DrugindexOnline^{2nd edition}

Generic Name: bacitracin, neomycin, and polymyxin B (topical) (BAS ih tray son, nee oh MY sin, pol ee MIX in B)
Brand Names: Medi-Quik, Mycitracin Triple Antibiotic, Neosporin, Septa, Tribiotic Plus, Triple Antibiotic

What is bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

Bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B is a combination of three antibiotic medicines. This medication works by killing germs (bacteria) on your skin.

Bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B is used to treat and prevent infections in minor cuts, scrapes, or burns on your skin.

This medication may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

Call your doctor if your skin condition does not get better after using this medication regularly for 1 week. Contact your doctor at any time if your symptoms get worse.

Call your doctor at once if you have swelling, redness, itching, pus, or other signs of infection. Tell your doctor if you feel any numbness or tingling while using this medication.

Do not apply the ointment over large skin areas. Do not use to treat a deep cut, an animal bite, or a serious burn. Call your doctor for instructions on how to treat these more severe skin injuries.

Avoid applying other creams, lotions, ointments, or other medicated skin products to the same areas you treat with bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you have any drug allergies.

Call your doctor if your skin condition does not get better after using this medication regularly for 1 week. Contact your doctor at any time if your symptoms get worse.

Bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known if it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. Tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment. It is not known if this medicine passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

Use this medication exactly as directed on the ointment label, or as your doctor has prescribed it for you. Do not use more of the medication than recommended. Do not use the medication for longer than recommended.

Do not apply the ointment over large skin areas. Do not use to treat a deep cut, an animal bite, or a serious burn. Call your doctor for instructions on how to treat these more severe skin injuries.

Before you apply this medication, wash the skin area with soap and water and then dry it thoroughly.

This medication can be applied 1 to 3 times each day. Cover the wound with a bandage if desired. Clean the wound and use a new bandage each time you apply this medicine.

Use this medication for as many days as recommended on the ointment label or by your doctor, even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated. If your skin wound does not start to heal after using bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B for 7 days, talk with your doctor about another treatment. Store this medication at room temperature away from hot or cold temperatures.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Apply the medication as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and wait until your next regularly scheduled dose. Do not apply extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

This medicine is not usually absorbed through the skin in amounts large enough to cause an overdose. Call your doctor if you think you have used too much of this medication.

What should I avoid while using bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

Bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B is for use only on your skin. Avoid getting this medicine in your eyes or inside your mouth or nose.

Avoid applying other creams, lotions, ointments, or other medicated skin products to the same areas you treat with bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B.

Bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B side effects

Stop using this medication and 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 swelling, redness, itching, pus, or other signs of infection. Tell your doctor if you feel any numbness or tingling while using this medication.

A rare but serious side effect of this medication is hearing loss, which has occurred in people using other forms of this medication. It is unlikely that you would absorb enough of this medicine through your skin to cause this effect. Call your doctor at once if you notice any changes in your hearing.

What other drugs will affect bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B?

There may be other drugs that can affect bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist has more information about this medication written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Bacitracin/neosporin/polymyxin B is available over-the-counter (without a prescription) under the brand names Neosporin, Medi-Quik, Mycitracin, and Triple Antibiotic Ointment. Other brand or generic forms may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.

• Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
• Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2006 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 1.02. Revision Date: 3/6/06 10:17:19 AM.