Bicillin C-R 900/300

Generic Name: benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin (BENZ a theen PEN i SIL in and PRO kane PEN i SIL in)Brand Names: Bicillin C-R, Bicillin C-R 900/300

What is benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin ?

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in your body.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin is used to treat many different types of severe infections, including strep and staph infections, diphtheria, meningitis, gonorrhea, and syphilis.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin is also used to prevent infections of the heart valves in people with certain heart conditions who need to have dental work or surgery.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin ?You should not use this medication if you are allergic to penicillin. Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a cephalosporin antibiotic such as Ceftin, Cefzil, Omnicef, Keflex, and others.

Before using benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin, tell your doctor if you have asthma or a history of allergies, liver disease, kidney disease, or heart disease.

Do not inject this medication into a vein or life-threatening side effects may result.

Use this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

After you have finished your treatment with benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin, your doctor may want to do tests to make sure your infection has completely cleared up.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin ?You should not use this medication if you are allergic to penicillin. Tell your doctor if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a cephalosporin antibiotic such as Ceclor, Ceftin, Duricef, Keflex, Lorabid, Omnicef, Spectracef, and others.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely use benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin:

• asthma or a history of allergies;

• liver disease;

• kidney disease; or

• heart disease.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin given?

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin is given as an injection into a muscle. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection. You may be shown how to inject your medicine at home. Do not self-inject this medicine if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of used needles and syringes.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin must be injected slowly into a muscle of the buttock or upper thigh.

Do not inject the medication into a vein or life-threatening side effects could result.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin is sometimes given only once or only for a few days until your symptoms clear up. Be sure to have all injections your doctor has prescribed. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely cleared.

Use this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Use each disposable needle only one time. Throw away used needles in a puncture-proof container (ask your pharmacist where you can get one and how to dispose of it). Keep this container out of the reach of children and pets.

After you have finished your treatment with benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin, your doctor may want to do tests to make sure your infection has completely cleared up.

Store this medication in the refrigerator. Do not freeze. Do not use the mixed medication if it has changed colors or has any particles in it.

What happens if I miss a dose?

If you are on a dosing schedule, call your doctor for instructions if you miss a dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include seizure (convulsions).What should I avoid while using Bicillin C-R 900/300 (benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin)?

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, stop taking this medication and call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

• skin rash with bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

• rash or itching with swollen glands, joint pain, or general ill feeling;

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

• slow heart rate, weak pulse, fainting, slow breathing;

• fast or pounding heartbeats;

• uncontrolled muscle movements, problems with vision, speech, balance, thinking, or walking;

• confusion, agitation, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;

• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine; or

• urinating less than usual or not at all.

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting;

• blurred vision, ringing in your ears;

• headache, dizziness;

• mild skin rash; or

• pain, swelling, bruising, skin changes, or a hard lump where the medicine was injected.

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

What other drugs will affect Bicillin C-R 900/300 (benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin)?

Tell your doctor about all other medications you use, especially:

• probenecid (Benemid);

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);

• methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall); or

• a tetracycline antibiotic, such as demeclocycline (Declomycin, Ledermycin), doxycycline (Adoxa, Doryx, Vibramycin, Periostat), minocycline (Minocin), or tetracycline (Broadspec, Panmycin, Sumycin).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your doctor or pharmacist can provide more information about benzathine penicillin and procaine penicillin.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every 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 outside 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 should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid 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.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.02. Revision Date: 07/31/2009 8:21:36 AM.