What Movicol Chocolate is and what it is used for

What you need to know before you take Movicol Chocolate

Do not take Movicol Chocolate if your doctor has told you that you have:

• a blockage in your intestine (gut obstruction, ileus)
• a perforated gut wall
• severe inflammatory bowel disease like ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s
• disease or toxic megacolon
• an allergy to the active substances or any of the other ingredients of Movicol Chocolate

Warnings and precautions

When taking Movicol Chocolate you should continue to take plenty of fluids. The fluid content of Movicol should not replace your regular liquid intake.

Heart conditions

Follow the special instructions in section 3 if you are taking Movicol Chocolate for faecal impaction.

Other medicines and Movicol Chocolate

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

Some medicines e.g., anti-epileptics may not work as effectively during use with Movicol Chocolate.

You should not take any other medicines by mouth together with Movicol Chocolate and for one hour before and for one hour after taking Movicol Chocolate.

If you need to thicken fluids in order to swallow them safely, Movicol Chocolate may counteract the effect of the thickener.

Pregnancy and breast feeding

Movicol Chocolate can be taken during pregnancy and whilst breastfeeding. If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your pharmacist or doctor for advice before taking Movicol Chocolate.

Driving and using machines

Movicol Chocolate does not affect your ability to drive or use machines.

Movicol Chocolate contains benzyl alcohol

Movicol Chocolate contains 14.1 mg of benzyl alcohol per sachet. Benzyl alcohol may cause allergic reactions.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice if you have a liver or kidney disease, are pregnant or breastfeeding. This is because large amounts of benzyl alcohol can build-up in your body and may cause side effects (called “metabolic acidosis”).

Movicol Chocolate contains sodium

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you need 3 or more sachets daily for a prolonged period, especially if you have been advised to follow a low salt (sodium) diet.

Movicol Chocolate contains 186.87 mg sodium (main component of cooking/table salt) per sachet. This is equivalent to 9.3% of the recommended maximum daily dietary intake of sodium for an adult.

Possible side effects

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

Tell your doctor immediately and stop taking Movicol Chocolate if you:

• Get a serious allergic reaction which causes difficulty in breathing or dizziness or swelling of the face, lips and tongue or throat.

Other side effects include:

Allergic reactions which may cause a skin rash, itching, reddening of the skin or a nettle rash, swollen hands, feet or ankles, headaches and high or low levels of potassium in the blood.

Sometimes you may have indigestion, stomach ache or rumbles. You may also feel bloated, suffer from wind, feel sick or vomit, may experience soreness of the anus (bottom) and you may have mild diarrhoea when starting to take Movicol Chocolate. These side effects generally get better if you reduce the amount of Movicol Chocolate you take.

Patient Information Leaflet

Click here to view the patient information leaflet.