The drug ethambutol gets rid of some germs that cause TB. It is used in conjunction with other drugs to treat tuberculosis and stop you from spreading the infection to others.

You should speak with your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you want to take this drug for a different purpose.

Ethambutol is available as an oral tablet. It is often taken in the morning, once daily. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the medication’s directions precisely. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Before taking ethambutol,

• If you have any medicine or ethambutol allergies, let your doctor and pharmacist know right away.
• Especially if you use antacids or vitamins, let your doctor and pharmacist know what prescription and over-the-counter medications you are using. Ethambutol is interfered with by antacids, which reduces its effectiveness. One hour before or two hours after taking antacids, use ethambutol.
• If you have renal illness, gout, or eye conditions like cataracts, let your doctor know.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking ethambutol.

The drug ethambutol may affect your stomach. Eat before taking ethambutol.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Ethambutol could have undesirable effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Reduced appetite
• Uneasy stomach
• Vomiting
• Tingling and numbness in the hands or feet

Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following symptoms:

• Fuzzy vision
• Difficulty to distinguish between red and green
• Abrupt alterations in eyesight
• Body rash
• Itching

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program online at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch or by phone at 1-800-332-1088 if you have a serious side event.

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature and out of the bathroom and other places with excessive heat and moisture.

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilizing a medicine take-back program is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programs in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back program, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medicines website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

As many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning.http://www.upandaway.org

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Additionally, 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.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. Your physician will want to assess how you react to ethambutol. Additionally, blood, liver, and kidney testing are possible. At least every three to six months while you are taking ethambutol, your doctor will want to check your eyes.

No one else should take your medication. Any queries you may have regarding medication refills should be directed to your pharmacist.

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.