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INFORMATION FOR CONSUMERS

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Consumer Medicine Information

Elevit®

Vitamins and Minerals for Before, During and After Pregnancy
Tablets, film-coated

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about ELEVIT film-coated tablets.

It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your pharmacist, midwife or doctor.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your pharmacist, midwife or doctor can weigh the risks of taking ELEVIT against the benefits expected for you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor.

Keep this leaflet with the medicine.

You may need to read it again.

What ELEVIT is used for

ELEVIT is a multivitamin and multimineral medicine specially designed to ensure a balanced micronutrient source for both the unborn baby and the pregnant mother, and for breastfeeding women. ELEVIT contains vitamins and minerals designed to nutritionally support pregnancy and breastfeeding (lactation). Specifically, ELEVIT contains:-

ELEVIT is used to reduce the risk of having a baby born with defects of the brain and/or spinal cord (neural tube defects). Neural tube defects are a group of abnormalities caused by failure of the neural tube to close during the unborn baby's development. The most common neural tube defect is spina bifida, where part of the spinal cord shows through a gap in the backbone.

ELEVIT is also used to prevent dietary vitamin and mineral deficiencies due to increased needs that may occur throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding. In particular, ELEVIT can prevent dietary iron deficiency during pregnancy.

Ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you have any questions about taking ELEVIT.

This medicine is available only from a pharmacy.

Before you take ELEVIT

When you must not take it

Do not take ELEVIT if:

  1. you have had an allergic reaction to ELEVIT or any ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
    Symptoms of an allergic reaction include swelling, itching, rash or breathing difficulties.
  2. you have kidney disease
  3. you have excessive amounts of vitamin D, calcium or iron in your blood
  4. your body cannot process copper or large amounts of iron
  5. the package is torn or shows signs of tampering
  6. 6. the expiry date printed on the pack has passed.
    If you take this medicine after the expiry date has passed, it may not work as well.

If you are not sure if you should be taking ELEVIT, talk to your pharmacist, midwife or doctor.

Do not give ELEVIT to children. ELEVIT is only for women who are trying to become pregnant, and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Before you start to take it

You should consider the following before you start taking ELEVIT. Talk to your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you need more information:

1. you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant
ELEVIT is intended for women that are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, and will help both you and the unborn baby to stay healthy.

2. you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed
ELEVIT is intended for women who are breastfeeding, and can be taken during lactation to provide nutritional support at a time when the nutritional demands on the mother are high.

3. you are taking other medicines or dietary supplements containing Vitamin D or iron
Other medicines or dietary supplements that contain Vitamin D (also called cholecalciferol or ergocalciferol) or iron should not be taken while you are taking ELEVIT.

4. you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes or preservatives.

Taking other medicines

Tell your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that have been prescribed by your doctor or you have bought from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines may interfere with ELEVIT. These medicines include:

Your pharmacist, midwife or doctor has more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking ELEVIT.

Ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you are not sure about this list of medicines.

How to take ELEVIT

Follow all directions given to you by your pharmacist, midwife or doctor carefully.

They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

Otherwise, take ELEVIT as described below.

How much to take

The usual dose of ELEVIT is one tablet daily. Do not exceed this recommended dose.

How to take it

Swallow the tablets whole with a glass of water. Do not chew the tablets.

ELEVIT tablets have a breakline and can be broken in half, and each half taken separately, if you find that a whole tablet is too large.

When to take it

It does not matter if you take ELEVIT with food or not.

If you have morning sickness, ELEVIT can be taken at lunchtime or in the evening.

Take your ELEVIT at about the same time each day.

Taking your medicine at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take your ELEVIT.

How long to take ELEVIT

ELEVIT is recommended to be taken for at least three months before becoming pregnant, if you are trying to become pregnant, throughout the whole pregnancy and while you are breastfeeding your baby.

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 it as you would normally.

If you are not sure what to do ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor.

If you have trouble remembering your dose, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

In case of overdose

Immediately telephone your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre (telephone 0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) for advice, or go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Centre, if you think you or anyone else may have taken too much ELEVIT. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need medical attention.

Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.

If you are not sure what to do, contact your pharmacist, midwife or doctor.

While you are taking ELEVIT

Things you must do

Tell all doctors, dentists, midwives and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking ELEVIT.

Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking ELEVIT.

Tell your doctor that you are taking ELEVIT if you are going to have any laboratory tests.

Things you must not do

It is best not let yourself run out of medicine over the weekend or on holidays.

Do not use ELEVIT to treat other complaints unless your doctor says to.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how ELEVIT affects you.

However, ELEVIT is not expected to affect your ability to drive a car or operate machinery.

Side effects

Tell your pharmacist, midwife or doctor as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking ELEVIT.

ELEVIT helps most people, but 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. There is a small chance you may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Tell your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

These are the more common side effects of ELEVIT. Mostly these are mild.

This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. Others may occur in some people and there may be some side effects not yet known.

Tell your pharmacist, midwife or doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.

Ask your pharmacist, midwife or doctor 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 ELEVIT

Storage

Keep your ELEVIT tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.

If you take them out of the pack they may not keep well.

Keep ELEVIT in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.

Do not store it, or any medicine, in a bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave it in the car or on window sills.

Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines

Keep ELEVIT where young 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 you stop taking ELEVIT, or the medicine has passed the expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any ELEVIT that is left over.

Product description

Availability

ELEVIT film-coated tablets come in packs of 30 and 100.

What ELEVIT looks like

ELEVIT tablets are yellow-greyish, oblong film-coated tablets, engraved with a breakline.

Ingredients

Active ingredients

Inactive ingredients

Polyethylene glycol, sodium starch glycollate, glycerol distearate, gelatin, microcrystalline cellulose, povidone, lactose, mannitol, ethylcellulose, hypromellose, talc, titanium dioxide, yellow iron oxide.

Distributor

ELEVIT is distributed by:

Bayer Consumer Care
Bayer New Zealand Limited
P O Box 2825
Auckland
NEW ZEALAND

Ph: (09) 443 3093
Fax: (09) 443 3094

www.elevit.co.nz

This leaflet was prepared 18 February 2009.

Reference: Elevit Data Sheet dated 5 January 2009.