Hyoscine butylbromide
Consumer Medicine Information
NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia. This page contains answers to some common questions about . It does not contain all the information that is known about . It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risk of you using this medicine against the benefits he/she expects it will have for you. If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist. Bookmark or print this page, you may need to read it again.
What Buscopan is used for
Buscopan is known as an anticholinergic medicine. It relieves the pain of stomach and bowel cramps by helping your digestive system to relax.
Buscopan in packs of 20 tablets can be bought from a pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. A larger pack size containing 100 tablets is available on prescription from a doctor.
Buscopan in packs of 20 tablets is intended for the treatment of temporary complaints.
Always consult your doctor or pharmacist if the pain does not improve within 48 hours or if pain worsens after treatment.
Before taking Buscopan
When not to take Buscopan
Do not take Buscopan if you are allergic to hyoscine butylbromide or to any of the other ingredients in Buscopan.
These ingredients are listed in full at the end of this leaflet (See Ingredients).
If you are uncertain as to whether you have such an allergy you should raise this concern with your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take Buscopan if you have fructose intolerance.
This is because Buscopan contains sucrose as an ingredient.
Do not take Buscopan if you have myasthenia gravis, glaucoma, porphyria or a condition of the bowel known as megacolon.
Seek advice from your doctor or pharmacist if you have, or have had a prostate or heart condition.
This is because Buscopan should not be used in some types of prostate disease and a certain type of heart complaint.
Buscopan should not be used when there is a blockage in the stomach or bowel, or in certain conditions when there is reduced bowel activity.
These conditions are best explained by your doctor or pharmacist.
You should never take Buscopan after the EXPIRY DATE on the product packaging.
You should not use Buscopan if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
Before you start taking Buscopan
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to discuss with you the things you ought to know before taking Buscopan, particularly if you have not taken it before.
Before taking Buscopan you must tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, obtained with or without a doctor's prescription.
In particular you should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking:
metoclopramide
quinidine
amantadine
medicines used to treat some mental conditions
any medicine which contains antihistamines (commonly used to treat allergies)
any medicine for the treatment of depression, heart disease or respiratory disease
anticholinergic medicines such as tiotropium or ipratropium
any other medicine for the treatment of this or another stomach or bowel condition
It is important to discuss this with your doctor or pharmacist because Buscopan may not work as well in the presence of some other medicines or side effects may be increased.
Pregnancy
Special care is recommended during pregnancy, particularly in the first three months.
Ask for your doctor's advice if you are pregnant, or likely to become pregnant during your course of medication.
Breastfeeding
Special care is recommended if you are breastfeeding as no studies have been conducted in nursing women.
Ask for your doctor's advice if you are breastfeeding or likely to breastfeed during the course of your medication.
Children
Buscopan tablets are not recommended for use in children under 6 years of age.
Ability to drive or operate machinery
In rare cases, Buscopan may cause drowsiness.
If affected, do not drive or operate machinery.
Alcohol
Do not drink alcohol while on medication with Buscopan.
Alcohol may increase the chance of side effects such as drowsiness.
Taking Buscopan
Recommended Dose
The recommended dose for adults and children over 6 years of age is two tablets four times a day (taken about every 4-6 hours).
Tablets should be swallowed whole with a little fluid.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further information if they have advised you to take a different dose.
Do not take Buscopan for longer than 2-3 days at a time except on the recommendation of a doctor. One pack of Buscopan 20 tablets is enough for 2 ½ days treatment at the recommended dose.
If you forget to take a dose
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if you remember when it is almost time for your next dose, take only your usual dose at that time.
It is not necessary to finish taking all the tablets in the pack if you find you no longer have any pain.
Overdose
Seek medical advice if you have used more than the recommended or prescribed dose of Buscopan and you experience signs of overdose as listed below.
Signs of overdose may include drowsiness, dry mouth, difficulty passing urine, reddening of the skin, decreased gastrointestinal tract movement, fast heart rate and sight disturbances.
Advice can be provided by a doctor, pharmacist or Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26).
Do not drive a car or operate machinery if you have taken more than the recommended or prescribed dose of Buscopan.
While you are taking Buscopan
As mentioned previously, do not drink alcohol. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you begin taking any other medicine while you are taking Buscopan.
Cramps in the stomach or bowel may be temporary or may signal the presence of a more serious problem.
Always consult your doctor or pharmacist if the pain is severe or does not improve within 48 hours of taking Buscopan.
Side effects
You should be aware that all medicines carry some risks and that all possible risks may not be known at this stage despite thorough testing.
Ask for the advice of your doctor or pharmacist if you have any concerns about the effects of taking this medicine.
Many of the side effects listed of Buscopan are due to its anticholinergic properties. If side effects occur, they are usually mild when Buscopan is used at the recommended dose, and may disappear when you have stopped taking Buscopan.
Buscopan tablets may cause:
dry mouth
fast heart rate
reduced sweating
a skin condition called dyshidrosis
difficulty with passing urine.
Buscopan tablets may also cause:
allergic reactions (such as skin rashes, or swelling of the face and difficulty in breathing)
sudden life-threatening allergic reactions (anaphylaxis with episodes of shortness of breath and shock).
If these occur, seek medical advice or attention immediately.
Otherwise, tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you experience any side effects during or after using Buscopan.
Unexpected effects, not listed above, can occur with any medicine.
You should tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything unusual, during or after taking Buscopan.
After taking Buscopan
Storage
Leave all tablets in the pack until it is time to take a dose.
The packaging protects the tablets.
Buscopan should be kept in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.
For example, do not leave your tablets in a car or store them in the bathroom. Heat and dampness will damage the tablets.
Keep Buscopan tablets where children cannot reach them.
Disposal
After the expiry date has passed, any unused Buscopan should be returned to your pharmacist so that it can be disposed of safely.
Product Description
What the tablets look like
Buscopan is the brand name of your tablets. These tablets are small, shiny and white in colour.
Buscopan is available in blister packs of 20 tablets (PHARMACY MEDICINE) or blister pack of 100 tablets (PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICINE).
These packs are identified by Australian Registration numbers which appear on the outer carton. The number for the blister packs is AUST R 48256.
Ingredients
Each Buscopan tablet contains 10 mg of hyoscine butylbromide.
There are also a number of other ingredients which are used in the formation of the tablet core. These ingredients are calcium hydrogen phosphate, maize starch, soluble starch, colloidal anhydrous silica, tartaric acid and stearic acid.
Ingredients used in the sugar coating are sucrose, povidone, purified talc, acacia, titanium dioxide, macrogol 6000, carnauba wax and white beeswax.
Manufacturer
Buscopan is made in France and supplied in Australia by:
Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Limited
(ABN 52 000 452 308)
78 Waterloo Road
NORTH RYDE NSW 2113
This leaflet was prepared on 31 July 1995 and revised 25 March 2010.
BUSCOPAN is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim
© Boehringer Ingelheim Pty Limited 2010
