Injections of colistimethate are used to treat some bacterial illnesses. The drug colistimethate injection belongs to the category of drugs known as antibiotics. It eliminates bacteria to operate.

Colds, the flu, and other viral diseases cannot be treated with antibiotics like colistimethate injection. Antibiotic overuse raises the likelihood that you’ll get an infection later on that is resistant to antibiotic therapy.

Colistimethate injection is available as a powder that must be combined with a liquid and administered intravenously (into a vein) over the course of three to five minutes. Colistimethate injections can also be administered to the thighs or buttocks muscles. Usually, it is administered every 6 to 12 hours. Colistimethate injection can also be administered continuously over a period of 22 to 23 hours by intravenous infusion. Your general health, the sort of infection you have, and how well you respond to the medication will all influence how long it takes for you to complete your treatment.

You can administer colistimethate injection at home or have it as an injection in a hospital. Your healthcare practitioner will demonstrate how to administer the drug if you will be receiving colistimethate injection at home. Make sure you comprehend these instructions, and if you have any issues, consult your healthcare professional.

During the initial days of treatment with colistimethate injection, you ought to start feeling better. Call your doctor if your symptoms don’t go away or get worse.

Even if you feel better, keep using the colistimethate injection until the prescription is finished. Your illness could not be entirely treated if you stop taking colistimethate injection too soon or skip doses, and the bacteria might develop an antibiotic resistance.

To treat some severe lung infections, colistimethate injection is also occasionally taken orally using a nebulizer (device that transforms medication into a mist that can be inhaled). The dangers of using this drug for your illness should be discussed with your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before using colistimethate injection,

• If you have an allergy to colistimethate, any other medications, or any of the ingredients in colistimethate injection, let your doctor and pharmacist know right away. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Amikacin, amphotericin B (Abelcet, Ambisome), capreomycin (Capastat), gentamicin (Gentak, Genoptic), kanamycin, neomycin (Neo-Fradin), paromomycin, polymyxin B, sodium citrate (in Bicitra), streptomycin, tobramycin (Tobi, Tobrex), or vancomycin should all be mentioned (Vancocin). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• If you have renal illness now or ever have, let your doctor know.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you get pregnant while having colistimethate injection.
• Inform the surgeon or dentist that you are receiving a colistimet injection if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.
• You should be aware that a colistimet injection could cause you to feel lightheaded or affect your coordination. Before you know how this prescription affects you, do not operate machinery or drive a car.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

Injection of colistimethate may have negative side effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Uneasy stomach
• Hives
• Rash

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if you encounter any of these symptoms, or seek emergency care:

• Tingling and numbness in the mouth, hands, feet, arms, or legs
• Itching from the perception of insects under the skin
• Muddled speech
• Muscular tremor
• Breathing that is shallow, sluggish, or has momentarily halted.
• Less urinations
• After your therapy, you may experience severe diarrhoea (watery or bloody stools) with fever and/or stomach cramps for up to 2 months or longer

Further negative effects from colistimethate injection are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose signs could include the following:

• Feeling numb and tingly
• Extreme fatigue
• Confusion
• Dizziness
• Loss of coordination and balance
• Fast, erratically moving eyes
• Having trouble speaking
• Shallow, laboured, or slow breathing
• Less urinations

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To monitor how your body is responding to the colistimethate injection, your doctor will request a few lab tests.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.