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Rarely, gastrointestinal disorders including nausea and diarrhea, skin reactions and fever have been reported.
In case of gastrointestinal disorders, the dosage should be reduced or the treatment temporarily withdrawn. In case of skin reactions and fever, the treatment must be stopped and the physician informed as this may constitute an allergic reaction.
Optium tablets contain sodium bisulfite as antioxidant which may cause allergic reactions, nausea and diarrhea in predisposed patients. These allergic reactions may lead to anaphylactic shock and life-threatening asthma attacks. The prevalence in the general population is not known, but is probably low. However, sulfite hypersensitivity is observed more frequently in asthmatics than in non-asthmatics (see Contraindications). In case of hypersensitivity reactions, the intake of Optium tablets must be stopped immediately.
