Antimyasthenics (Systemic)

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For the antimyasthenics, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to ambenonium, bromides, neostigmine, or pyridostigmine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Antimyasthenics have not been reported to cause birth defects; however, muscle weakness has occurred temporarily in some newborn babies whose mothers took antimyasthenics during pregnancy.

Breast-feeding - Antimyasthenics have not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of antimyasthenics in children with use in other age groups, these medicines are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than they do in adults.

Older adults - Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults. Although there is not much information comparing use of antimyasthenics in the elderly with use in other age groups, these medicines are not expected to cause different side effects or problems in older people than they do in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases 2 different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking an antimyasthenic, it is especially important that your health care professional knows if you are using any of the following:

• Demecarium (e.g., Humorsol) or
• Echothiophate (e.g., Phospholine Iodide) or
• Isoflurophate (e.g., Floropryl) or
• Malathion (e.g., Prioderm) - Using these medicines with antimyasthenics may result in serious side effects

• Guanadrel (e.g., Hylorel) or
• Guanethidine (e.g., Ismelin) or
• Mecamylamine (e.g., Inversine) or
• Procainamide (e.g., Pronestyl) or
• Trimethaphan (e.g., Arfonad) - The effects of these medicines may interfere with the actions of the antimyasthenics

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of the antimyasthenics. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Intestinal blockage or
• Urinary tract blockage or
• Urinary tract infection - These medicines may make the condition worse