DULOXETINE CINFAMED 30 mg HARD GASTRO-RESISTANT CAPSULES

Introduction

Package Leaflet: Information for the User

Duloxetine Cinfamed 30 mg Hard Gastro-Resistant Capsules

Read all of this leaflet carefully before you start taking this medicine because it contains important information for you.

• Keep this leaflet, you may need to read it again.
• If you have any further questions, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
• This medicine has been prescribed for you only. Do not pass it on to others. It may harm them, even if their signs of illness are the same as yours.
• If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. See section 4.

Contents of the pack:

1. What Duloxetine Cinfamed is and what it is used for
2. What you need to know before you take Duloxetine Cinfamed
3. How to take Duloxetine Cinfamed
4. Possible side effects
5. Storing Duloxetine Cinfamed
6. Contents of the pack and other information

1. What Duloxetine Cinfamed is and what it is used for

This medicine contains the active substance duloxetine. Duloxetine Cinfamed increases the levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the nervous system.

Duloxetine is used in adults to treat:

• depression
• generalized anxiety disorder (a persistent feeling of anxiety or nervousness)
• diabetic neuropathic pain (often described as burning, shooting, stabbing, stinging, or like an electric shock. There may be loss of sensation in the affected area, or it may become sensitive to touch, heat, cold, or pressure)

Duloxetine starts to work in most people with depression or anxiety within 2 weeks of starting treatment, but it may take between 2 and 4 weeks before you start to feel better. Tell your doctor if you do not feel better after this time. Your doctor may continue to give you this medicine when you are feeling better to prevent your depression or anxiety from returning.

In people with diabetic neuropathic pain, it may take some weeks before you feel better. Consult your doctor if you do not feel better after 2 months.

2. What you need to know before you take Duloxetine Cinfamed

Do not take Duloxetine Cinfamed if:

• you are allergic to duloxetine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
• you have liver failure
• you have severe kidney disease
• you are taking or have taken within the last 14 days another medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) (see "Other medicines and Duloxetine Cinfamed")
• you are taking fluvoxamine, which is usually used to treat depression, ciprofloxacin, or enoxacin, which are used to treat some infections
• you are taking other medicines that contain duloxetine (see "Other medicines and Duloxetine Cinfamed")

Tell your doctor if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. Your doctor will tell you if you should take duloxetine.

Warnings and precautions

Duloxetine may not be suitable for you due to the following reasons. Tell your doctor before you start taking duloxetine if:

• you are using other medicines for depression (see "Other medicines and Duloxetine Cinfamed")
• you are taking St. John's Wort, a herbal remedy (Hypericum perforatum)
• you have any kidney disease
• you have had seizures (fits)
• you have had mania
• you have bipolar disorder
• you have eye problems, such as certain types of glaucoma (increased eye pressure)
• you have had bleeding problems (a tendency to develop bruises), especially if you are pregnant (see "Pregnancy and breastfeeding")
• you are at risk of having low sodium levels (for example, if you are taking diuretics, especially if you are an elderly person)
• you are taking other medicines that may cause liver damage
• you are taking other medicines that contain duloxetine (see "Other medicines and Duloxetine Cinfamed")

Duloxetine may cause a feeling of restlessness or an inability to sit or stand still. If this happens, you should tell your doctor.

Some medicines of the same class as duloxetine (called SSRIs/SNRIs) may cause symptoms of sexual dysfunction (see section 4). In some cases, these symptoms have persisted after stopping treatment.

Suicidal thoughts and worsening of your depression or anxiety disorder

If you are depressed and/or have an anxiety disorder, you may sometimes have thoughts of harming or killing yourself. These thoughts may be increased when you first start taking antidepressants, since these medicines all take time to start working, usually about two weeks but sometimes longer.

You are more likely to have these thoughts if:

• you have previously had thoughts of self-harm or suicide
• you are a young adult. Information from clinical trials has shown an increased risk of suicidal behavior in adults aged less than 25 years with psychiatric conditions who were treated with an antidepressant

Contact your doctor or go to the hospital immediately if you have any thoughts of self-harm or suicide.

It may be helpful to tell a relative or close friend that you are depressed or have an anxiety disorder, and ask them to read this leaflet. You might ask them to tell you if they think your depression or anxiety is getting worse, or if they are worried about changes in your behavior.

You should also contact your doctor if:

If you experience signs and symptoms of agitation, hallucinations, loss of coordination, rapid heartbeat, increased body temperature, rapid changes in blood pressure, overactive reflexes, diarrhea, coma, nausea, vomiting, as you may be suffering from serotonin syndrome.

