What is Migraleve Complete?

Migraleve Complete is a combination of pain relief tablets that help to ease migraine attacks. When used together, the Migraleve Pink and Migraleve Yellow tablets in this pack can help to relieve migraines and their symptoms, leaving you free from debilitating migraine pain.

What are migraines?

Migraines are moderate to severe headaches that feel like a throbbing pain on one side of your head. Migraines can have auras, warning signs that will tell you that a migraine is about to happen, and these can be as uncomfortable as migraine symptoms themselves. Some of the most common symptoms of migraines and migraine auras include:

• Throbbing headache on one side of the head
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Increased sensitivity to light and sound
• Sweating
• Difficulty concentrating
• Feeling very hot or cold
• Stomach pain
• Diarrhoea
• Seeing flashing lights or blind spots
• Numbness or tingling sensation in hand and moving up the arm to the face
• Feeling dizzy or off balance
• Difficulty speaking
• Loss of consciousness

How will Migraleve Pink help to ease my migraines?

The active ingredients in Migraleve Pink are paracetamol, codeine, and buclizine. Paracetamol and codeine are two painkillers that can be used together to help to ease pain that cannot be managed with just paracetamol or other painkillers alone. Buclizine helps to relieve nausea and vomiting caused by migraines.

How will Migraleve Yellow help to ease my migraines?

Migraleve Yellow contains two active ingredients which work together to treat migraines when taken alongside Migraleve Pink. The active ingredients in Migraleve Yellow are paracetamol and codeine, and when taken after Migraleve Pink they continue to ease the prolonged pain that migraines can cause.

Can I take these tablets if I’m taking other painkillers?

You should not use these tablets if you have taken any other painkillers within the past 4 hours. Also, you should not use this product if you are taking other medication which contains paracetamol. For more advice about taking painkillers, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist.

Can I take this product if I am taking other medication?

You should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking these tablets if you are using any other medication, including those obtained without prescription. Some medications can interact when used together, causing unwanted side effects or making your medication less effective. You should especially speak to a medical professional before using this product if you are taking:

• Metoclopramide or domperidone, which are used to treat nausea and vomiting
• Cholestyramine, which is used to treat high cholesterol
• Depression medication known as Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), or have taken them within the past 2 weeks, e.g. moclobemide, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, selegiline
• Anticoagulants, also known as blood thinners, e.g. warfarin
• Anticonvulsants, which are used to treat epilepsy, e.g. carbamazepine, phenytoin, fosphenytoin, phenobarbital, primidone
• Antimuscarinic drugs, which are used prior to surgery and to treat some eye and bowel conditions, e.g. atropine
• Drugs which affect the brain, such as
  • Drugs used to decrease anxiety or help you to sleep, e.g. benzodiazepines, barbituates
  • Antidepressants, e.g. tricyclic antidepressants
  • Drugs used for mental conditions causing delusions or hallucinations, e.g. phenothiazines
• General anaesthetics
• Muscle relaxants
• Other painkillers containing paracetamol or codeine or products similar to codeine, e.g. tramadol, morphine

Can I take these tablets if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this or any other medication if you are pregnant, to be sure that this product is safe for you and your baby at this time. You should not take Migraleve if you are breastfeeding, as both the pink and yellow tablets contain codeine. Codeine should not be taken if you are breastfeeding as it metabolises into morphine, and both of these substances can pass to your baby through your breast milk.

Can I drive after taking these tablets?

This product can make you feel sleepy or dizzy, do not attempt to drive or use tools or machinery until you are absolutely sure that you are not affected in this way.

How to use Migraleve Complete

• For adults and children over 16 treating a migraine, take 2 Migraleve Pink tablets with a glass of water at the first sign of a migraine. Then take 2 Migraleve Yellow tablets 4 hours after taking Migraleve Pink. Take 2 more Migraleve Yellow tablets every 4 hours. Do not take more than 8 tablets (2 pink and 6 yellow) within any 24-hour period.
• For children aged 12 – 16 treating a migraine, take 1 Migraleve Pink tablet with a glass of water at the first sign of a migraine. Then take 1 Migraleve Yellow tablet 4 hours after taking Migraleve Pink. Take 1 more Migraleve Yellow tablet every 4 hours. Do not take more than 4 tablets (1 pink and 3 yellow) in any 24-hour period.

