WHAT SHOULD MY DOCTOR KNOW BEFORE I RECEIVE FUNGIZONE INTRAVENOUS?

Tell your doctor if you are allergic to amphotericin or any of the ingredients in Fungizone Intravenous. Remind your doctor if you know that you have had problems with your liver or your kidneys are not working as well as they should.

WHAT IF I AM PREGNANT OR BREAST-FEEDING?

If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant or breast feeding, speak to your doctor.

CAN I TAKE OTHER MEDICINES?

If you are taking other medicines it is important to discuss these with your doctor or pharmacist. This includes certain muscle relaxants (e.g. tubocurarine), anti-cancer medicines, medicines that affect the kidney (e.g. amphotericin), digoxin, steroids and any medicines bought elsewhere e.g. supermarket.

WHAT IS THE DOSE OF FUNGIZONE INTRAVENOUS AND HOW WILL IT BE GIVEN?

The daily dose is 0.25-1.5mg per kg of your body weight. It will be primarily administered slowly into a vein by an infusion (a “drip”) lasting some hours. A test dose may be given before you start treatment with this medicine. Several months of treatment is usually necessary to get rid of the infection completely.

WILL I NEED TO RECEIVE OTHER MEDICINES?

In some patients, the doctor may give medicine to help reduce nausea and vomiting or aspirin, an antihistamine, a steroid or an anticoagulant to help reduce other unwanted effects.

WHAT ARE THE UNWANTED EFFECTS OF FUNGIZONE INTRAVENOUS?

Treatment with Fungizone Intravenous may affect your blood cells, kidneys, liver or heart. For this reason, your doctor will want to monitor all these things before, during and after giving you this medicine. In a few patients, Fungizone may cause an allergic reaction with high temperature, chills, convulsions, rash or itching. If this does happen to you, it is most likely to happen within minutes of you receiving Fungizone, so medical attention will be immediately available.

Some patients get headaches, weight loss, and loss of appetite, indigestion, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhoea, irregular heartbeat, tiredness, muscle and joint pains, pain at the injection site and inflammation of veins. Less frequently, patients may get ringing in the ears or loss of hearing, blurred or double vision, light-headedness, sweating, fainting, short-lived vertigo, difficult urination, bloody stools, numbness, tingling in the hands or feet and flushing.

There have been reports of blood disorders which may be characterised by fever or chills, sore throat, ulcers in the mouth or throat, unusual tiredness or weakness, unusual bleeding or unexplained bruises. Tell your doctor immediately if you notice these symptoms.

If you notice any other side effects tell your doctor or a pharmacist.