In its most severe form, serotonin syndrome can resemble Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). The signs and symptoms of NMS may include a combination of fever, rapid heartbeat, sweating, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, increased muscle enzymes (determined by a blood test).

Children and adolescents under 18 years

Duloxetine should not normally be used in children and adolescents under 18 years. Also, you should know that patients under 18 have an increased risk of side effects such as suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts, and hostility (predominantly aggression, oppositional behavior, and anger) when they take this class of medicines. Despite this, your doctor may prescribe this medicine to patients under 18 because they decide that it is in the patient's best interest. If your doctor has prescribed duloxetine to a patient under 18 and you want to discuss this, please go back to your doctor. You should tell your doctor if any of the above symptoms occur or worsen in patients under 18 taking duloxetine. Also, in this age group, the long-term safety of duloxetine related to growth, maturation, and cognitive and behavioral development has not yet been demonstrated.

Other medicines and Duloxetine Cinfamed

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken, or might take any other medicines.

The main component of this medicine, duloxetine, is used in other medicines for other treatments:

• diabetic neuropathic pain, depression, anxiety, and urinary incontinence

You should avoid taking more than one of these medicines at the same time. Check with your doctor if you are already taking other medicines that contain duloxetine.

Your doctor will decide if you can take duloxetine with other medicines. Do not start or stop taking any medicines, including those bought without a prescription and herbal remedies, without first talking to your doctor.

You should also tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs):you should not take duloxetine if you are taking, or have taken within the last 14 days, another antidepressant medicine called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI). Examples of MAOIs include moclobemide (an antidepressant) and linezolid (an antibiotic). Taking an MAOI with many prescription medicines, including this medicine, can cause serious side effects, even death. You should wait at least 14 days after stopping an MAOI before taking duloxetine. Similarly, you should wait at least 5 days after stopping duloxetine before taking an MAOI.

Medicines that cause drowsiness:these include medicines prescribed by your doctor, such as benzodiazepines, strong painkillers, antipsychotics, phenobarbital, and antihistamines.

Medicines that increase serotonin levels:triptans, tramadol, tryptophan, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs, such as paroxetine and fluoxetine), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs, such as venlafaxine), tricyclic antidepressants (such as clomipramine, amitriptyline), pethidine, St. John's Wort, and MAOIs (such as moclobemide and linezolid). These medicines increase the risk of side effects; if you notice any unusual symptoms when taking any of these medicines with duloxetine, you should tell your doctor.

Oral anticoagulants or antiplatelet agents:medicines that thin the blood or prevent blood clots. These medicines may increase the risk of bleeding.

Taking Duloxetine Cinfamed with food, drinks, and alcohol

This medicine can be taken with or without food. You should be careful if you drink alcohol while being treated with duloxetine.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant, or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine.

• Tell your doctor if you become pregnant or are planning to become pregnant while being treated with duloxetine. This medicine should only be used during pregnancy if your doctor considers it essential. You and your doctor should weigh up the benefits of treatment against any possible risk to the fetus.

• Make sure your midwife and/or doctor know you are taking duloxetine. Other similar medicines (SSRIs) taken during pregnancy may increase the risk of a serious condition in babies, called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), which makes the baby breathe faster and may turn blue. These symptoms usually start during the first 24 hours after the baby is born. If this happens to your baby, you should contact your midwife and/or doctor immediately.

• If you take duloxetine near the end of your pregnancy, your baby may experience some symptoms when it is born, such as weakness, trembling, jitteriness, not feeding properly, difficulty breathing, and seizures. If your baby has any of these symptoms when it is born, or if you are worried about your baby's health, contact your doctor or midwife who will be able to advise you.

• If you take duloxetine near the end of your pregnancy, there is a greater risk of heavy vaginal bleeding shortly after giving birth, especially if you have had bleeding problems. Your doctor or midwife should know that you are taking duloxetine so that they can advise you.

• Data on the use of duloxetine in the first three months of pregnancy do not show an increased overall risk of birth defects in the baby. If you take duloxetine during the second half of your pregnancy, there is a greater risk that your baby may be born early (6 additional premature babies per 100 women treated with duloxetine in the second half of pregnancy), especially between weeks 35 and 36 of pregnancy.

• Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding. Duloxetine is not recommended during breast-feeding. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

Driving and using machines

During treatment with duloxetine, you may feel drowsy or dizzy. Do not drive or operate tools or machines until you know how the treatment affects you.

Duloxetine Cinfamed contains sucrose

This medicine contains sucrose. If your doctor has told you that you have an intolerance to some sugars, consult your doctor before taking this medicine.

Duloxetine Cinfamed contains sodium

This medicine contains less than 1 mmol of sodium (23 mg) per capsule; this is essentially "sodium-free".

