Beechams Cold & Flu Tablets, Pain & Congestion Relief Medicine with Paracetamol, 16 tablets

Product Information

Contains paracetamol. Do not take with other flu, cold or decongestant products. Do not take anything else containing paracetamol while taking this medicine. Do not take more medicine than the label tells you to. If you do not get better, talk to your doctor. Seek immediate medical advice if you take too much of this medicine even if you feel well. Contains paracetamol. Care is advised in the administration of paracetamol to patients with severe renal or severe hepatic impairment. The concomitant use with other products containing paracetamol may lead to an overdose. Paracetamol overdose may cause liver failure which may require liver transplant or lead to death. The hazard of overdose is greater in those with non-cirrhotic alcoholic liver disease.

Beechams powders capsules contain three active ingredients, paracetamol (300mg), phenylephrine (5mg) and caffeine (25mg). Alcohol increases the risk of liver damage that can occur if an overdose of paracetamol is taken. The hazards of paracetamol overdose are greater in persistant heavy drinkers and in people with alcoholic liver disease. Evidence for cough syrups, however, is thin on the ground. They might offer some comfort at the time you take them, simply by coating the throat, but they'll have little to no effect on the natural course of the infection. The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist. How can this medicine affect other medicines? The anticoagulant effect of warfarin and other coumarins may be enhanced by prolonged regular daily use of paracetamol with an increased risk of bleeding; occasional doses have no significant effect.Excessive intake of caffeine (e.g. coffee, tea and some canned drinks) should be avoided while taking this product. There are times when you might want to opt for a specific formulation and pay a bit more. For example, if you have trouble swallowing pills and need a tablet that dissolves in water, or has a smooth gel coating,

Overdose of caffeine may result in epigastric pain, vomiting, diurese, tachycardia or cardiac arrhythmia, CNS stimulation (insomnia, restlessness, excitement, agitation, jitteriness, tremors and convulsions). It's fine to take Beechams flu plus caplets with plain ibuprofen or aspirin (assuming these are appropriate for you). However, don't take them with co-codamol, co-dydramol or Tramacet because these contain paracetamol. Do not take with any other paracetamol-containing products. Do not take with other flu, cold or decongestant products.

If phenylephrine is taken with any of the following medicines, the combination may cause an increase in blood pressure. If you are already taking any of these medicines you should avoid taking this one as well: Concomitant use of phenylephrine hydrochloride may cause an increased risk of ergotism (see Warnings and Precautions).

No specific antidote is available, but supportive measures such as beta adrenoceptor antagonists to reverse the cardiotoxic effects may be used. Women who are breastfeeding. (It's not known if phenylephrine passes into breast milk, or its effect on a nursing infant. When taken by mouth, decongestants such as phenylephrine can also temporarily decrease the production of breast milk with just one or two doses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further advice.) The antidiabetic medicines exenatide, lixisenatide and liraglutide may slow down the absorption of paracetamol into the bloodstream, so it might take longer to work if you're using one of these medicines to treat your diabetes. Ask your pharmacist for more advice.

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Paracetamol is a simple painkilling medicine used to relieve mild to moderate pain and fever. Despite its widespread use for over 100 years, we still don't fully understand how paracetamol works to relieve pain and reduce fever. However, it is now thought that it works by reducing the production of prostaglandins in the brain and spinal cord. For the cheapest option, seek out own-brand or generic painkillers. Supermarkets and discount stores are often cheapest, and branded versions can cost nearly five times as much. Long-term or regular use of paracetamol may increase the anti-blood-clotting effect of warfarin and other anticoagulant medicines, leading to an increased risk of bleeding. This effect does not occur with occasional pain-killing doses. Other medicines containing the same active ingredients If you're taking a combination cold and flu medicine that contains paracetamol, make sure you're not also dosing yourself with regular paracetamol. Taking too much puts you at risk of liver damage or failure, so it's important to be careful about how much you're having.