Trecator

Trecator is an antibiotic that fights bacteria.

Trecator is used to treat tuberculosis (TB). This medicine must be used along with other tuberculosis medications and it should not be used on its own.

Trecator may also be used for reasons not mentioned in this medication guide.

Your doctor will do blood tests to ensure you do not have any conditions that would make it unsafe for you to use Trecator.

Follow all instructions on your prescription label. Do not take this medicine in amounts larger or smaller than directed or for longer than advised.

You can take Trecator with or without food.

If Trecator upsets your stomach, you can take it with food.

You may need to have regular blood tests to check your liver and thyroid function. You may also need to have regular eye exams.

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar closely while taking Trecator.

Use this medicine for the entire prescribed duration. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is fully cleared. Missing doses may also increase your risk of a further infection that is resistant to antibiotics. Trecator will not treat a viral infection like the flu or a common cold.

Store at room temperature, away from moisture and heat.

You should not use Trecator if you have serious liver disease.

You should not use Trecator if you are allergic to it, or if you have:

• severe liver disease.

To make sure Trecator is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

• liver disease;
• vision problems;
• diabetes; or
• a thyroid disorder.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Trecator will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using Trecator.

It is not known whether ethionamide passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give this medicine to a child without medical advice.

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Trecator may cause serious side effects. Call your doctor right away if you have:

• numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands or feet;
• confusion; unusual thoughts or behavior;
• eye pain, blurred vision, double vision;
• feeling light-headed, like you might pass out;
• seizure (convulsions); or
• upper stomach pain, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Common side effects of Trecator may include:

• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
• stomach pain, loss of appetite;
• increased salivation, metallic taste in your mouth;
• blisters or ulcers in your mouth, red or swollen gums, trouble swallowing;
• headache, dizziness; or
• drowsiness, depressed mood, restless feeling.

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 the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next scheduled dose, skip the missed dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for the missed dose.

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Trecator.

Other drugs may interact with ethionamide, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Inform all your health care providers about all medicines you are currently using and any medicine you begin or stop using.