VANCOMYCIN

(VAN koe MYE sin) Brand: Vancocin HCl Pulvules

What is the most significant information I must know about vancomycin?

• Till using vancomycin, speak your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have kidney malady, problems with your hearing, or an intestinal mess such as inflammatory bowel malady, Crohn's malady, or ulcerative colitis.

• Vancomycin can reason temporary or permanent hearing loss. Stop using this medicine and call your doctor at once if you have any hearing problems or ringing in your ears.

• To be certain this medicine is not causing deleterious effects, your hearing will need to be tested often. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Take this medication for the full predesigned length of time. Your symptoms may improve till the infection is completely cleared. Skipping doses may also magnify your risk of further infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Vancomycin will not treat a viral infection such as the general cool or flu.

What is vancomycin?

• Vancomycin is an antibiotic. It fights bacteria in the body.

• Vancomycin is used to treat infections of the intestines that reason colitis (inflammation of the big intestine).

• Vancomycin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till using vancomycin?

• Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to vancomycin.

• To create certain you can safely take vancomycin, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· kidney disease,

· hearing problems; or

· an intestinal mess such as inflammatory bowel malady, Crohn's malady, or ulcerative colitis.

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether vancomycin will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Vancomycin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not take this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take vancomycin?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Vancomycin can reason temporary or permanent hearing loss. To be certain this medicine is not causing deleterious effects, your hearing will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

• Take the oral medication with a full glass of water.

• Vancomycin must be taken at evenly spaced intervals.

• Measure liquid medication with a particular dose-measuring spoon or medication cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

• Store vancomycin capsules at room temperature, away from heat and moisture.

• Store vancomycin oral liquid in the refrigerator, but do not let it to freeze.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

What must I avoid while using vancomycin?

• Antibiotic medicines can reason diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, stop taking vancomycin and call your doctor. Do not use anti-diarrhea medication unless your doctor tells you to.

What are the possible side effects of vancomycin?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Stop using vancomycin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

· hearing loss, ringing in your ears;

· urinating smaller than normal or not at all;

· fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

· feeling light-headed, fainting;

· skin rash, redness, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

· severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

· low potassium (confusion, uneven heart course, extreme thirst, heighten urination, leg discomfort, muscle weakness or limp feeling); or

· severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your person or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the person or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· dizziness;

· nausea;

· back pain; or

· muscle pain or tightness.

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect vancomycin?

• Speak your doctor about all another medicines you use, especially:

· amikacin (Amikin);

· gentamicin (Garamycin);

· kanamycin (Kantrex);

· neomycin (Mycifradin, Neo-Fradin, Neo-Tab);

· streptomycin; or

· tobramycin (Nebcin, Tobi).

• This list is not complete and another drugs may interact with vancomycin. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about vancomycin.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

(53)