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Neostigmine (Injection Route)

Description

Neostigmine injection is used to treat a muscle disease called myasthenia gravis.

Neostigmine injection is also used to prevent or treat certain kidney or intestinal problems. This medicine is given after surgery when certain types of medicines have been used to relax the muscles.

This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription.

Before Using

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 this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of neostigmine in children. Safety and efficacy have not been established .

Geriatric

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of neostigmine in geriatric patients .

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

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. When you are receiving this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Succinylcholine

Other Interactions

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Other Medical Problems

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

• Intestine blockage (blocked gut or abdomen) or
• Kidney blockage (blocked urine flow) or
• Peritonitis (lining of the abdomen is inflamed)—Should not be used in patients with these conditions.

• Asthma or
• Bradycardia (slow heartbeat) or
• Heart attack, recent or
• Heart rhythm problems or
• Overactive thyroid or
• Seizures or
• Stomach ulcer—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

Proper Use

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. This medicine is given through a needle placed into one of your veins, under your skin, or into your muscle .

Precautions

Your doctor will only give you a few doses of this medicine until your condition improves, and then you will be switched to an oral medicine that works the same way. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor .

Side Effects

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

• Twitches of the muscle visible under the skin

• Blurred or loss of vision
• Changes in patterns and rhythms of speech
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Confusion
• Cough
• Difficult or labored breathing
• Difficulty in moving
• Difficulty swallowing
• Disturbed color perception
• Dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up from a lying or sitting position suddenly
• Double vision
• Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• Halos around lights
• Hives
• Irregular, fast or slow, or shallow breathing
• Itching
• Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting
• Loss of consciousness
• Muscle cramps and spasms
• Muscle pain or stiffness
• Night blindness
• No blood pressure or pulse
• Noisy breathing
• Overbright appearance of lights
• Pain in joints
• Pale or blue lips, fingernails, or skin
• Puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• Seizures
• Shortness of breath
• Skin rash
• Slow or irregular heartbeat
• Slurred speech
• Stopping of heart
• Sweating
• Tightness in chest
• Trouble in speaking
• Tunnel vision
• Unconsciousness
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Wheezing

Get emergency help immediately if any of the following symptoms of overdose occur:

• Constipation
• Decreased sexual ability
• Difficult urination
• Dry mouth
• Enlarged pupils
• Muscle weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

• Increased watering of mouth

• Bloated
• Constricted, pinpoint, or small pupils (black part of eye)
• Diarrhea
• Drowsiness
• Excess air or gas in stomach or intestines
• Feeling of warmth
• Full feeling
• Headache
• Increase in mucous from lungs
• Increased need to urinate
• Increased sweating
• Nausea
• Passing gas
• Passing urine more often
• Redness of skin
• Redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
• Skin rash
• Stomach cramps
• Vomiting

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

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