Answer the side-effect intent for med-lemon without diagnosing; distinguish common from serious reactions and give safe next-step/reporting guidance.
Source
Clinical statements on this page are taken from the SAHPRA-approved patient information leaflet (approved 20/01/2026) and professional information (approved 20/01/2026) for this product: patient information leaflet, professional information. Retrieved 2026-09-03. Where this page and the approved leaflet differ, the leaflet is correct.
What is Med-Lemon?
Which leaflet this comes from
There is no approved leaflet for Med-Lemon in SAHPRA’s public repository. The information below is from the approved leaflet for REOPARA, another South African product containing Paracetamol. Products with the same active ingredient can still differ in strength, formulation and approved uses, so check the leaflet in your own pack.
Med-Lemon contains the active ingredient Paracetamol.
- Active ingredient — Paracetamol
- Registration number — 57/2.7/0225
- Registration holder — Qhayisa 2014 Trading and projects Pty Ltd t/a GDR Pharma Tulbagh Gardens
It is approved for:
- REOPARA 1g is an analgesic (it relieves pain), so it is used for the short-term treatment of mild to moderate pain, especially following dental procedures and minor orthopaedic surgery and the short-term treatment of fever where the oral route is unsuitable
- S3 It is restricted to use in adults and children weighing more than 33 kg (approximately 11 years old)
Common side effects of Med-Lemon
Not everyone gets side effects. The effects below are those listed in the South African approved leaflet, grouped using the leaflet’s own frequency wording.
About these frequency terms
This leaflet groups effects as “Frequent” and “Less frequent” rather than the very common/common/uncommon scale used in some other markets.
Frequent side effects
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Less frequent side effects
- Redness of the skin
- Rash
- Itching
- Hives
- Flushing
- Pain or discomfort at the site where the medicine is given
Frequency unknown side effects
- Liver problems, including severe liver injury such as fulminant hepatitis, hepatic necrosis, or liver failure
Serious side effects and warning signs
This leaflet does not set out a separate list of serious side effects. The general warning signs below apply to any medicine.
General warning signs that apply to any medicine
Call for emergency help now if any of these happen
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or tightness in the throat or chest
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
- A widespread rash with blistering or peeling skin, or sores in the mouth, eyes or genitals
- Fainting, collapse, or a sudden severe drop in alertness
- Chest pain, or sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- A fit (seizure), or confusion that comes on suddenly
In South Africa call 10177 for an ambulance, or 112 from a mobile phone. Go to your nearest emergency department if it is faster. Do not wait to see whether the symptom settles.
How long can side effects last?
How long a side effect lasts depends on the effect, the product, how long it has been used, and the person. Some effects ease within days as the body adjusts. Others continue for as long as the product is used. A few can persist after stopping, and some need review rather than waiting.
- Settling effects — mild effects that ease over the first days or weeks of use
- Ongoing effects — effects that continue while the product is being used and improve after stopping
- Persistent effects — effects that continue after stopping and need medical review
- Delayed effects — effects that appear after weeks or months rather than immediately
Which of these applies to a particular effect is a clinical question. If a side effect is not settling, is getting worse, or is affecting your daily life, that is worth a conversation with a pharmacist or doctor regardless of how long it has been going on.
Evidence required before publish — source the following for Med-Lemon from the SAHPRA-approved patient information leaflet or professional information, and cite what you actually used.
- Anything the approved information for Med-Lemon says about how long specific effects last
- Whether the source describes any effect as usually temporary, or as needing review if it persists
- Whether any effect is described as continuing after the product is stopped
Factors that may affect side effects
The approved leaflet identifies the following cautions and factors.
Do not use it at all if
- If you are hypersensitive (allergic) to paracetamol, or any of the other ingredients
- If you have severe liver disease
Use with care, and tell your doctor, if
- If you have liver problems, including conditions such as hepatitis or Gilbert’s syndrome, or if you are recovering from any liver disease
- If you are taking any other medicine that contains paracetamol (also called acetaminophen) — taking too much paracetamol can cause serious liver damage, even if you don’t feel unwell right away
- Prescription and non-prescription medicines
- If you have nutritional problems i.e. anorexia bulimia or cachexia (malnutrition) or dehydration i.e Vomiting and Diarrhoea
- If you drink alcohol regularly, especially if you consume 3 or more alcoholic drinks per day
- If you have a rare condition called G6PD deficiency, as REOPARA 1g may cause a type of anaemia in these patients
- If you have kidney disease or your kidneys are not working properly
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- If you are pregnant or breastfeeding your baby please consult your doctor, pharmacist or other healthcare professional for advice before receiving this medicine
Interactions and medicines to check
The approved leaflet names these interactions.
