What is the most important information I should know about retapamulin topical?
Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.
What is retapamulin topical?
Retapamulin topical (for the skin) is an antibiotic that is used to treat an infection called impetigo (im-pe-TYE-go). Impetigo usually affects the nose, lips, or other areas of the face, but it may also affect other areas of the body.
Retapamulin may be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before using retapamulin topical?
Retapamulin topical is not approved for use by anyone younger than 9 months old.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant
It may not be safe to breast-feed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.
How should I use retapamulin topical?
Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.
Do not take by mouth. Topical medicine is for use only on the skin.
Apply a thin layer of retapamulin topical to the affected area.
Wash your hands after applying this medicine, or after touching your skin lesions for any other reason. The bacteria that causes impetigo can infect any skin area that comes into contact with your lesions.
Take care not to wash the medicine off any skin on your hands that you are treating with this medicine.
You may cover the treated skin areas with a bandage or clean gauze after applying the medicine.
Use this medicine for the full prescribed length of time, even if your symptoms quickly improve. Skipping doses can increase your risk of infection that is resistant to medication.
Do not use retapamulin topical to treat any skin condition that has not been checked by your doctor.
Do not share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have. Each member of the household should be seen by a doctor if they start to show symptoms of impetigo.
Use the medicine for 5 days in a row. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 3 to 4 days.
Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
What happens if I miss a dose?
Apply the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not apply two doses at one time.
What happens if I overdose?
An overdose of retapamulin topical is not expected to be dangerous. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222 if anyone has accidentally swallowed the medication.
What should I avoid while using retapamulin topical?
Impetigo is highly contagious and spreads easily from person to person. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, washcloths, or razors with other people if you are infected with impetigo. Use a clean towel and washcloth each time you bathe to keep from reinfecting your own skin.
Avoid getting this medication in your eyes, nose, or mouth, or inside your vagina. If this does happen, rinse with water.
Avoid using other medications on the areas you treat with retapamulin topical unless your doctor tells you to.
What are the possible side effects of retapamulin topical?
Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Wipe the ointment off your skin and call your doctor at once if you have:
- severe burning, itching, redness, swelling, blistering, oozing, or other skin irritation where the medicine was applied; or
- new or worsening signs of skin infection.
Common side effects may include:
- mild itching or skin irritation; or
- headache.
This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
What other drugs will affect retapamulin topical?
Medicine used on the skin is not likely to be affected by other drugs you use. But many drugs can interact with each other.
Children younger than 2 years old can absorb larger amounts of this medicine through the skin than adults. This could make it more likely that retapamulin topical could interact with other medications the child is using, especially antifungal or antiviral medicine, or other antibiotics.
Tell each of your healthcare providers about all medicines you use, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products.
Where can I get more information?
Your pharmacist can provide more information about retapamulin topical.
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.
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