*Welcome to the OutUK series looking at gay men and their health brought to you in association with the NHS* website.**
	Each week we'll tackle a different topic in our A to Z of Gay Health. We'll have features and advice on everything from relationships, sexual health, mental and physical conditions and how to stay fit. You can follow any of links provided below for more information direct from the NHS website, or see this week's feature L: Laxatives.

How And When To Take Indapamide

NHS medicines information on dosage for indapamide, how to take it and what to do if you miss a dose or take too much.

Dosage and strength

Indapamide comes as 2.5mg standard tablets, and as 1.5mg slow release tablets.

The usual dose of indapamide to treat:

heart failure is 2.5mg to 5mg, taken once a day as standard tablets
high blood pressure is 2.5mg, taken once a day as standard tablets, or 1.5mg taken once a day as slow release tablets

How to take it

It's best to take indapamide in the morning. If you take indapamide too late in the day you may have to get up during the night to go to the toilet.

Swallow the tablets whole with a drink of water. You can take indapamide with or without food.

Do not crush or chew slow release tablets, as this stops them from working properly.

How long to take it for

As with other medicines for high blood pressure or heart failure, you will usually have to take indapamide for a long time, probably for the rest of your life.

It's important to carry on taking your medicines even if you feel well. Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking indapamide.

If you stop taking it, your blood pressure is likely to rise, and this may increase your risk of heart attack and stroke.

If you're bothered by side effects, your doctor may be able to recommend a different medicine for you.

If you get ill while taking it

Contact your doctor if:

you're ill with a high temperature
you're sweating and shaking
you're being sick (vomiting) or have severe diarrhoea

Your doctor may recommend you stop taking indapamide for 1 to 2 days until you are better.

You can start to take it again when you're eating and drinking normally. If you take indapamide when you have an illness that makes you dehydrated, it can make the dehydration worse.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if you usually take your dose in the morning and it is after 4pm, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.

Do not take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten dose.

If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicines.

If you take too much

If you have taken more than your prescribed dose of indapamide, you may:

feel sick (nausea) or be sick (vomit)
feel very thirsty
have diarrhoea
feel faint, dizzy or weak
feel sleepy
have muscle cramps

Contact 111 for advice now if:

you take more than your prescribed dose of indapamide

Go to 111.nhs.uk or call 111.

If you have to go to A&E do not drive yourself. Get someone else to drive you or call for an ambulance.

Take the indapamide box, or the leaflet inside the packet, plus any remaining medicine with you.

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

you take more than your prescribed dose of indapamide and you have a fit or seizure

OutUK's A to Z of Gay Health continues and you can read this week's feature L: Laxatives. We have covered many subjects in this series and you can catch up with all of our Previous A to Z Features. If you want to find out more about this particular topic you can visit the Original article on the NHS website. If you are worried by any aspect of your health make sure you go and see your doctor or book an appointment at your local clinic.
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