Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) summary
The
full CMI on the next page has more details. If you are worried about using this medicine,
speak to your doctor or pharmacist.
1. Why am I using SERC?
SERC contains the active ingredient betahistine dihydrochloride. SERC is used to treat
a disorder of your inner ear. This disorder may include one or more of the following
symptoms, in one or both ears: ringing in the ears (tinnitus), loss of clear hearing
and problems with balance (vertigo). These symptoms may also be associated with nausea,
vomiting and headache. Often these symptoms together are referred to as Meniere's
Syndrome.
2. What should I know before I use SERC?
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to betahistine dihydrochloride
or any of the ingredients listed at the end of the CMI.
Do not take this medicine if you have peptic ulcer or a rare abnormality of the adrenal
gland known as phaeochromocytoma.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions (e.g. peptic ulcer, asthma
or a history of skin conditions), take any other medicines, or are pregnant or plan
to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Some medicines may interfere with SERC and affect how it works.
4. How do I use SERC?
The usual adult starting dose is half to one tablet taken three times a day.
Take SERC at about the same time each day during or immediately after a meal.
5. What should I know while using SERC?
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Things you should do
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Remind any doctor or pharmacist you visit that you are using SERC.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon that you are taking this medicine.
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Things you should not do
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Do not stop taking SERC, or change the dosage, without checking with your doctor.
Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor or pharmacist
tells you to.
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Driving or using machines
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SERC is indicated for Meniere’s syndrome with symptoms of vertigo, hearing loss and
tinnitus which can negatively affect the ability to drive and use machines.
SERC is shown to have no or negligible effects to affect the ability to drive.
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Looking after your medicine
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Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.
Keep the medicine in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays below 30°C.
Keep it where children cannot reach it.
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6. Are there any side effects?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
skin irritations, stomach upsets, dizziness, fast heartbeat, headache and difficulty
sleeping (insomnia). Stomach upsets can be overcome by taking SERC during meals.
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any skin reactions or difficulty
breathing.
Active ingredient:
betahistine dihydrochloride
Full Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using SERC. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information
or if you have any concerns or questions about using SERC.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using SERC?
SERC contains the active ingredient betahistine dihydrochloride. SERC works by improving the blood flow of the inner ear and restoring it to normal.
It also acts on the nerve endings in the inner ear to normalise the way in which the
nerves respond to outside influences.
SERC is used to treat a disorder of your inner ear. This disorder may include one
or more of the following symptoms, in one or both ears:
ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
loss of clear hearing
problems with balance (vertigo)
These symptoms may also be associated with nausea, vomiting and headache. Often these
symptoms together are referred to as Meniere's Syndrome.
2. What should I know before I use SERC?
Warnings
Do not use SERC if:
you are allergic to betahistine dihydrochloride, or any of the ingredients listed
at the end of this leaflet.
Always check the ingredients to make sure you can use this medicine.
Some symptoms of an allergic reaction include skin rash, itching, shortness of breath
or swelling of the face, lips or tongue, which may cause difficulty in swallowing
or breathing.
Do not give SERC to a child under the age of 18 years.
Do not take SERC if you have a rare abnormality of the adrenal gland known as phaeochromocytoma.
Do not take SERC if you have or have had a peptic ulcer.
Do not take SERC if the packaging is damaged or shows signs of tampering.
Check with your doctor if you:
Have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
a peptic ulcer
asthma
a history of allergic skin conditions
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section
6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Check with your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.
Do not take this medicine if you are pregnant.
It may affect your developing baby if you take it during pregnancy.
Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.
Do not breastfeed if you are taking this medicine.
The active ingredient in SERC may pass into breast milk and therefore there is a possibility
your baby may be affected.
This medicine is not addictive.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and SERC may interfere with each other
These include:
any anti-histamine medications, which are used to treat allergies and allergic reactions
These medicines may be affected by SERC, or may affect how well it works. You may
need to use different amounts of your medicine, or take different medicines.
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect SERC.
4. How do I use SERC?
How much to take
The usual adult starting dose is half to one tablet taken three times a day.
However, your doctor may prescribe a different dose depending on the severity of your
condition.
Follow the instructions provided and continue taking SERC as long as your doctor tells
you.
If you follow your doctor's instructions, SERC should start working within a few days,
although in some cases it may take a few weeks. The length of time that you should
take SERC tablets varies from patient to patient. Some patients respond rapidly to
treatment and others may take some time. Please be patient with your treatment and
take your tablets regularly.
When to take SERC
Take SERC at about the same time each day.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you
remember when to take it.
Take SERC during or immediately after a meal.
If you take SERC on an empty stomach, it may cause stomach upsets.
How to take SERC
Swallow the tablet with a full glass of water.
If you forget to take SERC
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next
dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember, and then go back to taking your medicine
as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
This may increase the chance of getting an unwanted side effect.
If you use too much SERC
If you think that you have used too much SERC, you may need urgent medical attention.
You should immediately:
phone the Poisons Information Centre
(Australia telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or
contact your doctor, or
go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Symptoms of an overdose may include nausea.
5. What should I know while using SERC?
Things you should do
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon that you are taking this medicine.
Call your doctor straight away if you:
if you become pregnant while you are taking this medicine
Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using SERC.
Things you should not do
Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly, or change the dosage, without checking
with your doctor.
Do not use this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor or pharmacist
tells you to.
Do not give this medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as
you.
Driving or using machines
SERC is indicated for Meniere’s syndrome with symptoms of vertigo, hearing loss and
tinnitus which can negatively affect the ability to drive and use machines.
SERC is shown to have no or negligible effects to affect the ability to drive.
Looking after your medicine
Keep your tablets in the pack until it is time to take them.
If you take the tablets out of the box or the blister pack they may not keep well.
Follow the instructions in the carton on how to take care of your medicine properly.
Store it in a cool dry place below 30°C away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for
example, do not store it:
in the bathroom or near a sink, or
in the car or on window sills.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy
for safe disposal.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
6. Are there any side effects?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you
are taking SERC.
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of
them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any further questions about side effects.
Serious side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you
feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of
this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop
taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What SERC contains
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Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
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betahistine dihydrochloride
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Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
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citric acid monohydrate
colloidal anhydrous silica
mannitol
microcrystalline cellulose
purified talc
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Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What SERC looks like
SERC 16 mg tablets are uncoated round, biconvex, scored, white to almost white with
bevelled edges, one side inscribed with "267" on either side of the score (AUST R
61687).
Who distributes SERC
Viatris Pty Ltd
Level 1, 30 The Bond
30-34 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 274 276
This leaflet was prepared in July 2023.
SERC® is a Viatris company trade mark
SERC_cmi\Jul23/00