Vancomycin brands and prices in Pakistan

About Vancomycin

Vancomycin is an antibiotic from the glycopeptide group. It comes in two main forms that work in different places. As an injection, it is given by a nurse or doctor as a slow drip into a vein, usually in hospital, for serious infections. As capsules or a liquid taken by mouth, almost none of it is absorbed into the blood, so it works only inside the gut, where it treats bowel infection caused by the germ C. difficile. It is a prescription medicine, and blood, kidney and hearing tests may be done during treatment.

Who should not take it, or should take care

• Do not take or be given it if you are allergic to vancomycin or any other ingredient.
• Tell your doctor if you have had an allergic reaction to teicoplanin (a similar antibiotic) or a severe skin reaction to vancomycin in the past.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease or are on dialysis, especially if you take other medicines that can affect the kidneys. Your dose may need changing and your kidneys checked.
• Tell your doctor if you have hearing loss or other ear problems, especially if you are older.
• Tell your doctor if you have inflammatory bowel disease, such as Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis, as side effects may be more likely, especially if you also have kidney problems.
• Very young and premature babies may build up the medicine and need blood level checks.
• Pregnancy: it is used only if clearly needed. Ask your doctor for advice if you are pregnant or planning a baby.
• Breastfeeding: vancomycin passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor, who will decide whether treatment is needed or breastfeeding should stop.

Medicines and drinks that can interact

• Other antibiotics that can affect the kidneys or hearing, such as gentamicin, amikacin, tobramycin, streptomycin, neomycin, kanamycin, polymyxin B, colistin and bacitracin
• Piperacillin-tazobactam (another antibiotic given by drip)
• Amphotericin B (an antifungal) and viomycin (a tuberculosis medicine)
• Cisplatin (a cancer medicine)
• Anti-inflammatory painkillers (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, which raise the risk of kidney damage
• Anaesthetics and muscle relaxants used during an operation
• Anti-diarrhoea medicines such as loperamide: do not take them during C. diff infection, as they can stop the infection clearing
• Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine you take, including medicines you buy, vitamins, supplements and herbal remedies

Always tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, supplement and herbal product you take.

Using it safely

• Take it only when a doctor prescribes it for you. Finish the course exactly as your doctor tells you, even if you feel better, so the infection does not come back and bacteria do not become resistant.
• Swallow capsules whole with water. Shake the liquid well before each use.
• If you forget a dose, check the leaflet or ask your pharmacist what to do. Never take a double dose to make up for a missed one.
• Most people start to feel better within the first few days. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or get worse.
• With C. diff, drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration.
• C. diff spreads easily. Wash your hands with liquid soap and water, especially after using the toilet and before eating. Alcohol hand gels do not work against it.
• Clean toilet handles, door handles and other touched surfaces with a bleach-based cleaner, and do not share towels or toothbrushes.
• Ask your doctor whether you should keep taking a stomach acid medicine (proton pump inhibitor), as these can make C. diff more likely to come back.
• Never share your antibiotics or keep leftovers. Keep capsules in their container at room temperature, away from heat and damp. Keep the liquid in the fridge. Store out of the reach of children and return unused medicine to a pharmacy.

Common questions

Why does vancomycin by mouth only work in the gut?
Almost none of it is absorbed from the gut into the blood. That makes it useful for C. diff bowel infection, but it means the capsules or liquid cannot treat infections in other parts of the body. For those, it has to be given into a vein.

Can C. diff come back after treatment?
Yes. It comes back quite often, and treatment may need to be repeated. For repeated infections, a specialist may plan a longer course of vancomycin that is slowly reduced, or other treatments.

Why are blood and hearing tests needed with the drip?
Vancomycin given into a vein can affect the kidneys and hearing. Blood tests check the level of the medicine and how your kidneys are working, so your doctor can adjust treatment. Hearing tests may also be done.

Can I take an anti-diarrhoea medicine while being treated for C. diff?
No. Medicines such as loperamide can stop the infection clearing. Ask your doctor or pharmacist before taking anything for diarrhoea or pain.

Will vancomycin affect my ability to drive?
It is not known to affect driving. But if you feel dizzy, drowsy or unwell, do not drive or use machines.

Prepared from the sources listed by the MedInfoBase team. General information, not medical advice: it gives no doses. Your doctor or pharmacist decides the medicine and dose for you.