- Probenecid: This medicine can slow down the clearance of REOPARA 1g from your body. Your doctor may need to adjust your dose
- Salicylamide: This may make REOPARA 1g stay longer in your body
- Medicines that increase liver enzymes: Some medicines like barbiturates, isoniazid, anticoagulants, zidovudine, amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, and alcohol can increase the risk of liver damage when taken with REOPARA 1g
- Phenytoin: Taking REOPARA 1g with phenytoin may reduce REOPARA’s effectiveness and increase the risk of liver damage. Your doctor will monitor you carefully
- Flucloxacillin: Using REOPARA 1g with flucloxacillin may increase the risk of a rare but serious acid-base imbalance, especially if you have kidney problems, infection, malnutrition, or drink alcohol heavily. Close monitoring may be needed. REOPARA 1g can also affect how other medicines work, especially:
- Blood thinners (anticoagulants): Taking REOPARA 1g with blood thinners such as warfarin may affect how your blood clots. Your doctor will monitor your blood regularly during treatment and for a week after stopping REOPARA 1g. Always inform your doctor or pharmacist about all medicines you are taking before starting REOPARA 1g. REOPARA 1g with food and drink REOPARA 1g can be used with or without food
Bring the actual products to the conversation
A pharmacist can check for interactions much faster from the packaging than from remembered names.
What to do if you experience side effects
If you think you are having a side effect, the response depends on how severe it is. Use the warning signs above first — if any of those apply, treat it as urgent.
If the symptom is severe or frightening
Get medical help immediately. Call 10177 for an ambulance, or 112 from a mobile phone, or go to the nearest emergency department. Take the product and its packaging with you if you can.
If the symptom is mild but bothering you
- Write down what the symptom is, when it started, and how it relates to when you take the product
- Check the leaflet that came with the product to see whether the symptom is listed
- Speak to your pharmacist — for many questions this is the fastest route to a useful answer
- Contact the prescriber if the symptom is affecting your daily life or is not settling
Do not stop a prescribed treatment on your own
Stopping some treatments suddenly causes its own problems, and the condition being treated may get worse. If you want to stop, ask a pharmacist or doctor how to do it safely — they can usually offer an alternative.
You can also report a suspected side effect in South Africa. Reporting does not replace getting medical advice, and you do not need to be certain the product was the cause.
When to seek urgent medical help
Some symptoms need medical attention straight away rather than an appointment in a few days. Do not wait to see whether they settle.
Call for emergency help now if any of these happen
- Difficulty breathing, wheezing, or tightness in the throat or chest
- Swelling of the face, lips, tongue or throat
- A widespread rash with blistering or peeling skin, or sores in the mouth, eyes or genitals
- Fainting, collapse, or a sudden severe drop in alertness
- Chest pain, or sudden weakness or numbness on one side of the body
- A fit (seizure), or confusion that comes on suddenly
In South Africa call 10177 for an ambulance, or 112 from a mobile phone. Go to your nearest emergency department if it is faster. Do not wait to see whether the symptom settles.
Get same-day medical advice if you have
- A high fever, or a rash together with feeling generally unwell
- Yellowing of the eyes or skin, or unusually dark urine
- Unusual bruising or bleeding that you cannot explain
- Severe or persistent vomiting or diarrhoea, especially if you cannot keep fluids down
- A sudden change in mood, or thoughts of harming yourself
- Any symptom that is rapidly getting worse
If you are having thoughts of harming yourself
Help is available in South Africa. The SADAG helpline is 0800 567 567, or you can go to your nearest emergency department. You do not have to wait until it feels like an emergency.
How to report a suspected side effect in South Africa
South Africa has an official system for reporting suspected side effects, run by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA). Reports from the public and from healthcare professionals are how safety signals get detected after a product is already in use.
Who can report
Anyone can report — you do not have to be a healthcare professional, and you do not need to prove that the product caused the problem. A suspicion is enough. Patients, caregivers and family members can all submit a report.
What to have ready
- The name of the product, its strength and form, and the batch number if you have it
- Why it was being used, and when it was started and stopped
- What the suspected reaction was, when it began, and how long it lasted
- Any other medicines, supplements or remedies being used at the same time
- Basic details about the person affected — age and sex are usually enough
How to report
SAHPRA accepts adverse reaction reports through its e-Services reporting system and through the Med Safety mobile app. Healthcare professionals can also report through the same routes. Current forms and access points are published on the SAHPRA site.
- SAHPRA Health Products Vigilance — the main vigilance and reporting hub
- SAHPRA e-Services — current adverse reaction reporting access
Reporting is not a substitute for medical care
If someone is unwell now, get medical help first and report afterwards. Urgent symptoms always take precedence over paperwork.
For a fuller walkthrough see how to report an adverse drug reaction.
Related pages
← Back to more medicine side effects.
Report a side effect
If you think you have had a side effect, you can report a suspected side effect in South Africa. Report a suspected side effect through the appropriate SAHPRA pathway where relevant.
Information only
This page gives general medicine-safety information for people in South Africa. It is not a diagnosis and not personalised medical advice. It cannot tell you whether a symptom you are having is caused by a particular product. Speak to a pharmacist or doctor about your own situation, and do not stop or change a prescribed treatment on the basis of a web page.
Editorial status: draft — not for publication
Brief SE-00287 · build rank 287 · Phase 2 · Tier 2. Every evidence slot on this page must be completed from the SAHPRA-approved source and the page signed off by a qualified clinical or pharmacy reviewer before it is published. Target length 1,300–2,000 words.