Patient EducationSULFAMETHOXAZOLE/TRIMETHOPRIM- ORAL
IMPORTANT NOTE: This is a summary and does not contain all possible information about this product. For complete information about this product or your specific health needs, ask your doctor. Always seek the advice of your doctor if you have any questions about this product or your medical condition. This information is not intended as individual medical advice and not a substitute for the knowledge and opinion of your doctor. This information does not contain any assurances that this product is safe, effective, or appropriate for you.
SULFAMETHOXAZOLE/TRIMETHOPRIM- ORAL
(sull-fuh-meth-OX-uh-zole/try-METH-oh-prim)
Common brand (s): Bactrim, Bethaprim, Cotrim, Septra
Uses:This drug is a combination of two antibiotics to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections (eg, middle ear, urine, respiratory and intestinal infections). It is also used to prevent and treat a certain type of pneumonia (Pneumocystis-type).
This drug should not be used in children less than 2 months old, as the risk of serious side effects.
This medication treats only certain types of infections. It does not work for viral infections (eg influenza). Unnecessary use or misuse of antibiotics can lead to its decreased effectiveness.
HOW TO USE:Take this medication by mouth with a full glass of water (8 ounces or 240 milliliters) or as specified by your doctor. If stomach upset occurs, take with food or milk. Drink lots of fluids while taking this drug does not prevent the formation of kidney stones, unless your doctor advises you otherwise. The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy.
Antibiotics best when the amount of medicine in the body is at a constant level. Therefore, take this drug at evenly spaced.
Next to this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping it too early, the bacteria can continue to grow, which may cause a relapse of the infection.
Inform your doctor if your condition worsens or remains.
SIDE EFFECTS:Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia or headaches occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Remember that your doctor has this medication because he or she has decided that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication is not serious side effects.
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: muscle weakness, mental / mood changes, new nodes / growth in the neck (goiter), signs of low blood sugar (eg, agitation, dizziness, blurred vision, unusual hunger) .
Tell your doctor immediately if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: blood in urine, changes in the amount of urine.
Seek immediate medical attention if any of these highly unlikely but very serious side effects occur: confusion, persistent headache, neck stiffness, seizures.
This medication may rarely serious (possibly fatal) allergic reactions and other side effects such as a severe peeling skin rash (eg Stevens-Johnson syndrome), blood disorders (eg, agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia ), liver damage or injury of the lung. If you are one of the following, seek immediate medical attention: skin rash / blisters, itching / swelling (especially of the face / tongue / throat), persistent sore throat or fever, paleness, joint pain / pain, persistent cough, trouble breathing, easy bleeding / bruising, yellowing of the skin or eyes, persistent nausea / vomiting, unusual tiredness, dark urine.
This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (pseudomembranous colitis) due to a resistant bacteria. This condition may occur during therapy or even weeks to months after treatment ended. Do not use anti-diarrhea or narcotic pain medications if you have the following symptoms because these products can be worse. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop: persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain / cramps, or blood / mucus in your stool.
Use this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new vaginal yeast infection (oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in the mouth, a change in vaginal discharge or other new symptoms.
This is not an exhaustive list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
Consult your doctor for medical advice about side effects. The following figures are not medical advice, but also in the U.S. you may report side effects to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at 1-800-FDA-1088. In Canada, you can contact Health Canada 1-866-234-2345.
PRECAUTIONS:Before you sulfamethoxazole with trimethoprim, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to sulfa medications or trimethoprim, or if you have any other allergies.
This drug should not be used if you have certain medical conditions. Before using this medicine, consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: a certain blood disorder (anemia due to folate vitamin deficiency), a certain metabolic disorder (porphyria), severe kidney disease, severe liver disease.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: alcohol use, anti-seizure medication use, severe allergies, asthma, decreased bone marrow function (bone marrow suppression), diabetes, a certain other metabolic disorder (G6PD deficiency), certain intestinal conditions (eg, malabsorption), kidney, liver disease.
This drug may make you more sensitive to the sun. Avoid prolonged sun exposure, sunbeds or sunlamps. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing when outdoors.
Caution is advised when this drug in the elderly because they focus more on its effects, especially skin reactions and blood disorders.
Patients with AIDS may be more sensitive to the effects of the drug, especially skin reactions, fever, and blood diseases.
This medication should be used only when clearly that during the pregnancy. This drug should not be used near the expected delivery date because of possible harm to the unborn child. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
The medicine goes into the breast milk. Although there were no reports of damage to healthy children, this medication may have undesirable effects on the children who are sick or too soon, or certain disorders (jaundice, high blood levels of bilirubin, G6PD deficiency). Therefore, breast-feeding is not recommended in infants with these conditions. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding infants.
Interactions with other medicines:Your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible interactions with other drugs and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of a medicine before using them first.
The drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: dofetilide, Methenamine.
If you're using one of these medications tell your doctor or pharmacist before using with trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription / herbal products you can, especially of: certain anti-diabetic medications (eg, glipizide, Glyburide, Tolbutamide), "blood thinners" (eg, warfarin ), cyclosporine, dapsone, digoxin, drugs, the potassium level (eg, ACE inhibitors such as Captopril, Lisinopril), Hydantoin (eg, phenytoin), live vaccines, methotrexate, oral PABA, procainamide, pyrimethamine, tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline), certain "water pills" (thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide).
These drugs can improve the effectiveness of combination-type birth control pills. This can result in pregnancy. You may need an additional form of reliable birth control when using these medications. Contact your doctor or pharmacist for more details.
This product can be applied to the results of certain lab tests. Make sure laboratory personnel and the doctors know that your use of this drug.
This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all medications with you, and the list with your doctor and pharmacist.
Overdosage:If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. U.S. citizens can the U.S. poison hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canadian residents should review their local poison control center directly. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe nausea / vomiting / diarrhea, severe dizziness or drowsiness, mental / mood swings.
NOTES:Do not share this medication with others.
This drug was developed for the current state only. Do not use it later for another infection said, unless to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in these cases.
If you use this drug for an extended period, laboratory and / or medical tests (eg complete blood count, renal function tests, potassium blood level, cultures) should be checked at regular intervals to monitor or check for side effects your progress. Consult your doctor for more information.
Missed Dose:If you forget a dose, use it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and again your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.
STORAGE:Store the U.S. product at room temperature between 59-77 ° F (15-25 ° C) away from light and moisture. Not in the bathroom.
Store the Canadian product at room temperature between 59-86 ° F (15-30 ° C) away from light and moisture. Not in the bathroom.
Keep all medicines out of reach of children and pets.
Do not flush the toilet or medication for them in a channel when prompted. Correct this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more information about how to safely discard your product.