Patient Leaflet Updated 06-Aug-2024 | Norgine Limited
MOVICOL Ease 13.7g powder for oral solution
MOVICOL® Ease 13.7g powder for oral solution
Macrogol 3350, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, Potassium Chloride
Always take this medicine exactly as described in this leaflet or as your doctor, pharmacist or nurse has told you.
1. What Movicol Ease is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Movicol Ease
3. How to take Movicol Ease
4. Possible side effects
5. How to store Movicol Ease
6. Contents of the pack and other information
The name of this medicine is Movicol Ease 13.7g powder for oral solution but will be referred to as Movicol Ease throughout the rest of this leaflet. It is a laxative for the relief of occasional constipation in adults. It should not be used in children or adolescents under the age of 18 years.
Speak to your pharmacist or doctor about alternative Movicol medicinal products that are available for children and adolescents under the age of 18 years.
Movicol Ease helps you to have a comfortable bowel movement when you have an episode of constipation.
What is constipation?
Normal and regular bowel movement is important for most people. However, what is “normal and regular” varies from person to person. Some may have a bowel movement every day, others less often. Whatever it is like for you, it is best that your bowel movement has a regular pattern.
The cause of constipation is often not known. It can be associated with:
Whatever the cause, constipation can be uncomfortable. It may make you feel bloated and heavy or generally “off colour”. Sometimes, it causes headaches. It is recommended to use changes in diet to control constipation before using this medicine. These healthy tips are recommended to try to prevent constipation happening:
Overuse of laxatives may damage your health by:
When taking Movicol Ease you should continue to take plenty of fluids. The fluid content of Movicol should not replace your regular liquid intake.
Before taking Movicol Ease, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines.
Some medicines, e.g. anti-epileptics, may not work as effectively during use with Movicol Ease.
You should not take any other medicines by mouth together with Movicol Ease and for one hour before and for one hour after taking Movicol Ease.
If you need to thicken fluids in order to swallow them safely, Movicol Ease may counteract the effect of the thickener.
Movicol Ease can be taken during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding. If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice before taking Movicol Ease.
Movicol Ease does not affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need 3 or more sachets daily for a prolonged period, especially if you have been advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet.
Movicol Ease contains 186.87 mg sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per sachet. This is equivalent to 9.3% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.
Adults aged 18 years and over: 1-3 sachets daily.
This medicine can be taken at any time with or without food.
Dissolve one sachet in 125ml (1/4 pint) of water, 1-3 times per day.
This should be taken in divided doses throughout the day, according to the severity of your constipation.
Open the sachet and pour the contents into a glass. Add about 125ml or ¼ pint of water to the glass. Stir well until all the powder has dissolved and the Movicol Ease solution is clear or slightly hazy, then drink it.
Movicol Ease should not be used for more than 5 days. If your constipation needs treatment for longer than 5 days, consult your doctor or pharmacist. When regular bowel movements return, you can use fewer doses in a day and usually treatment can be stopped.
If you have abdominal pain that does not get better, or you have blood in your bowel movements, you should consult your doctor.
You may develop excessive diarrhoea, which can lead to dehydration. If this occurs, stop taking Movicol Ease and drink plenty of fluids. If you are worried contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Take the dose as soon as you remember to take it.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Other side effects include:
Allergic reactions which may cause a skin rash, itching, reddening of the skin or a nettle rash, swollen hands, feet or ankles, headaches and high and low levels of potassium in the blood.
Sometimes you may have indigestion, stomach ache or rumbles. You may also feel bloated, suffer from wind, feel sick or vomit, may also experience soreness of the anus (bottom) and may have mild diarrhoea when starting to take Movicol Ease. These side effects generally get better if you reduce the amount of Movicol Ease you take.
If you develop any symptoms indicating shifts of fluids/electrolytes (e.g. swelling, shortness of breath, increasing fatigue, dehydration or heart failure (symptoms include breathlessness after activity or at rest, swollen ankles and legs, feeling tired most of the time and find exercise exhausting), you should speak to your doctor and immediately stop taking Movicol Ease.
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme Website: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use Movicol Ease after the expiry date which is stated on the sachet and carton. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions.
Once you have made up Movicol Ease in water, if you cannot drink it straight away keep it covered and in the fridge (2°C – 8°C). Throw away any solution not used within a 6 hour period.
Do not throw away any medicines via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to throw away medicines you no longer use. These measures will help protect the environment.
Each 13.7 g sachet of Movicol Ease contains the following:
Macrogol 3350 13.125 g
Sodium Chloride 0.3508 g
Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate 0.1786 g
Potassium Chloride 0.0502 g
When it is made into a drink with 125 millilitres of water, each sachet gives the equivalent of:
Sodium 65 millimoles/litre
Chloride 53 millimoles/litre
Potassium 5.4 millimoles/litre
Hydrogen Carbonate 17 millimoles/litre
Movicol Ease is a white powder.
Movicol Ease is available in tubular (stick-pack) sachets.
Movicol Ease is available in boxes of 10 and 20 sachets. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
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This leaflet was last revised in 02/2024.
Other sources of information
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