Chloromycetin Otic Drug Information

Breast-feeding—Chloramphenicol passes into breast milk. Mothers receiving chloramphenicol should not breast-feed their infants.

Children—Gray syndrome may be especially likely to occur in children, who are usually more sensitive than adults to the effects of chloramphenicol. Report any of these effects to your health care professional: blue tone to the skin, changes in blood pressure or heart rate, eating problems, irregular breathing, passage of loose green stools, or stomach bloating with or without vomiting. Your health care professional should monitor blood levels of chloramphenicol if possible.

Older adults—There are many medicines that have not been studied specifically in older people. Consequently, it may not be known if they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause other side effects or problems in elderly people. There is no specific information comparing use of this medicine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Other medicines—Although some medicines should not be used together at all, there are cases when 2 different medicines maybe used together even if an interaction might occur. In such cases, your doctor may advise you to change the dose, or other precautions may be required. Tell your health care professional if you are using any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine. Chloramphenicol may increase the blood levels of these medications: alfentanil, chlorpropamide, phenobarbital, phenytoin, tolbutamide, and warfarin. Phenobarbital and rifampin may reduce the blood levels of chloramphenicol. Concurrent use of chloramphenicol with vitamin B ₁₂ , folic acid, iron preparations and myelosuppressive agents may inhibit the formation of bone marrow.

Other medical problems—The existence of other medical problems may influence the use of /chloramphenicol ear drops. You should tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, in particular::

• Opening in your ear drum—This medicine may cause unwanted effects if it goes past the ear drum into the middle ear
• Sensitivity reaction to chloramphenicol

Proper Use of This Medicine

To use:

• Lie down or tilt the head so that the infected ear faces up. Gently pull the earlobe up and back for adults (down and back for children) to straighten the ear canal. Drop the medicine into the ear canal. Keep the ear facing up for about 1 or 2 minutes to allow the medicine to come into contact with the infection. A sterile cotton plug may be gently inserted into the ear opening to prevent the medicine from leaking out.
• To keep the medicine as germ-free as possible, do not touch the dropper to any surface (including the ear). Also, keep the container tightly closed.

To help clear up your infection completely, keep using this medicine for the full time of treatment , even if your symptoms begin to clear up after a few days. If you stop using this medicine too soon, your symptoms may return. Do not miss any doses .

Dosing—The dose of otic chloramphenicol will vary for different patients. Adhere to the orders of your doctor or the instructions on the label . The information below includes only the average doses of otic chloramphenicol. If your dose differs, you should not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.

• For otic solution (ear drops) dosage form:
  • For infections of the ear canal:
    • Adults and children—Use 2 or 3 drops in the affected ear two to three times a day.

Missed dose—If you miss a dose of this medicine, apply it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule.

Storage—To store this medicine properly, follow the instructions below:

• Keep out of the reach of children.
• Store away from heat and direct light.
• Keep the medicine from freezing.
• Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.

Precautions While Using This Medicine

If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

Side Effects of This Medicine

Alongside with its expected effects, any medicine may be the cause of some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may happen, if they do happen they may require medical attention.

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

Consult your doctor immediately if any of the side effects from the list below occur:

Other side effects not mentioned above may also happen in some patients. If you notice any other effects, tell your doctor about it.