(meropenem trihydrate) powder for injection
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about Meropenem GH. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking Meropenem GH against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns, about receiving this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What Meropenem GH is used for
Meropenem GH is an antibiotic used in adults and children to treat certain serious infections caused by bacteria, such as:
- Infections of the lungs;
- Infections of the kidney or bladder (urinary tract infection);
- Febrile neutropenia;
- Infections around the stomach or bowel;
- Infections of the vagina and womb;
- Serious skin infections;
- Infections in the lining of the brain (meningitis);
- Infections in the blood stream (septicaemia).
Meropenem GH belongs to a group of medicines called carbapenem antibiotics. These medicines work by killing the bacteria that are causing your infection.
Meropenem GH will not work against fungal or viral infections (such as colds or flu).
Meropenem GH is an injection and is usually only used in hospitals. It is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
Meropenem GH is not addictive.
Meropenem GH is not recommended for use in children under the age of 3 months. Safety and effectiveness in children younger than 3 months have not been established.
Before you are given Meropenem GH
When you must not be given it
Do not use Meropenem GH if you have an allergy to:
- any medicine containing meropenem;
- any other carbopenems, penicillins or other beta-lactam antibiotics;
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
- shortness of breath;
- wheezing or difficulty in breathing;
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body;
- rash, itching or hives on the skin.
If you are not sure whether you should use this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you are given it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
- gastrointestinal or stomach problems, particularly colitis;
- liver or kidney problems, including dialysis.
Tell your doctor if you have an allergy to any other antibiotics such as other carbapenems, penicillins, cephalosporins or monobactams.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding. Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
Tell your doctor if you are on a low salt (sodium) diet.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you are given Meropenem GH.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and Meropenem GH may interfere with each other. These include:
- probenecid – medicine used to treat gout;
- Sodium valproate/ valproic acid/ valpromide – medicines used to treat epilepsy or mania;
- oral anticoagulants (eg. warfarin) – medicines used to thin blood. Your blood results may be affected.
These medicines may be affected by Meropenem GH or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How Meropenem GH is given
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ to the information contained in this leaflet.
How much you will be given
Your doctor will decide what dose of Meropenem GH you will need depending on certain factors such as your type of infection and your age.
The usual dose is 500 mg to 1 g injected every 8 hours. If you have meningitis you may require more, while a lower dose may be used for children or if you have kidney problems.
How it is given
Meropenem GH is injected into your vein. It must always be given by a doctor or nurse.
Many people who get Meropenem GH in hospital will have a drip (intravenous line). Meropenem GH can be given directly into the vein or the drip without any need for an injection through the skin. It is given either as a slow injection over approximately 5 minutes or as a slow infusion (drip) over 15 to 30 minutes.
Your doctor will decide which is best for you.
How long will you need to be given Meropenem GH
Meropenem GH needs to be given as a series of injections over a few days. Your doctor will decide how many days you will need to have Meropenem GH for.
If you take too much (overdose)
As Meropenem GH is given to you under the supervision of your doctor it is very unlikely that you will receive too much. However, if you experience any severe side effects after being given Meropenem GH, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital.
You may need urgent medical attention.
In case of overdose, immediately contact the Poison Information Centre on 13 11 26 (Australia).
While you are using Meropenem GH
Things you must do
If you develop severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have been given Meropenem GH. It may mean that you have a serious bowel condition and you may need urgent medical attention.
Do not take any medicine for your diarrhoea without checking with your doctor first.
If you are about to have blood tests, tell your doctor that you are being treated with this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests.
Meropenem has been associated with headache, tingling or prickling skin and convulsions / seizures (fits). Any of these could affect your ability to drive or operate machines.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are receiving Meropenem GH
This medicine helps most people with serious infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in some people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- pain, swelling or redness around the injection site;
- nausea and/or vomiting;
- diarrhoea;
- abdominal pain;
- skin rash;
- itchiness.
The above list includes the more common side effects of your medicine. They are usually mild and short-lived.
Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you notice any of the following:
- severe diarrhoea, even if it occurs several weeks after you have been given meropenem;
- shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin (signs of an allergic reaction);
- convulsions/ seizures (fits);
- unexpected breathlessness and/ or red /brown urine – this may indicate damage to your red blood cells.
The above list includes serious side effects which may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.
Occasionally, Meropenem GH may be associated with changes in your blood that may require your doctor to do certain blood tests.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
Some of these side effects can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check your progress.
After using Meropenem GH
Storage
The hospital staff will store Meropenem GH in a safe place at a temperature below 25°C. They will also check that the expiry date has not passed.
Disposal
The hospital staff will dispose of any unused Meropenem GH.
Product description
What it looks like
Meropenem GH 500 mg powder for injection contains 500 mg of meropenem, a white to yellowish powder in 20 mL clean glass vial with rubber stopper.
Meropenem GH 1 g powder for injection contains 1 g of meropenem, a white to yellowish powder in 20 mL clean glass vial with rubber stopper, containing.
Available in packs of 10 vials.
Ingredients
Active ingredients
Meropenem (as trihydrate)
Other ingredients
Meropenem GH also contain sodium carbonate anhydrous, an inactive ingredient that helps Meropenem GH powder for injection to dissolve.
Meropenem GH vials do not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Australian Registration Numbers
Meropenem GH 500 mg/ 10 mL vial: AUST R 203805.
Meropenem GH 1000 mg/ 20 mL vial: AUST R 203806.
Distributor
Generic Health Pty Ltd
Suite 2, Level 2
19-23 Prospect Street
Box Hill, VIC, 3128
Australia
Email: ghinfo@generichealth.com.au
Telephone: +61 3 9809 7900
Website: www.generichealth.com.au
This leaflet was prepared in January 2020.
Published by MIMS April 2020