3. How to take Duloxetine Cinfamed

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. If you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.

Duloxetine should be taken orally. You should swallow the capsule whole with water.

For depression and diabetic neuropathic pain:

The recommended dose of duloxetine is 60 mg once a day, but your doctor will prescribe the dose that is best for you.

For generalized anxiety disorder:

The usual starting dose of duloxetine is 30 mg once a day, after which most patients will receive 60 mg once a day, but your doctor will prescribe the dose that is best for you. The dose may be adjusted up to 120 mg a day, depending on your response to duloxetine.

To help you remember to take this medicine, it may be helpful to take it at the same time every day.

Discuss with your doctor how long you should take duloxetine. Do not stop taking this medicine or change your dose without talking to your doctor. It is important to treat your condition adequately to help you improve. If you do not treat your condition, it may not get better and may become more serious and more difficult to treat.

If you take more Duloxetine Cinfamed than you should

Contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately if you take more duloxetine than you should. Symptoms of overdose include drowsiness, coma, serotonin syndrome (a rare reaction that can cause intense happiness, drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness, feeling drunk, fever, sweating, or muscle stiffness), seizures, vomiting, and rapid heartbeat.

In case of overdose or accidental ingestion, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately or call the Toxicology Information Service, telephone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount taken.

If you forget to take Duloxetine Cinfamed

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take a single dose as usual. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. Do not take more duloxetine than you should in a day.

If you stop taking Duloxetine Cinfamed

Do not stop taking your capsules without talking to your doctor first, even if you feel better. If your doctor thinks you do not need to take duloxetine anymore, they will tell you how to reduce your dose over at least 2 weeks before stopping treatment.

Some patients who stop taking this medicine suddenly have experienced symptoms such as:

• dizziness, tingling sensations like pins and needles or electric shock-like sensations (especially in the head), sleep disturbances (vivid dreams, nightmares, inability to sleep), fatigue, drowsiness, restlessness or agitation, anxiety, nausea or vomiting, tremor, headache, muscle pain, irritability, diarrhea, and excessive sweating or dizziness

These symptoms are usually not serious and disappear within a few days, but if you have symptoms that are troublesome, ask your doctor for advice.

If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

4. Possible Adverse Effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them. These effects are usually mild to moderate and disappear, often, within a few weeks.

Very Common Adverse Effects (may affect more than 1 in 10 patients)

• headache, drowsiness
• discomfort (nausea), dry mouth

Common Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 patients)

• loss of appetite
• difficulty sleeping, feeling of agitation, decreased sexual desire, anxiety, difficulty or inability to have an orgasm, unusual dreams
• dizziness, feeling of slowness, tremors, numbness, including numbness, itching, or tingling of the skin
• blurred vision
• tinnitus (perception of sounds in the ear when there is no external sound)
• feeling palpitations in the chest
• increased blood pressure, flushing
• increased yawning
• constipation, diarrhea, stomach pain, vomiting, heartburn or indigestion, gas
• increased sweating, rash (itching)
• muscle pain, muscle spasms
• difficulty urinating, frequent urination
• difficulty getting an erection, changes in ejaculation
• falls (mostly in elderly people), fatigue
• weight loss

Children and adolescents under 18 years of age with depression treated with this medicine suffered a decrease in weight when they started taking this medicine. After 6 months of treatment, the weight increased to similar levels as other children and adolescents of the same age and sex.

Uncommon Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 patients)

• inflammation of the throat that causes hoarseness
• suicidal thoughts, difficulty sleeping, teeth grinding, feeling of disorientation, lack of motivation
• muscle spasms and involuntary movements, feeling of restlessness or inability to sit still or remain quiet, nervousness, difficulty concentrating, changes in taste, difficulty controlling movements, e.g., lack of coordination or involuntary muscle movements, restless legs syndrome, poor quality sleep
• dilation of the pupils (the black dot in the center of the eye), vision problems
• feeling of dizziness or vertigo, ear pain
• rapid and/or irregular heartbeats
• fainting, dizziness, feeling of dizziness or fainting when standing up, coldness in the fingers of the hands and/or feet
• throat spasms, nosebleeds
• vomiting blood, or black stools, gastroenteritis, belching, difficulty swallowing
• liver inflammation that can cause abdominal pain and yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eyes
• night sweats, rashes, cold sweats, sensitivity to sunlight, increased tendency to bruise
• muscle stiffness, muscle spasms
• difficulty or inability to urinate, difficulty starting urination, need to urinate at night, need to urinate more than usual, decreased urine flow
• abnormal vaginal bleeding, abnormal menstrual periods, including heavy, painful, irregular, or prolonged menstruation, exceptionally light or absent menstruation, pain in the testicles or scrotum
• chest pain, feeling of cold, thirst, chills, feeling of heat, alteration in gait
• weight gain
• duloxetine may cause effects that you may not be aware of, such as increased liver enzymes or potassium levels in the blood, creatine phosphokinase, sugar, or cholesterol.

