Precautions
Drug information provided by: Merative, Micromedex®
It is important that your doctor check your progress at regular visits, especially in infections in which high doses are needed. This is to make sure that the infection is cleared up completely, and to allow your doctor to check for any unwanted effects. Blood tests may be needed.
If your symptoms do not improve after you have taken this medicine for the full course of treatment, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.
Mebendazole can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination.
It is important to tell your doctor if you are pregnant before taking this medicine.
For patients taking mebendazole for pinworms:
- Pinworms may be easily passed from one person to another, especially among persons in the same household. Therefore, all household members may have to be treated at the same time to prevent infection or reinfection.
- Some doctors may also recommend other measures to help keep your infection from returning. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
For patients taking mebendazole for hookworms or whipworms:
- In hookworm and whipworm infections, anemia may occur. Therefore, your doctor may want you to take iron supplements to help clear up the anemia.
- It is important to take iron every day during treatment and for 6 months after you stop taking mebendazole. Do not miss any doses. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
In some patients, infections may return after treatment with mebendazole. To help prevent the infection from coming back:
- Wash hands and fingernails often, especially before eating and after using the toilet.
- Wash all fruits and vegetables thoroughly. Cook them well.
- Clean the bedroom floor by vacuuming or damp mopping for several days after treatment with this medicine. Avoid dry sweeping that may stir up the dust.
- Wash (not shake) all beddings and nightclothes (pajamas).
- Wear tight underpants both day and night. Change them daily. Also, wear shoes.
- Use the bathroom and keep the toilet seats clean.
This medicine may cause serious skin reactions when taken together with metronidazole. Check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while you are using this medicine.
Do not take other medicines unless they have been discussed with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.
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Portions of this document last updated: Feb. 01, 2024
Copyright: © Merative US L.P. 1973, 2024. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.
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FAQs
If your symptoms do not improve after you have taken this medicine for the full course of treatment, or if they become worse, check with your doctor. Mebendazole can temporarily lower the number of white blood cells in your blood, increasing the chance of getting an infection. If you can, avoid people with infections.
What are the precautions for mebendazole? ›
If you can, avoid people with infections. Check with your doctor immediately if you think you are getting an infection or if you get a fever or chills, cough or hoarseness, lower back or side pain, or painful or difficult urination. It is important to tell your doctor if you are pregnant before taking this medicine.
What are the guidelines for mebendazole? ›
Adults and children 2 years of age and older—100 milligrams (mg) two times a day, morning and evening, for 3 consecutive days. Treatment may need to be repeated in 3 weeks. Children younger than 2 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
How to take mebendazole oral suspension? ›
Chew the tablet or swallow it whole with a drink of water, juice or milk. You can take it with or without food. If you're taking the liquid, it comes with a plastic spoon to measure the dose. If you do not have a spoon, ask your pharmacist for one.
Who should not take mebendazole? ›
Mebendazole is not suitable for some people. To make sure it's safe for you, tell a pharmacist or doctor if you: have ever had an allergic reaction to mebendazole or any other medicine. are pregnant or breastfeeding.
What are the nursing implications for mebendazole? ›
Pregnancy & Breastfeeding
Mebendazole can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. You should not breast-feed while using this medicine.
Can I eat after taking mebendazole? ›
You can eat and drink normally while taking mebendazole. It's important to remember to wash your hands and scrub under your fingernails before eating. This removes any eggs and stops the infection spreading or coming back. Are there any lifestyle changes that can help with threadworms?
Why is mebendazole no longer available? ›
Why is Mebendazole discontinued? Mebendazole was discontinued in 2011 due to the poor tissue penetration of Mebendazole and the current availability of albendazole and not for safety or efficacy reasons, stated by the Federal Register determination.
How is mebendazole administered? ›
Mebendazole is administered orally without regard to meals. The patient must chew the tablet completely before swallowing. For patients who have difficulty taking the tablet, it can be placed in a spoon and mixed with 2 to 3 ml of drinking water using a dosing syringe.
Does mebendazole enter the bloodstream? ›
Other drugs are used to treat worm infections outside the digestive tract, as mebendazole is poorly absorbed into the bloodstream. Mebendazole is used alone in those with mild to moderate infestations.
You may take this medicine with or without food. Chew it completely before swallowing. Do not swallow the tablet whole. If you have trouble chewing the tablet, place it in a spoon and add 2 to 3 mL of drinking water by using a dosing syringe.
How long does mebendazole take to get rid of worms? ›
Key facts. You'll usually take mebendazole as a single dose to treat threadworms, but you might need to take it for around 3 days for some other types of worm infection. It starts to work straight away but it may take several days to kill all the worms.
Can mebendazole cause liver damage? ›
There have been rare reports of acute liver injury due to mebenazole, particularly when it is given repeatedly or in higher doses. The onset is usually with fever and malaise within days of starting or restarting therapy. The pattern of serum enzyme elevations is typically hepatocellular, and jaundice is uncommon.
Does mebendazole affect gut bacteria? ›
Gut microbiota diversity increased after Enterobius infection, and it peaked after administration of mebendazole. At the phylum level, pinworm infection and mebendazole deworming were associated with a decreased relative abundance of Fusobacteria and an increased proportion of Actinobacteria.
When is mebendazole contraindicated? ›
Mebendazole is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to benzimidazole class of compounds, in pregnancy, and in children <2 years of age.
Will I see worms in my stool after taking mebendazole? ›
Official answer. Yes, it is normal to see dead threadworms in the persons bowel motions. Depending on the frequency of bathroom visits this can take up to one week.
What does mebendazole do to your body? ›
Mebendazole is a type of medicine for treating worms. It's used mainly for infections of the gut such as threadworms (sometimes known as pinworms) and other less common worm infections (whipworm, roundworm and hookworm). It works by stopping worms from using sugar (glucose) to live. This kills the worms.
Is mebendazole well tolerated? ›
Mebendazole is generally well-tolerated. Patients with severe worm infestation may have diarrhoea, vomiting, or abdominal pain as the worms are killed and excreted. Other side effects may include drowsiness, itching, headache, and dizziness.
Can I take mebendazole before bed? ›
Mebendazole may be given either as a single dose or twice each day for 3 days, depending on the type of worm your child is infected with. Your doctor will tell you how often to give it. Once: this can be at any time of day. Twice a day: this should be once in the morning and once in the evening.
