Solpadeine Max

What is Solpadeine Max?

Solpadeine Max tablets and Solpadeine Max soluble tablets contain codeine and paracetamol which are painkillers that are used to treat acute moderate pain in people over 12 years of age. Acute moderate pain is pain that is short term and will normally interfere with your daily living activities, for example, bad headaches or tooth pain.

Solpadeine Max additionally contains 30mg of caffeine. Caffeine may improve the effectiveness of paracetamol but also works to counteract the drowsiness that some people may experience as a side effect of codeine.

Codeine is a painkiller that is part of a group of medicines called opioid analgesics. This particular group of painkillers can cause addiction. Solpadeine Max, therefore, should only be used for a maximum of 3 days.

If your pain cannot be controlled after 3 days with paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin alone, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Solpadeine Max tablets and soluble tablets are available to buy online at The Independent Pharmacy. All you need to do is complete a short, online consultation for our pharmacists.

Solpadeine Max can be purchased in boxes of 24 tablets or 30 soluble tablets. It is manufactured by Omega Pharma.

What is Solpadeine Max used for?

Solpadeine Max is effective in the treatment of acute moderate pain caused by:

• Migraine or headaches
• Dental pain
• Period pain
• Strains & sprains
• Backache
• Arthritis, rheumatic pain and sciatica

Solpadeine Max headache

Solpadeine Max is effective in the treatment of headaches when the pain is moderate and interferes with daily living activities but should not be used for more than 3 days.

Solpadeine Max should only be used to treat headaches when the use of simple analgesics such as paracetamol, ibuprofen or aspirin alone have not been effective. It is, however, worth noting that one of the more common side effects of Solpadeine Max is headaches.

The overuse of painkillers to control headaches can cause symptoms to worsen. Headaches can have many causes therefore if you are relying on painkillers to ease headaches for more than 10 days you should seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist.

Solpadeine Max and other painkillers

Solpadeine Max is suitable to take alongside Ibuprofen or Aspirin.

You must NOT take Solpadeine Max with any other medication that contains either paracetamol or codeine as this can result in an overdose. Taking too much paracetamol can cause serious damage to your liver and kidneys.

Please be aware that most over-the-counter cold and flu medications also contain paracetamol.

Solpadeine Max and alcohol

Drinking alcohol while taking Solpadeine Max can increase drowsiness as well as some of the other more serious side effects in some people. It is therefore not recommended to consume alcohol when taking Solpadeine Max.

If you do drink alcohol when taking Solpadeine Max and notice you are becoming more drowsy it is advisable to discontinue drinking alcohol.

Solpadeine Max dosage

Solpadeine Max soluble tablets are to be taken orally and are suitable for people over the age of 12.

Adults: Take 2 tablets or dissolve 2 soluble tablets in a full tumbler of water (200ml), every 4-6 hours as needed. Do not take more frequently than every 4 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Children aged 16 – 18 years: Take 1-2 tablets or dissolve 1-2 soluble tablets in a full tumbler of water (200ml), every 6 hours as needed. Do not take more frequently than every 6 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets in 24 hours.

Children aged 12 – 15 years: Take 1 tablet or dissolve 1 tablet in a full tumbler of water (200ml), every 6 hours as needed. Do not take more frequently than every 6 hours. Do not take more than 4 tablets in 24 hours.

What do I do if I take too much?

Taking 1-2 extra Solpadeine Max tablets in a single occasion is unlikely to be harmful. If this has occurred you should wait at least 24 hours before taking your next dose.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet contained within the product packaging in full before taking any medication.

If you have taken more than this, this can be dangerous and should seek immediate medical advice. An accidental overdose case cause you to become:

• Very drowsy
• Nauseous
• Dizzy
• Difficulties breathing
• Unconscious

Taking too much paracetamol can cause serious damage to your liver and kidneys.

Solpadeine Max Ingredients

Active ingredients:

Each tablet contains:

• Paracetamol 500 mg and Codeine Phosphate Hemihydrate 12.8 mg.

Each soluble tablet contains:

• Paracetamol 500 mg, Codeine Phosphate Hemihydrate 12.8 mg and Caffeine 30 mg.

Inactive ingredients:

Each tablet contains:

• Starch pregelatinised, povidone, maize starch, talc, magnesium stearate, stearic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, croscarmellose sodium, lactose monohydrate, hypromellose, macrogol, quinoline yellow (E 104), erythrosine (E 127) and titanium dioxide (E 171).

Each soluble tablet contains:

• Sorbitol (E 420), sodium saccharin, sodium bicarbonate, sodium lauryl sulfate, citric acid, sodium carbonate, polyvidone and dimeticone.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet contained within the product packaging in full before taking any medication.

Solpadeine Max side effects

Like with all medication some people will experience side effects when taking Solpadeine Max.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet contained within the product packaging in full before taking any medication.

The most common side effects of taking Solpadeine Max are (more than 1 in 100 people):

• Constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headaches

If you experience any of the following side effects stop taking Solpadeine Max straight away and speak to a doctor immediately:

• Allergic reactions such as a skin rash and itching, swelling of the mouth or face
• Mouth ulcers
• Breathing problems
• Unexplained bruising or bleeding
• Yellowing of the eyes and skin

Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and if you are concerned about any unwanted side effects when taking Solpadeine Max, please check the Patient Information Leaflet and speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Solpadeine Max warnings

Some prescribed medications are not suitable to take alongside Solpadeine Max. If you are currently taking any prescribed medication you should seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medication.

Always read the Patient Information Leaflet contained within the product packaging in full before taking any medication.

The codeine contained in Solpadeine Max is transformed into a more potent opioid in the liver by an enzyme. In some rare cases, certain people carry a variation of this enzyme that results in a significantly larger amount of opioid being produced.

If you experience any of the following symptoms after taking Solpadeine Max, stop taking it and you must seek medical advice straight away:

• Slow or shallow breathing
• Confusion
• Sleepiness
• Small pupils

Solpadeine Max in Children

• Solpadeine Max is not recommended in the use of children after tonsil or adenoid removal due to the increased risk of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Disorder.
• Solpadeine Max is not recommended for children who experience breathing difficulties as the codeine contained in the product can enhance their symptoms.

Solpadeine Max and driving

Solpadeine Max can increase your drowsiness which may affect your ability to drive. You should not drive or operate heavy machinery until you are aware of how the medication affects you.

Under the Drug Driving Law, it is now an offence to drive if this medication affects your ability to drive safely. If you are concerned about how this drug might affect you, consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

Solpadeine Max addiction

Codeine is part of a group of medicines called opioid analgesics which can cause addiction. It is not recommended to take Solpadeine Max for more than 3 consecutive days. If you take this medicine according to the instructions on the pack, it is unlikely you will become addicted to the medicine.

If you are experiencing any of the following it is, however, possible you have become addicted or are experiencing withdrawal symptoms and you should speak to your doctor:

• You need to take the medicine for longer periods of time.
• You need to take more than the recommended dose.
• When you stop taking the medicine you feel very unwell (withdrawal) but you feel better if you start taking the medicine again.

Is Solpadeine Max harmful?

The use of Solpadeine Max to treat acute moderate pain is not harmful if used as directed. You should however not take Solpadeine Max for more than 3 consecutive days unless otherwise advised by a medical professional as the ingredient, codeine, can cause addiction.

If you take too much Solpadeine Max this can cause breathing difficulties and can cause a loss of consciousness. If you are concerned that you have accidentally taken too much Solpadeine Max, seek medical advice immediately.