What is Pyrimethamine? Uses, warnings & side effects

Take all of the medicine in your prescription to clear up your infection, even if you feel better after the first few doses.

Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.

Oral routeIt is best to take this medicine with food or milk.

Missed dose: Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.

Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light.

Take your medicine as directed. Your dose may need to be changed several times to find what works best for you.

Oral routeIt is best to take this medicine with food or milk.

Take all of the medicine in your prescription to clear up your infection, even if you feel better after the first few doses.

Missed dose: Take a dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then and take a regular dose. Do not take extra medicine to make up for a missed dose.

Take the missed dose as soon as possible, unless it is almost time for your next dose.

Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next regular dose.

You should not use two doses at the same time.

This medicine is not right for everyone. Do not use it if you had an allergic reaction to pyrimethamine, or if you have a blood disease, including megaloblastic anemia caused by folate deficiency.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, or if you have kidney disease, liver disease, folate deficiency, malabsorption syndrome (trouble absorbing food), or seizures. Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol.

This medicine may cause the following problems:Decreased amount of folate in the bodyIncreased risk of cancerSerious skin reactions

This medicine may make you bleed, bruise, or get infections more easily. Take precautions to prevent illness and injury. Wash your hands often.

Your doctor will do lab tests at regular visits to check on the effects of this medicine. Keep all appointments.

Keep all medicine out of the reach of children. Never share your medicine with anyone.

Yellowing of skin and eyes

Extreme tiredness

Pain when urinating or bloody urine

Some medicines can affect how pyrimethamine works. Tell your doctor if you are using lorazepam, methotrexate, phenytoin, proguanil, zidovudine, or sulfa drugs (including trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole).

Do not drink alcohol while you are using this medicine.

If you develop a skin rash, stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away.

This medicine may help prevent malaria, but is not used to treat a severe attack of malaria.

Pyrimethamine may cause harmful side effects. To help treat these side effects, you may also be given another medicine called leucovorin. It is important that you take leucovorin exactly as your doctor ordered. Do not skip any doses.