Kanamycin (Oral)

Brand Names : Kantrex

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 oral kanamycin, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to oral kanamycin or to any related antibiotics such as amikacin (e.g., Amikin), gentamicin (e.g., Garamycin), kanamycin by injection (e.g., Kantrex), neomycin (e.g., Mycifradin), netilmicin (e.g., Netromycin), streptomycin, or tobramycin (e.g., Nebcin). Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Oral kanamycin has not been reported to cause birth defects or other problems in humans.

Breast-feeding - Oral kanamycin has not been reported to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Although there is no specific information comparing use of oral kanamycin in children with use in other age groups, this medicine is not expected to cause different side effects or problems in children than it does 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 or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of oral kanamycin in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two 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. Tell your health care professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

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

• Blockage of the bowel - Oral kanamycin should never be used in patients who have a blockage of the bowel

• Eighth-cranial-nerve disease (loss of hearing and/or balance) - Use of oral kanamycin may increase problems related to hearing and/or balance

• Kidney disease or
• Ulcers of the bowel - Use of kanamycin in patients with either condition may cause an increase in side effects