Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Clomiphene Citrate.

It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Clomiphene Citrate against the benefits he/she expects it will have for you.

If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.

About 20% of couples who experience difficulty in conceiving, do so because the woman's ovaries are not producing and releasing an egg each menstrual cycle (anovulation). Your doctor has prescribed Clomiphene Citrate to treat this.

Clomiphene Citrate acts by causing a gland in the brain (the anterior pituitary) to release hormones which stimulate ovulation.

It must be remembered that there are many causes of anovulation, so Clomiphene Citrate may not be effective in all cases.

When taking Clomiphene Citrate there should be 28-32 days from the beginning of one period to the next. Your ovaries should release an egg 6-12 days after a course of Clomiphene Citrate. You should have intercourse around this time to maximise your chances of conception.

If your period does not arrive after the 35th day there are two likely possibilities:

the dose of Clomiphene Citrate has not been sufficient to produce ovulation,

or

you are pregnant

If your period is overdue, contact your doctor/fertility unit and they will advise you what steps to take.

This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Things you must not do

Do not give Clomiphene Citrate to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Do not use Clomiphene Citrate to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.

Things to be careful of

Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how Clomiphene Citrate affects you. Clomiphene Citrate may cause visual disturbances in some people. Make sure you know how you react to Clomiphene Citrate before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are dizzy or have blurred vision.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking Clomiphene Citrate. Clomiphene Citrate helps many people with infertility, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious; most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following:

• hot flushes
• intermenstrual ("between period") spotting or heavy menstrual periods
• nausea or vomiting
• breast discomfort
• headache
• insomnia, nervousness, depression, fatigue, dizziness or light-headedness
• rash or skin irritations
• increased frequency of urination
• hair loss
• fever
• vaginal discharge
• seizures
• visual problems
• increased heart rate
• palpitations

If any of the following happen, stop taking Clomiphene Citrate and tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately:

• blurred vision, spots or flashes
• abdominal discomfort or pelvic pain, soreness or a "bloated" feeling
• weight gain

The chances of ectopic pregnancies (foetus growing outside the womb) are higher if you conceive on Clomiphene Citrate.

Clomiphene Citrate may cause uterine fibroids to grow in size.

Prolonged Clomiphene Citrate use may be associated with a small increase in the risk of ovarian cancer.

Hypertriglyceridemia (high triglyceride levels in blood) has been observed in patients who have pre-existing or a family history of hypertriglyceridaemia.

Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

Storage

Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets out of the pack they will not keep well.

Keep your tablets in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C.

Do not store Clomiphene Citrate or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.

Do not leave it in the car on hot days or on window sills. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.

Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.

Disposal

If your doctor or pharmacist tells you to stop taking Clomiphene Citrate or the tablets have passed their expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that are left over.

What it looks like

Clomiphene Citrate tablets are white with a score line and 50 on the scored side.

The 50mg strength is available in boxes of 5- 10 tablets depend on the manufacturer.

Ingredients

Each Clomid tablet contains clomiphene citrate (50mg), sucrose, lactose, maize starch and magnesium stearate.

Clomid does not contain tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

(Clomhexal) (Serophene) (GenRx® Clomiphene) (Fermil) contain the active ingredient Clomiphene Citrate and other components not necessarily similar to Clomid