Sodium Benzoate and Sodium Phenylacetate (Systemic)

Brand Names : Ucephan

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to sodium benzoate or sodium phenylacetate. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination has not been studied in pregnant women or animals.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination passes into the breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate may cause serious unwanted effects if given to infants of low birthweight.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing the use of sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking the following:

• Penicillins - Use with penicillins may keep the sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination from working properly

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of sodium benzoate and sodium phenylacetate combination. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Edema (swelling) or
• Heart disease or
• Kidney disease or
• Toxemia of pregnancy - Increased retention of water may make these conditions worse