Amphotericin B

What is amphotericin B?

Amphotericin B is an antifungal medicine. Antifungals are used to treat certain types of serious fungal infections.

Amphotericin B comes as two types of injections: conventional and lipid-based.

You may hear conventional amphotericin called by its brand names, Fungizone or Amphocin. The lipid-based amphotericin may be called Abelcet or Ambisome.

Before giving amphotericin B to your child

Tell your child's doctor if your child has:

• an allergy to amphotericin B.

Talk with your child's doctor or pharmacist if your child has any of the following conditions. Precautions may need to be taken with this medicine if your child has:

• kidney disease.
• low blood potassium levels.
• a history of infusion reactions with amphotericin B (fever, chills, nausea, flushing).

How is amphotericin B given?

Amphotericin B is a liquid which is injected or given as a shot into a vein (IV).

What are the possible side effects of amphotericin B?

If your child has any of these side effects during the infusion, tell the nurse or doctor immediately:

• Fever, chills
• Sweating
• Difficult or rapid breathing
• Fast, slow, or uneven heart beat
• Fainting
• Blurred vision

Your child may have some of these side effects while they take amphotericin B. Check with your child's doctor if your child continues to have any of these side effects, if they do not go away, or if they bother your child:

• Headache
• Loss of appetite
• Upset stomach, vomiting
• Watery bowel movements (diarrhea)
• Dizziness or feeling light-headed

What safety measures should you take when your child is using amphotericin B?

Your doctor will check your child's blood on a regular basis. This is to check for changes in kidney function as well as to monitor the amount of potassium and magnesium in the blood.

Please tell your doctor immediately if your child is unable to pass urine, or if the urine has changed colour (dark urine, or pink-red urine).

Check with your child's doctor or pharmacist before giving your child any other medicines (prescription, non-prescription, herbal or natural products).

What other important information should you know about amphotericin B?

• Keep a list of all medications your child is on and show the list to the doctor or pharmacist
• Your child may be given other medicines before their amphotericin B dose in order to prevent chills and fever
• Do not share your child’s medicine with others and do not give anyone else’s medicine to your child
  

Keep amphotericin b out of your child’s sight and reach and locked up in a safe place. If your child takes too much amphotericin b, call your local Poison Information Centre at one of these numbers. These calls are free. 

• Call 1-844 POISON-X, or 1-844-764-7669, from anywhere in Canada except Quebec.
• Call 1-800-463-5060 if you live in Quebec.