Ampicillin Sodium Injection (patient information)
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About your treatment
Your doctor has ordered ampicillin, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be either injected into a large muscle (such as your buttock or hip) or added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for about 30 minutes, four to six times a day.
Ampicillin eliminates bacteria that cause many kinds of infection, including pneumonia; meningitis; and urinary tract, gastrointestinal tract, skin, bone, joint, blood, and heart valve infections. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.
Precautions
Before administering ampicillin:
- tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to ampicillin, penicillin, cephalosporins [e.g., cefaclor (Ceclor), cefadroxil (Duricef), or cephalexin (Keflex)], or any other drugs.
- tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially other antibiotics, allopurinol (Lopurin), anticoagulants ('blood thinners') such as warfarin (Coumadin), atenolol (Tenormin), oral contraceptives, probenecid (Benemid), rifampin (Rifadin), sulfasalazine, and vitamins.
- tell your doctor if you have or have ever had kidney or liver disease, allergies, asthma, blood disease, colitis, stomach problems, or hay fever.
- tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking ampicillin, call your doctor.
- if you have diabetes and regularly check your urine for sugar, use Clinistix or TesTape. Do not use Clinitest tablets because ampicillin may cause false positive results.
Administering your medication
Before you administer ampicillin, look at the solution closely. It should be clear and free of floating material. Gently squeeze the bag or observe the solution container to make sure there are no leaks. Do not use the solution if it is discolored, if it contains particles, or if the bag or container leaks. Use a new solution, but show the damaged one to your health care provider.
It is important that you use your medication exactly as directed. Do not stop your therapy on your own for any reason because your infection could worsen and result in hospitalization. Do not change your dosing schedule without talking to your health care provider. Your health care provider may tell you to stop your infusion if you have a mechanical problem (such as a blockage in the tubing, needle, or catheter); if you have to stop an infusion, call your health care provider immediately so your therapy can continue.
Side effects
Minor Side Effects
Ampicillin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- upset stomach
- diarrhea
- vomiting
- mild skin rash
Severe Side Effects
If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your health care provider immediately:
- severe skin rash
- itching
- hives
- difficulty breathing or swallowing
- wheezing
- unusual bleeding or bruising
- headache
- dizziness
- seizures
- sore mouth or throat
Storing your medication
Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of ampicillin at a time. If you are receiving ampicillin intravenously (in your vein), you probably will be told to store it in the refrigerator or freezer. Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature. If you are told to store additional ampicillin in the freezer, always move a 24-hour supply to the refrigerator for the next day's use. Do not refreeze medications.
If you are receiving ampicillin intramuscularly (in your muscle), your health care provider will tell you how to store it properly.
Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.
Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.
In case of emergency/overdose
In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.
Signs of infection
If you are receiving ampicillin in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:
- tenderness
- warmth
- irritation
- drainage
- redness
- swelling
- pain
Brand names
- Principen®
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
