ILAXTEN tabs 20MG contains the active substance bilastine which is an antihistamine. ILAXTEN is used to relieve the symptoms of hayfever (sneezing, itchy, runny, blocked-up nose and red and watery eyes) and other forms of allergic rhinitis. It may also be used to treat itchy skin rashes (hives or urticaria).
Do not take Ilaxten
if you are allergic to bilastine or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Warnings and precautions
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using Ilaxten if you have moderate or severe renal impairment and in addition you are taking other medicines (see ?Other medicines and Ilaxten?).
Children
Do not give this medicine to children under 12 years of age.
Do not?exceed the recommended dose. If symptoms persist, consult your doctor.
Other medicines and Ilaxten
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription
In particular, please discuss with your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:

Ketoconazole (an antifungal medicine)
Erythromycin (an antibiotic)
Diltiazem (to treat angina)
Cyclosporine (to reduce the activity of your immune system, thus avoiding transplant rejection or reducing disease activity in autoimmune and allergic disorders, such as psoriasis, atopic dermatitis or rheumatoid arthritis)
Ritonavir (to treat AIDS)
Rifampicin (an antibiotic)

ILAXTEN with food, drink and alcohol
These tablets should?not?be taken with?food or with grapefruit juice or other fruit juices,?as this will decrease the effect of bilastine. To avoid this, you can:

take the tablet and wait for one hour before taking food or fruit juice or
if you have taken food or fruit juice, wait for two hours before taking the tablet.

Bilastine, at the recommended dose (20 mg), does not increase the drowsiness produced by alcohol.
Pregnancy, breast-feeding and fertility
There are no or limited amount of data from the use of bilastine in pregnant women and during breast-feeding and on the effects on fertility.
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor for advice before taking this medicine. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking any medicine.
Driving and using machines
It has been demonstrated that bilastine 20 mg does not affect the driving performance in adults. However the response from each patient to the medicine may be different. Therefore you should check how this medicine affects you, before driving or operating machinery.
Ilaxten Tabs 20MG contains sodium
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per tablet, that is to say essentially ?sodium free?.

How to take Ilaxten Tabs 20MG

Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist have told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure.
The recommended dose in adults, including the elderly and adolescents aged 12 years and over, is 1 tablet (20 mg) a day.

The tablet is for oral use.
The tablet must be taken one hour before or two hours after intake of food or fruit juice (see section 2, Ilaxten with food, drink and alcohol?).
Swallow your tablet with a glass of water.
The score line is only here to help you break the tablet if you have difficulty swallowing it whole

Regarding the duration of treatment, your physician will determine the type of disease you are suffering from and will determine for how long you should take ILAXTEN.
Use in children
Other forms of this medicine ? orodispersible tablets or oral solution ? may be more suitable for children 6 to 11 years of age with a body weight of at least 20 kg ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not give this medicine to children under 6 years of age with a body weight below 20 kg since no sufficient data are available.
If you take more ILAXTEN TABS 20MG than you should
If you, or anyone else, have taken too many ILAXTEN tablets, contact your doctor or pharmacist?immediately?or go to the emergency department of your nearest hospital. Please remember to take this medicine pack or this leaflet with you.
If you forget to take ILAXTEN TABS 20MG
Do not?take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you forget to take your dose on time, take it as soon as possible, and then go back to your regular dosing schedule.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. If you experience symptoms of an allergic reaction the signs of which may include difficulty in breathing, dizziness, collapsing or losing consciousness, swelling of your face, lips, tongue or throat, and/or swelling and redness of the skin, stop taking the medicine and seek urgent medical advice straight away.
Other side effects that may be experienced in adults and adolescents are:
Common: may affect up to 1 in 10 people

headache
drowsiness