Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Geocillin

Generic Name: carbenicillin (Pronunciation: kar ben i SIL in)

• What is carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• What are the possible side effects of carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• What is the most important information I should know about carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• How should I take carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Geocillin)?
• What happens if I overdose (Geocillin)?
• What should I avoid while taking carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• What other drugs will affect carbenicillin (Geocillin)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is carbenicillin (Geocillin)?

Carbenicillin is an antibiotic in the penicillin group of drugs. It fights bacteria in your body.

Carbenicillin is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as bladder infection.

Carbenicillin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What are the possible side effects of carbenicillin (Geocillin)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
• fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;
• easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• severe skin rash, itching, or peeling;
• agitation, confusion, unusual thoughts or behavior; or
• seizure (black-out or convulsions).

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;
• vaginal itching or discharge;
• headache;
• swollen, black, or "hairy" tongue; or
• thrush (white patches or inside your mouth or throat).

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

What is the most important information I should know about carbenicillin (Geocillin)?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to carbenicillin or to any other penicillin antibiotic, such as amoxicillin (Amoxil), ampicillin (Omnipen, Principen), dicloxacillin (Dycill, Dynapen), oxacillin (Bactocill), penicillin (Beepen-VK, Ledercillin VK, Pen-V, Pen-Vee K, Pfizerpen, V-Cillin K, Veetids), and others.

Before using carbenicillin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to cephalosporins such as Ceclor, Ceftin, Duricef, Keflex, and others, or if you have asthma, kidney disease, a bleeding or blood clotting disorder, or a history of any type of allergy.

Carbenicillin can make birth control pills less effective, which may result in pregnancy. Before taking carbenicillin, tell your doctor if you use birth control pills.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Carbenicillin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Do not share this medication with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

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