Rare Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 patients)

• severe allergic reactions that cause difficulty breathing or dizziness with swelling of the tongue or lips, allergic reactions
• decreased activity of the thyroid gland, which can cause fatigue or weight gain
• dehydration, low sodium levels in the blood (mostly in elderly people; symptoms may include feeling of dizziness, weakness, confusion, sleepiness, or excessive tiredness, nausea, or vomiting, the most serious symptoms are fainting, seizures, or falls), syndrome of inadequate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH)
• suicidal behavior, mania (hyperactivity, accelerated thinking, and decreased need for sleep), hallucinations, aggression, and anger
• “Serotonin syndrome” (a rare reaction that can cause a feeling of intense happiness, drowsiness, clumsiness, restlessness, feeling of being drunk, fever, sweating, or muscle stiffness), convulsions
• increased pressure in the eye (glaucoma)
• cough, wheezing, and shortness of breath, which may be accompanied by high fever
• inflammation of the mouth, bright red blood in the stool, bad breath, inflammation of the large intestine (leading to diarrhea)
• liver failure, yellowing of the skin or the white part of the eyes (jaundice)
• Stevens-Johnson syndrome (a serious disease with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes, and genitals), severe allergic reactions that cause swelling of the face or throat (angioedema)
• contractions of the jaw muscle
• unusual odor of urine
• menopausal symptoms, abnormal milk production in men or women
• excessive vaginal bleeding shortly after birth (postpartum hemorrhage)

Very Rare Adverse Effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 patients)

• inflammation of the blood vessels in the skin (cutaneous vasculitis)

Adverse Effects with Unknown Frequency (cannot be estimated from the available data)

• signs and symptoms of a condition called “stress cardiomyopathy”, which may include chest pain, difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting, and irregular heartbeats

Reporting Adverse Effects

If you experience any type of adverse effect, consult your doctor or pharmacist, even if it is a possible adverse effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: https://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.

5. Storage of Duloxetine Cinfamed

Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.

Do not use this medicine after the expiration date that appears on the packaging after CAD. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.

Do not store at a temperature above 30°C. Store in the original packaging to protect it from light.

Medicines should not be thrown away through wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medicines that you no longer need at the SIGRE point in the pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medicines that you no longer need. This way, you will help protect the environment.

6. Package Contents and Additional Information

Composition of Duloxetine Cinfamed

The active ingredient is duloxetine.

Each capsule contains 30 mg of duloxetine (as hydrochloride).

The other ingredients are:

Capsule content: hypromellose, talc, titanium dioxide (E-171), methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer (1:1) dispersion at 30% (sodium lauryl sulfate, polysorbate 80, and methacrylic acid-ethyl acrylate copolymer), triethyl citrate, sugar spheres (sucrose and cornstarch), and sucrose.

Capsule shell: carmine/azure FD&C 2 (E-132), titanium dioxide (E-171), and gelatin.

Capsule body: titanium dioxide (E-171) and gelatin.

Black ink: shellac, potassium hydroxide, and black iron oxide (E-172).

Appearance of the Product and Package Contents

Hard gelatin capsules, with a white opaque body and a blue opaque cap, filled with white to beige/salmon-colored spheres and printed with “E” on the cap and “127” on the body.

Duloxetine Cinfamed 30 mg is available in PVC/PVDC-Alu blister packs of 7 and 28 hard gastro-resistant capsules.

Marketing Authorization Holder and Manufacturer

Marketing authorization holder:

Laboratorios Cinfa, S.A.

Carretera Olaz-Chipi, 10. Polígono Industrial Areta

31620 Huarte (Navarra) – Spain

Manufacturer:

TOWA PHARMACEUTICAL EUROPE, SL

C/ de Sant Martí 75-97, Martorelles

08107 Barcelona

or

Laboratorios Cinfa, S.A.

Carretera Olaz-Chipi, 10. Polígono Industrial Areta

31620 Huarte (Navarra) – Spain

Date of the Last Revision of this Leaflet:August 2024

Detailed information about this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es/

You can access detailed and updated information about this medicine by scanning the QR code included in the leaflet and packaging with your mobile phone (smartphone). You can also access this information at the following internet address: https://cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtml/p/86280/P_86280.html

QR code to: https://cima.aemps.es/cima/dochtml/p/86280/P_86280.html