Comprimés d'hydroxyzine

About hydroxyzine

Hydroxyzine belongs to a group of medicines known as sedating antihistamines. It is used to relieve itching caused by some skin conditions, such as nettle rash (urticaria).

Exposure to substances such as pollen, pet fur, house dust or insect bites can cause some people to produce an excess of a chemical called histamine. This release of histamine can then cause a skin rash and/or itchiness. Because hydroxyzine blocks the effects of histamine, it helps relieve symptoms like these.

Before taking hydroxyzine

To make sure that this is the right treatment for you, before you start taking hydroxyzine it is important that you discuss the treatment with a doctor or pharmacist if:

• Vous êtes enceinte, vous essayez d'avoir un enfant ou vous allaitez.

• You are over 65 years of age. This is because you could be more susceptible to side-effects.

• Vous avez un problème de fonctionnement du foie ou des reins.

• Vous souffrez d'une maladie qui provoque une augmentation de la pression dans vos yeux, comme le glaucome.

• Vous avez des problèmes de prostate ou des difficultés à uriner.

• You know you have an unusual heart rhythm.

• Vous savez que votre intestin grêle est bloqué.

• Vous êtes épileptique.

• You have any long-term breathing problems, such as asthma or bronchitis.

• Vous souffrez d'une maladie sanguine héréditaire rare appelée porphyrie.

• Vous prenez d'autres médicaments. Cela inclut tous les médicaments que vous prenez et qui sont disponibles sans ordonnance, ainsi que les médicaments à base de plantes et les médicaments complémentaires.

• Vous avez déjà eu une réaction allergique à un médicament.

How to take hydroxyzine

• Before you start this treatment, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside your pack. The manufacturer's leaflet will give you more information about hydroxyzine and will provide a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take hydroxyzine exactly as your doctor tells you to. Usually, it is sufficient to take one dose at night to control symptoms. Where this is not the case, you may be asked to take 2 or 3 doses during the day in addition to your dose at night.

• You can take hydroxyzine before or after food. Some people find it helps to swallow the tablets with a drink of water.

• Si vous oubliez de prendre une dose, ne vous inquiétez pas, prenez la dose suivante à l'heure prévue et continuez comme avant. Ne prenez pas deux doses en même temps pour compenser une dose oubliée.

• Most people only need to take an antihistamine for a short while when they have symptoms. You should stop taking hydroxyzine once your symptoms have eased.
  

Tirer le meilleur parti de votre traitement

• Hydroxyzine can cause drowsiness. If this happens to you, do not drive and do not use tools or machines. Alcohol will make the drowsiness worse, so it is best not to drink alcohol while you are on hydroxyzine.

• If you are having an operation or any treatment or tests (particularly if it is to test for an allergy), tell the person due to carry out the treatment that you are taking an antihistamine. This is because you may be advised to stop taking hydroxyzine for a short while before some allergy tests.

• Hydroxyzine may cause some people's skin to become more sensitive to sunlight than normal. Use a sunscreen that protects against UVA light and has a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15, especially in strong sunlight or until you know how your skin reacts. Do not use sunbeds.

• If you buy any medicines, check with a pharmacist that they are safe to take with an antihistamine. This is because a number of other medicines can interfere with the way hydroxyzine works and can increase the risk of side-effects.

Can hydroxyzine cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains the most common ones associated with hydroxyzine. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any continue or become troublesome.

Si vous ressentez d'autres symptômes qui pourraient être dus à ce médicament, demandez conseil à votre médecin ou à votre pharmacien.

How to store hydroxyzine

• Conservez tous les médicaments hors de la portée et de la vue des enfants.

• Conserver dans un endroit frais et sec, à l'abri de la chaleur et de la lumière directes.

Informations importantes sur tous les médicaments