Mebendazole (patient information)

Why this medication is prescribed

Mebendazole, an antiworm medication, kills parasites. It is used to treat roundworm, hookworm, pinworm, whipworm, and other worm infections.

This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

How this medication should be used

Mebendazole comes as a chewable tablet. It usually is taken twice a day, in the morning and evening, for 3 days or as a single (one-time) dose. You may chew the tablets, swallow them whole, or crush and mix them with food. Treatment may have to be repeated in 2-3 weeks. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take mebendazole exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Special precautions

Before taking mebendazole:

• tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to mebendazole or any other drugs.
• tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, especially carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), and vitamins.
• tell your doctor if you have or have ever had stomach or liver disease.
• tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding. If you become pregnant while taking mebendazole, call your doctor.

What to do if you forget a dose

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one.

Side effects

Mebendazole may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• diarrhea
• stomach pain

Storage conditions needed for this medication

Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of reach of children. Store it at room temperature and away from excess heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Throw away any medication that is outdated or no longer needed. Talk to your pharmacist about the proper disposal of your medication.

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.

Other information

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor will order certain lab tests to check your response to mebendazole.

Do not let anyone else take your medication. Your prescription is probably not refillable. If you still have symptoms of infection after you finish the mebendazole, call your doctor.

Brand names

• Vermox®