Bicillin

These medication is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections caused by Streptococcus spp., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Clostridium spp., Actinomyces israelii; Bacillus anthracis; Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Neisseria meningitidis, Treponema spp.

It may also be used to prevent certain bacterial infections (e.g., rheumatic fever).

Specific indications for Bicillin-3 include:

• Cellulitis
• Bacterial endocarditis
• Gonorrhea
• Meningitis
• aspiration pneumonia, lung abscess
• Community-acquired pneumonia
• Septicaemia in children
• Syphilis
• Respiratory tract infections where compliance with oral treatment is unlikely
• Cellulitis, erysipelas
• Bicillin-3 is also used as an adjunct in the treatment of anthrax.
• Prophylaxis of rheumatic fever
• Early or latent syphilis

Specific indications for Bicillin-5 include:

• Respiratory tract infections where compliance with oral treatment is unlikely
• Cellulitis, erysipelas
• Prophylaxis of rheumatic fever
• Early or latent syphilis

WARNING: INJECT THIS MEDICINE into the muscle. DO NOT inject this medicine into a vein or mix it with any other medicine that is to be injected into a vein. Accidental injection of this medicine into a vein may cause death.

These medications allow prolonged antibiotic action over 2-4 weeks after a single IM dose. You should not use other penicillin antibiotics after your IM injections of Bicillin-3 or Bicillin-5.

Before using these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to penicillin or cephalosporin antibiotics; or if you have any other allergies.

Before using these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, asthma.

Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be at greater risk for side effects while using this drug.

Kidney function is not fully developed in newborns/infants. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, newborns/infants may be at greater risk for side effects while using this drug.

Do not take these medications if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder.

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. These drugs passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• severe skin rash, itching, or peeling;
• agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
• seizure (black-out or convulsions).

Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
• vaginal itching or discharge;
• headache;
• swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue; or
• thrush (white patches or inside your mouth or throat).

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe. Especially pay attention to the following drugs:

• Chloramphenicol, or tetracycline antibiotics
• Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), heparin, or methotrexate because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased
• Aminoglycosides (eg, gentamicin), contraceptives (birth control pills), or oral typhoid vaccine because the effectiveness of these medicines may be decreased
• live bacterial vaccines
• methotrexate
• NSAIDs (e.g., aspirin, indomethacin)
• probenecid
• "water pills"/diuretics (e.g., furosemide, thiazide diuretics such as hydrochlorothiazide).

Low-dose aspirin should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams per day). Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

This medication may decrease the effectiveness of combination-type hormonal birth control (e.g., pills, patch). This effect can result in pregnancy. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for details. Discuss whether you should use additional reliable birth control methods (e.g., condoms, diaphragm) while you are using hormonal birth control along with penicillin.

This medication may interfere with certain laboratory tests (including certain urine glucose tests), possibly causing false test results. Make sure laboratory personnel and all your doctors know you use this drug.

DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions. KEEP THIS PRODUCT, as well as syringes and needles, if needed during treatment, out of the reach of children. Do not reuse needles, syringes, or other materials.