Gentamicin is an antibiotic. It is used to treat certain serious bacterial infections of the kidneys, bladder, lungs, stomach and bowel, brain and spinal cord, blood, skin and soft tissues, and bone.
This medicine may be used to treat other bacterial infections as decided by your doctor.
Gentamicin is to be given intramuscularly (into the muscle), or intravenously (into the vein) as a slow injection or infusion.
Your doctor or nurse will administer the injection for you.
The dose of this medicine will be decided by your doctor. Your doctor will advise you on the treatment timeframe depending on the type and severity of your infection and your response to the medication.
Gentamicin must be administered at regular intervals. Do not skip any doses. You must complete the entire course of this medicine. If you don't, the infection will not be properly controlled.
Ensure that you keep all appointments with your doctor so that you do not miss any doses. Your doctor also needs to regularly monitor your response to Gentamicin.
If you miss an appointment or miss an injection, alert your doctor or nurse. A replacement appointment or injection should be given as soon as possible.
Do not use Gentamicin if you ever had an allergic reaction (e.g. rashes, breathlessness, swollen eyes) to this medicine or similar antibiotics such as amikacin, tobramycin, and neomycin.
Alert your doctor if you have myasthenia gravis (muscle weakness disorder) as Gentamicin may not be suitable for you.
Inform your doctor if you have the following conditions:
- personal or family history of hearing problems
- low levels of potassium, calcium, or magnesium in the blood
- Parkinson's disease (disorder that affects the movement of a person, causing symptoms such as tremors, muscle stiffness, slowed movement and impaired balance or walking)
- kidney disease
Let your doctor know if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Be sure to check with your doctor or pharmacist before giving Gentamicin to a child or the elderly. Children and elderly people may be more sensitive to the side effects.
Individuals who have certain variants in the
MT-RNR1 gene may have an increased risk of developing hearing loss with this medicine. Although not routinely done, your doctor may advise you to undergo genetic testing to check if Gentamicin is best suited for you. If you know you have this gene type, inform your doctor. Monitor for signs of hearing loss and let your doctor know immediately.
Why is it important to keep my appointments with the doctor?
Keep your appointments with your doctor. Your doctor needs to monitor your condition and check your response to the medication regularly.
- Routine tests (e.g. kidney function, levels of Gentamicin in the blood, ear examination) may be done while you are being treated with this medicine. Your doctor will advise you about how often you need to have these tests.
- Regular monitoring for signs of serious skin reactions and changes in hearing may also be needed.
Gentamicin may cause any of the following side effects: headache, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, excessive salivation, decreased appetite, joint pain, tiredness, and pain at the injection site.
Some side effects may need immediate medical help. Alert your doctor quickly if you experience any of the following:
- rashes, breathlessness, swelling of the face, eyes or mouth
- dizziness with sensations of spinning, ringing in the ears, hearing loss
- severe watery or bloody diarrhoea accompanied by stomach pain or fever
- pain or difficulty in passing urine, change in how much urine is passed, blood in the urine
- rashes with peeling of the skin or blistering of the lips, mouth or eyes accompanied by fever
Inform your doctor if any of these side effects do not go away or are severe, or if you experience other side effects.
Inform your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking or using any of these medicines:
- other antibiotics e.g. amikacin, neomycin, vancomycin, colistin, polymyxin B
- water pills or medicines for water retention e.g. etacrynic acid, furosemide
- blood-thinning medicines e.g. warfarin
- medicines used for blocking pain and sensation, and relaxing the muscles during procedures e.g. suxamethonium, tubocurarine
- amphotericin B (medicine to treat fungal infection)
- ciclosporin (medicine used in organ transplants or certain immune disorders)
- cisplatin (medicine for cancer)
This list does not include all medicines that may interact with Gentamicin.
Always notify your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including herbal tonics such as traditional Chinese medicines, supplements, and medicines that you buy without a prescription.
Avoid alcohol.
Store in a cool, dry place away from the reach of children.
Medicines must not be used past the expiry date.
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