Ampicillin/Sulbactam, Injection

What are other names for this medicine?

Type of medicine: antibiotic

Generic and brand names: ampicillin and sulbactam, injection; Unasyn

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.

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
• bleeding problems
• hay fever or other allergies
• kidney disease

Tell your provider if you have mononucleosis.

Females of childbearing age: Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. This medicine may cause side effects in nursing infants. It may also make birth control pills less effective and may cause unusual vaginal bleeding. 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 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.

What should I watch out for?

Contact your healthcare provider or get medical help right away if you have an allergic reaction to this medicine (hives, itching, rash, tightening in your chest, trouble breathing).

This medicine may cause or worsen diarrhea. If you develop diarrhea while taking this medicine, contact your healthcare provider right away. Do not treat yourself. Some diarrhea medicine will make your diarrhea worse.

If you need emergency care, surgery, 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.

Diabetics: 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 or get emergency medical care): Abnormal bleeding, pain or burning where the shot was given; severe or bloody diarrhea; swelling of the feet or legs; abnormal vaginal discharge; white patches in the mouth or throat.

Other: Mild diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, headache.

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:

• allopurinol (Zyloprim, Lopurin)
• birth control pills (talk to your healthcare provider if you need birth control)
• medicine that reduces the chance of blood clots forming such as warfarin (Coumadin) and heparin
• disulfiram (Antabuse)
• methotrexate
• tetracycline antibiotics such as tetracycline (Achromycin V, Sumycin), doxycycline (Vibramycin, Doryx), minocycline (Minocin), and oxytetracycline (Terramycin)

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.

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.