Why do I have to answer questions to buy this product?

You do not need a prescription for Migraleve Complete, however you will be asked to complete a short medical questionnaire by your pharmacist before we can take your order. This includes some simple questions that all pharmacies legally are required to ask before supplying this kind of product. This helps our pharmacy team to be sure that this product is the best choice for you.

Can I become addicted to these tablets?

If you take Migraleve as you are instructed to by the manufacturer, then you are unlikely to become addicted to this product. However, these tablets do contain codeine which can cause addiction if taken continuously, so if you need to take more than the recommended dose, need to take this product for a longer period of time, or are at all concerned about becoming dependent on this product, please speak to your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

When should Migraleve Complete not be used?

Migraleve Complete is not suitable for use by children under the age of 12. Do not use this product if you are allergic to paracetamol, codeine, buclizine, or any of the other listed ingredients. Do not take Migraleve if you:

• Have not had your migraines diagnosed by a doctor
• Are under the age of 18 and have had tonsils or adenoids removed for obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome
• Have recently developed shallow breathing
• Have an obstructed bowel or your bowel does not work properly
• Have a head injury or raised pressure in your skull
• Know that you metabolise codeine into morphine very rapidly

For more information about when you should and should not use Migraleve, please read the patient information leaflet carefully.

Does this product have any side effects?

Like all medicines, Migraleve Complete can have side effects, although not everyone will experience them. These side effects include:

• Allergic reactions, e.g. swelling of the facial features, difficulty swallowing, shortness of breath, wheezing, skin rash, hives
• Becoming unusually tired, unexplained bruising or bleeding, getting more infections (such as colds) than usual
• Serious skin reactions, e.g. blisters, rash, reddening
• Signs of codeine toxicity, e.g. confusion, shallow breathing, extreme sleepiness
• Feeling sick, sleepiness
• Headache
• Reddening or flushing of face
• Constipation, being sick, dry mouth
• Dizziness, increased sweating
• Feeling happy
• Rash
• Acute inflammation of the pancreas in those who have had their gall bladder removed
• Addiction or withdrawal symptoms, e.g. tremor, sweating, increased heart rate, feeling or being sick
• Difficulty passing urine
• Problems with movement or coordination
• Kidney problems
• Loss of appetite, indigestion, abdominal pain, discomfort
• Itching and hives
• Liver problems
• Blurred vision
• Breathing difficulty, thickened mucous
• Hypothermia
• Tiredness
• Twitching
• Fits
• Sensation of spinning
• Decrease in sex hormones
• Adrenal glands not working properly e.g. weakness, tiredness, weight loss, low blood pressure

If you experience these or any other side effects while using Migraleve, stop use and speak to your doctor or pharmacist right away. For more information about reporting the side effects of medication, please see the MHRA’s Yellow Card Scheme.

How to store this product

Store in a cool, dry place. Store in original packaging and do not use if expiry date printed on packaging has passed. Keep out of sight and reach of children.

Important Information

This product is a medicine; make sure to speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this product if you have an underlying medical problem or are taking any other medicine or complementary therapy. If your symptoms get worse or continue after taking this product, contact us or your doctor. For medical services in your area, please refer to https://www.nhs.uk

If you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, speak to your doctor or our pharmacist before taking this product. If you suffer from any allergies, ask your doctor or our pharmacist if this medicine is right for you.

Store all medicines out of sight and reach of children.

Please read the included leaflet carefully before using this product.

Please contact your GP if appropriate regarding this product.

Helpful Advice on Medication Restrictions & Addiction

For further information on our medication restrictions policy, please click here

If you are concerned about an addiction to 'over the counter' medication we urge you to visit the below links for professional help and advice

• NHS Help & Advice on Drug Addiction
• Talk To Frank - Codeine Addiction Help