Gantrisin


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Generic Name: sulfisoxazole
(sul fi SOX a zole)

What is Gantrisin?

Gantrisin is a sulfonamide ("sulfa") antibiotic that helps keep bacteria from growing in your body.

Gantrisin is used to treat or prevent many different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as bladder infections, ear infections, or meningitis.

Gantrisin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about Gantrisin?

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Gantrisin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Do not give this medication to another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do.

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, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before taking Gantrisin?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to Gantrisin or to any other sulfa drugs such as Azulfidine, Bactrim, Cotrim, Septra, or Sulfazine. Women who are in late pregnancy or are breast-feeding should not take sulfisoxazole.

Before using Gantrisin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:

  • asthma
  • diabetes
  • liver disease
  • kidney disease
  • anemia (a lack of red blood cells)
  • a condition called G6PD (glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase) deficiency
  • a history of any type of allergy; or
  • if you are unable to urinate.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Gantrisin.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Gantrisin can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes) and other problems in a newborn if the mother has taken this medication late in pregnancy, Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment with sulfisoxazole.

Gantrisin 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, especially if the baby is younger than 2 months old.

Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 2 months old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take Gantrisin?

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

You may take Gantrisin with or without food.

Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

While you are taking Gantrisin, drink 6 to 8 glasses of water each day. This will help prevent kidney stones or crystals in the urine.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood and/or urine will need to be tested on a regular basis. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using Gantrisin. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Gantrisin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Do not give this medication to another person, even if they have the same symptoms you do.

Store Gantrisin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do nottake extra medicine to make up the missed 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 headache, drowsiness, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fever, blood in your urine, pale skin, easy bruising or bleeding, flu-like symptoms, feeling light-headed, or fainting.

What should I avoid while taking Gantrisin?

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, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Gantrisin can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Gantrisin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun.

What are the possible side effects of Gantrisin?

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:

  • diarrhea that is watery or bloody
  • fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms
  • cough, feeling short of breath, pale skin, joint pain, unusual bruising
  • fast or pounding heartbeat
  • blue lips or fingernails, feeling light-headed, fainting
  • swelling around your neck or throat
  • urinating more or less than usual
  • severe pain in your side or lower back, blood in your urine
  • nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
  • fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash
  • agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
  • seizure (black-out or convulsions).

Less serious side effects may include:

  • mild stomach pain, bloating, gas
  • headache, dizziness
  • ringing in your ears; or
  • swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect Gantrisin?

Before taking Gantrisin, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

  • a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin)
  • methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall); or
  • diabetes medications you take by mouth, such as acetohexamide (Dymelor), chlorpropamide (Diabinese), glimepiride (Amaryl, Avandaryl, Duetact), glipizide (Glucotrol), glyburide (DiaBeta, Glynase PresTab, Micronase), tolazamide (Tolinase), or tolbutamide (Orinase).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with Gantrisin. 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 pharmacist can provide more information about Gantrisin.

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 1996-2009 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 2.02. Revision Date: 4/12/2009.