Pethidine is a drug with powerful pain relieving properties.
Pethidine Injection is used for the relief of moderate to severe
pain and is used for pain relief during labour. It may also be used
to stop you from feeling pain before and during an operation and
to provide continuous pain relief if needed

You should not be given Pethidine Injection if:
• you are allergic (hypersensitive) to Pethidine Hydrochloride or
to any of the ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6)
• you suffer from asthma, shallow breathing or other breathing
difficulties
• you are suffering from severe headaches or have suffered a
head injury
• you suffer from alcoholism
• you suffer from a convulsive disorder (fits) such as epilepsy
• you have any liver or kidney problems
• you are suffering from a condition known as delirium tremens,
caused by withdrawal from alcohol
• your heartbeat is faster than usual
• you suffer from a tumour of the adrenal gland known as
phaeochromocytoma
• you suffer from diabetes
• you are taking or have recently taken any drugs used to treat
depression known as Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOI’s)
(see ‘Taking other medicines)
Take special care with Pethidine Injection
Tell your doctor if you:
• are in shock, the symptoms of which include sweating, a fast
pulse and cold, clammy skin
• suffer from thyroid problems
• suffer from problems related to your adrenal gland (the organ
responsible for stress levels), including adrenocortical
insufficiency (a lack of the hormones produced by the adrenal
gland)
• suffer from low blood pressure
• suffer from problems with your prostate
• suffer from problems with your gallbladder
• suffer from problems with your bowel
If you are elderly or ill, or your baby or child is being given
Pethidine Injection, special care will be taken.
If any of the above apply to you or your child, please tell your
doctor before being given Pethidine Injection.

Taking other medicines
Please tell your doctor, nurse or midwife if you are taking, or have
recently taken, any other medicine including medicines obtained
without prescription.
Pethidine Injection must not be used with drugs used to treat
severe depression, such as rasagiline or moclobemide, or if you
are within 2 weeks of discontinuing them.
These drugs are known as Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors
(MAOI’s),
Other medicines which may interact with Pethidine Injection
include:
• selegiline, a medicine used to treat Parkinson’s disease
• ritonavir, a medicine used to treat HIV
• cimetidine, a medicine used to treat stomach ulcers
• medicines used to reduce anxiety (anxiolytics)
• medicines used to help you to sleep (hypnotics)
• CNS depressants (drugs that act on the brain and make you
feel drowsy or faint). These include sleeping pills,
anti-histamines (medicines used to treat allergies) that make
you drowsy, medicines used to treat certain mental disorders,
other pain killers or a general anaesthetic.
• phenytoin, a medicine used to treat fits
• medicines used to treat serious mental disorders
(phenothiazines)
• duloxetine, a medicine used to treat depression
If you are in any doubt please tell your doctor of any medication
you are taking.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding:
If you are pregnant, think you may be pregnant or you are breastfeeding,
you should consult your doctor before having Pethidine
Injection.
Pethidine can pass into your baby either through your blood
(during pregnancy and labour) or through your breast milk. This
can cause breathing problems in newborn babies. Your doctor
will be aware of this and will correct the problem and discuss
feeding with you.
Driving and using machines:
This medicine can affect your ability to drive and operate
machinery. Do not drive or operate machinery if you feel drowsy
or cannot think clearly.
This medicine can affect your ability to drive and operate
machinery as it may make you sleepy or dizzy.
• Do not drive while taking this medicine until you know how it
affects you.
• It is an offence to drive if this medicine affects your ability to
drive.
• However, you would not be committing an offence if:
• The medicine has been prescribed to treat a medical or
dental problem and
• You have taken it according to the instructions given by the
prescriber or in the information provided with the medicine
and
• It was not affecting your ability to drive safely
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure whether it is
safe for you to drive while taking this medicine.
Having Pethidine Injection with food and drink
You are advised not to drink alcohol during your treatment with
this medicine.

Your doctor will give Pethidine Injection to you as an injection
into a vein (intravenously), under the skin (subcutaneously) or
into a muscle (intramuscularly). Your doctor will determine how
much you need.
Adults
For the relief of moderate to severe pain:
The usual initial dose is 25-100mg either into a muscle or under
the skin, or 25-50mg if given into a vein. The dose is given at a
minimum of four hourly intervals if needed.
For pain relief during labour:
The usual dose is 50-100mg either into a muscle or under the skin
every 1-3 hours during labour up to a maximum of 400mg in 24
hours.
For pain relief before and during an operation:
The usual dose is 50-100mg into a muscle one hour before the
operation.
For continuous pain relief:
The usual dose is 10-25mg by slow injection into the vein as
needed.
The elderly and ill
It is recommended that a reduced dose be used. The usual initial
dose is up to a maximum of 25mg.
Children 
For the relief of moderate to severe pain:
The usual dose is 0.5-2mg per kilogram of body weight by intramuscular injection.
For pain relief before and during an operation:
The usual dose is 1-2mg per kilogram of body weight into the muscle one hour before the operation.
If you are given too much of Pethidine Injection:
This medicine will be given to you in hospital so it is unlikely you will receive too much. Your doctor has information on how to
recognise and treat an overdose.
If you feel unwell after being given this medicine, or are at all concerned you have been given too much, tell your doctor or nurse.
If you have any further questions on the use of this product, ask your doctor or nurse.

Like all medicines Pethidine Injection can cause side effects,
although not everybody gets them.
Repeated use of pethidine can result in tolerance and
addiction
If any of the following symptoms occur contact your doctor or
nearest accident and emergency department immediately.
These are symptoms of a serious allergic reaction.
• sudden wheeziness and tightness of chest
• swelling of eyelids, face or lips
• skin lumps or hives
• skin rash (red spots), itchiness, fever
• collapse

Other side effects that may occur include:
• restlessness
• drowsiness
• constipation
• dry mouth
• feeling sick (nausea)
• being sick (vomiting)
• facial flushing
• sweating
• a fast or slow heartbeat
• palpitations (an irregular heart rhythm or missed beats)
• low blood pressure, the symptoms of which include feeling
dizzy or light-headed, feeling weak and fainting.
• high blood pressure
• pin-point pupils
• a feeling of dizziness or spinning
• fainting
• feeling weak
• hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t real)
• mood changes
• headache
• feeling faint on standing up from a seated position
• slowed breathing
• a red, itchy rash
• reduced sex drive
• difficulty achieving or maintaining an erection
• pain, redness or itching at the injection site
• hypothermia, the symptoms of which include shivering,
drowsiness and feeling weak
• feeling of intense happiness (euphoria)
• difficulty in passing urine
• spasms in the lower abdomen
If any of these side effects get serious, or you notice any other
side effects not listed in this leaflet, please tell your doctor, nurse or midwife.

Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.
You should not be given Pethidine Injection after the expiry date
on the ampoule and carton label. The expiry date refers to the
last day of that month. The doctor or nurse will check that the
product has not passed this date.
Do not store above 25°C.