Penicillin G, Injection

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KEY POINTS

• This medicine is given by injection to treat or prevent infections caused by bacteria.
• If you develop severe diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 or 3 days while taking this medicine, or for several weeks after you stop taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away.
• Keep all appointments for tests to see how this medicine affects you.
• This medicine may cause unwanted side effects. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that are serious, continue, or get worse.
• Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take.

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What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antibiotic

Generic and brand names: penicillin G aqueous, injection; penicillin G benzathine/procaine, injection; penicillin G benzathine, injection; penicillin G procaine, injection; Bicillin C-R; Bicillin C-R 900/300; Bicillin L-A; Pfizerpen

What is this medicine used for?

This medicine is a type of penicillin. It is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. It will not cure infections caused by viruses, such as colds and the flu. This medicine may be given before certain procedure to prevent an infection caused by bacteria.

This medicine may be used to treat other conditions as determined by your healthcare provider.

What should my healthcare provider know before I take this medicine?

Tell your healthcare provider if you have ever had:

• An allergic reaction to any medicine
• Asthma
• Hay fever or other allergies
• Kidney or liver disease
• Potassium or sodium imbalances in the blood

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. This medicine may make birth control pills less effective. Talk with your healthcare provider about this. Do not breast-feed while taking this medicine without your healthcare provider's approval.

How do I use it?

This medicine is usually given by a healthcare provider in a hospital or clinic. This medicine is given by injection (shots) or by IV infusion (slow drip through a needle into a large vein). You must have all the shots your healthcare provider prescribes or the infection may return. Keep all of your appointments for these shots.

Sometimes this medicine may also be given at home. When using this medicine at home, be sure you know exactly how and when to use it. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist about anything you do not understand.

What should I watch out for?

If you develop hives, an itchy rash, or peeling skin, contact your provider right away.

If you receive this medicine for a long time, you may need to have blood tests to see how this medicine affects you. Keep all appointments.

This medicine may cause or worsen diarrhea. If you develop severe diarrhea or diarrhea that lasts more than 2 or 3 days while taking this medicine, or for several weeks after you stop taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not take medicine to treat diarrhea without your provider's approval.

If you need emergency care, surgery, lab tests, or dental work, tell the healthcare provider or dentist you are taking this medicine.

Contact your healthcare provider if your condition does not improve in a few days or gets worse.

If you have diabetes: This medicine may affect urine sugar test results. Talk to your healthcare provider about urine and blood sugar tests while you are taking this medicine.

What are the possible side effects?

Along with its needed effects, your medicine may cause some unwanted side effects. Some side effects may be very serious. Some side effects may go away as your body adjusts to the medicine. Tell your healthcare provider if you have any side effects that continue or get worse.

Life-threatening (Report these to your healthcare provider right away. If you cannot reach your healthcare provider right away, get emergency medical care or call 911 for help.): Allergic reaction (hives; itching; rash; trouble breathing; tightness in your chest; swelling of your lips, tongue, and throat); seizures.

Serious (Report these to your healthcare provider right away.): Unusual bruising or bleeding, chest pain, unusual tiredness or weakness; pain or burning where the shot was given; severe, watery, or bloody diarrhea; swelling of the feet or legs; trouble urinating; bloody urine; yellowing of the eyes or skin.

Other: Mild diarrhea; nausea; vomiting; headache; abnormal vaginal discharge; white patches in the mouth or throat; sore, swollen, or dark-colored tongue.

What products might interact with this medicine?

When you take this medicine with other medicines, it can change the way this or any of the other medicines work. Nonprescription medicines, vitamins, natural remedies, and certain foods may also interact. Using these products together might cause harmful side effects. Talk to your healthcare provider if you are taking:

• Antibiotics such as doxycycline (Doryx, Monodox, Vibramycin), minocycline (Dynacin, Minocin, Solodyn), and tetracycline
• Hormonal birth control implants, IUDs, patches, pills, shots, and vaginal rings, and hormones such as conjugated estrogens (Premarin), estradiol (Climara, Estrace, Estraderm, Vivelle), and norethindrone (Aygestin, Micronor) (Talk to your healthcare provider if you need birth control.)
• Live vaccines
• Methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Rheumatrex, Trexall)
• Mycophenolate (CellCept, Myfortic)
• Probenecid
• Warfarin (Coumadin)

If you are not sure if your medicines might interact, ask your pharmacist or healthcare provider. Keep a list of all your medicines with you. List all the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Be sure that you tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all the products you are taking.

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This advisory includes selected information only and may not include all side effects of this medicine or interactions with other medicines. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information or if you have any questions.

Keep all medicines out of the reach of children.

Do not share medicines with other people.