Heligan 5 mg/5 ml Syrup

Sedating phenothiazine antihistamine for:

• Allergic conditions: hay fever, hives, itching, allergic reactions
• Nausea and vomiting, motion sickness
• Short-term insomnia and sedation (including before procedures)
• Cough and cold preparations (with other ingredients)
• Adjunct in anaphylaxis (injection)

Adults:

• Allergy: 10–20 mg two to three times daily, or 25 mg at night.
• Nausea / motion sickness: 25 mg at bedtime the night before travel, repeated after 6–8 hours as needed.
• Sleep: 25–50 mg at bedtime.
• Injection: 25–50 mg deep IM (health professional).

Children (not under 2 years):

• 2–5 years: 5–15 mg daily (allergy) in 1–2 doses.
• 5–10 years: 10–25 mg daily in 1–2 doses.
• Do not use in children under 2 years (fatal breathing depression).

• Children under 2 years
• Coma, severe CNS depression
• Use of MAO inhibitors within 14 days
• Allergy to phenothiazines
• Injection: not into an artery or under the skin (severe tissue damage)

Common: drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, blurred vision, constipation, difficulty passing urine, next-day hangover effect.

Less common: confusion (especially elderly), restlessness, paradoxical excitation in children, sun sensitivity.

Rare but serious: breathing depression, seizures, jaundice, low blood counts, neuroleptic malignant syndrome, severe tissue injury from injection.

• Do not drive or operate machinery; avoid alcohol.
• Elderly: increased risk of confusion and falls.
• Asthma, glaucoma, enlarged prostate, epilepsy, liver disease, sleep apnoea: caution.
• Stop 72 hours before allergy skin tests.

May be used occasionally for nausea in pregnancy on medical advice; avoid in the last 2 weeks (breathing depression and irritability in newborn). Avoid regular use while breastfeeding.

• Alcohol, opioids, benzodiazepines, other sedatives (deep sedation, breathing depression)
• MAO inhibitors (contraindicated), tricyclic antidepressants, anticholinergics (more side effects)
• Drugs prolonging QT
• Metoclopramide (opposing effects)

Deep sedation, confusion, seizures, breathing depression; children may become agitated and hallucinate. Emergency treatment.

Store below 30°C, protected from light.