used to treat depression. Depression is thought to be caused by a chemical imbalance in parts of the brain. This affects your whole body and can cause emotional and physical symptoms such as feeling low in spirit, loss of interest in activities, being unable to enjoy life, poor appetite or overeating, disturbed sleep, often waking up early, loss of sex drive, lack of energy and feeling guilty over nothing. CLOPRESS works by correcting this chemical imbalance and may help relieve the symptoms of depression.
CLOPRESS is also used to treat obsessive-compulsive syndromes, phobias, panic attacks, muscle weakness in people with a sleep disorder called narcolepsy, and chronic painful conditions.
Your doctor may, however, prescribe CLOPRESS for another reason. Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why CLOPRESS has been prescribed for you.
CLOPRESS is not recommended for use in children 12 years of age and under. CLOPRESS is not recommended for use in adolescents (13-18 years of age) for the treatment of depression, unless under the supervision of a specialist.
CLOPRESS is available on prescription from your doctor.
Do not take CLOPRESS if:
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.
Tell your doctor if:
If you are taking any other medicines, including any you get without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop, tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Medicines that may interfere with CLOPRESS include:
These medicines may be affected by CLOPRESS or may affect how well CLOPRESS works. You may need different amounts of your medicines or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor or pharmacist has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking CLOPRESS.
Your doctor will tell you how much CLOPRESS you need to take each day. It is important that you take CLOPRESS as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than the recommended dose.
It may take up to 4 weeks before any response to CLOPRESS is noticeable.
For Depression, Obsessive-Compulsive Syndromes and Phobias
Treatment is usually started with 25mg of clomipramine 2 or 3 times daily.
If necessary, your doctor may increase the dose up to a maximum of 250mg a day.
The usual maintenance dose is 50 to 100mg per day.
For Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia
Treatment is usually started with a dose of 10mg daily. If necessary, your
doctor may increase the dose up to a maximum of 150mg a day. The usual
maintenance dose is 25 to 100mg per day.
For Muscle Weakness Accompanying Narcolepsy
The dose is usually 25 to 75mg daily.
For Chronic Painful Conditions
The daily dose varies (10 to 150mg) depending on your condition.
If you are elderly, you may be started on a dose of 10mg daily. Your doctor may increase your dose over a period of about ten days, to 30-50mg daily.
Your doctor may tell you to take different doses to these. If so, follow their instructions.
The tablet(s) should be swallowed whole with a glass of water.
For depression, the treatment is usually continued for at least six months to prevent potential recurrence. You may not feel better immediately as most antidepressants take time to work. Do not stop taking CLOPRESS even if you begin to feel better, unless your doctor tells you to do so. Make sure you do not run out of tablets.
If you forget a dose, just take the next dose when it is due. Do not take more than one dose at a time to make up for missed doses.
Taking your medicine at the same time each day may help you to remember to take it regularly. If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking CLOPRESS.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking CLOPRESS before you start any new medicine.
Tell your doctor if you develop a skin rash or hives, or you become pregnant while taking CLOPRESS.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking CLOPRESS.
If you are going to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are taking CLOPRESS.
Keep all appointments you and your doctor have scheduled so that your progress can be followed.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following, especially if they are severe, abrupt in onset, or were not part of your presenting symptoms: anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), irritability, hostility (aggressiveness), impulsivity, akathisia (restlessness or difficulty sitting still), hypomania, mania (mood of excitement, over-activity and uninhibited behaviour), worsening of depression.
Tell your doctor immediately if you have any distressing thoughts (thought of suicide or self-harm) or experiences during this initial period or at any other time.
Do not take CLOPRESS to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking CLOPRESS or lower the dose without first checking with your doctor.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar to yours.
CLOPRESS may cause drowsiness in some people. Be careful when driving, operating machinery or performing jobs that need you to be alert, until you are certain that CLOPRESS does not affect your performance.
Your doctor may suggest avoiding alcohol while you are being treated for depression.
Tell your pharmacist or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CLOPRESS.
All medicines can have some unwanted 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.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
These are the more common side effects of CLOPRESS.
Tell your doctor immediately if you:
This side effect is rare but serious. You may need urgent medical attention.
See your doctor if you experience any of the following when you stop CLORESS treatment:
The list of side effects mentioned above is not complete. If you should suffer from any of these side effects or any other undesired effect please tell your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
You should only take the number of tablets that you have been told.
Immediately contact your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) or go to the Emergency department at your nearest hospital, if you think that you may have taken too much, or if anyone else has taken any CLOPRESS by mistake. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Take the pack of CLOPRESS with you if you can.
Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date shown on the pack/blister strip or if the packaging shows signs of tampering.
Keep your CLOPRESS tablets in the blister pack until it is time to take them.
Store below 25°C and out of reach of children. Avoid exposure to heat, light and moisture.
Do not store CLOPRESS, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink.
If your doctor tells you to stop taking CLOPRESS or if the tablets have passed the expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with the remaining medicine.
CLOPRESS 10mg tablets are white, film coated biconvex tablets.
CLOPRESS 25mg tablets are yellow, film coated biconvex tablets.
CLOPRESS 10mg tablets are available in blister packs of 100 tablets.
CLOPRESS 25mg tablets are available in blister packs of 500 tablets.
CLOPRESS 10mg tablets contain 10mg of the active ingredient, clomipramine hydrochloride. CLOPRESS 10mg tablets also contain lactose, maize starch, povidone, sodium starch glycollate, magnesium stearate, contents of an organic film coat (isopropyl alcohol, chloroform, diethyl phthalate, hypromellose, opaspray white) and carnauba wax.
CLOPRESS 25mg tablets contain 25mg of the active ingredient, clomipramine hydrochloride. CLOPRESS 25mg tablets also contain lactose, maize starch, povidone, sodium starch glycollate, quinoline yellow lake, magnesium stearate, contents of an organic film coat (ethanol, chloroform, diethyl phthalate, hypromellose, opaspray yellow) and carnauba wax.
Should you have any questions regarding this product, please contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Distributed in New Zealand by:
Mylan New Zealand Ltd,
P O Box 11183,
Ellerslie,
Auckland.
Phone: (09) 579 2792
2 February 2009
(Based on datasheet 2 February 2009)