Colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium otic

Generic Name: colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium (otic) (koe LIS tin, HYE droe KOR ti sone, NEE oh MYE sin, thon ZOE nee um)Brand Names: Coly Mycin S, Coly-Mycin S, Cortisporin-TC

What is colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

Colistin and neomycin are antibiotics that fight bacteria.

Hydrocortisone is in a class of drugs called steroids. Hydrocortisone prevents the release of substances in the body that cause inflammation.

Thonzonium is a wetting agent.

The combination of colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium otic (for the ears) is used to treat ear infections caused by bacteria.

This medication will not treat a viral infection such as herpes or shingles.

Colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium otic may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

You should not use colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium if you are allergic to any of the drugs contained in this combination, or if you have a ruptured ear drum..

Use this medication for the full prescribed length of time. Your symptoms may improve before the infection is completely cleared. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 1 week of using this medication.

Do not use this medication for longer than 10 days in a row unless your doctor tells you to. Long-term use of neomycin may cause damage to your hearing. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a skin rash, redness, swelling, itching, dryness, or scaling.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

You should not use colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium if you are allergic to any of the drugs contained in this combination, or if you have a ruptured ear drum.. FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium ear drops are harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Hydrocortisone and colistin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I use colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

Use this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use it in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Before using this medication, clean and dry your ear canal with sterile cotton.

Shake the ear drops well just before you measure a dose.

The usual dose of this medication is 5 drops into the affected ear every 6 to 8 hours. If you are using this medicine on a child, use only 4 drops per affected ear.

Do not use this medication for longer than 10 days in a row unless your doctor tells you to. Long-term use of neomycin may cause damage to your hearing.

To use the ear drops, first remove the cap from the dropper bottle. Lie down or tilt your head with your ear facing upward. Pull back on your ear gently to open up the ear canal. If giving this medicine to a child, pull down on the earlobe to open the ear canal. Hold the dropper upside down over the ear canal and drop the correct number of drops into the ear.

Do not place the dropper tip into your ear, or allow the tip to touch any surface. It may become contaminated.

After using the ear drops, stay lying down or with your head tilted for at least 5 minutes.

As an alternative to dropping the medicine into your ear, you may insert a small piece of cotton into the ear canal and then drop the medicine directly onto the cotton to soak it. Leave the cotton in the ear and keep it moist by adding more of the medication every 4 hours. Replace the cotton at least every 24 hours. Follow your doctor's instructions about the use of cotton with this medication.

Wipe the ear dropper tip with a clean tissue. Do not wash the tip with water or soap.

Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Use the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, wait until then to use the medicine and skip the missed dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Overdose symptoms may include hearing problems, or urinating less than usual.

What should I avoid while using colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

Follow your doctor's instructions about any restrictions on food, beverages, or activity while you are using this medication.

Colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using this medication and call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

skin rash, redness, swelling, itching, dryness, or scaling;
hearing loss; or
urinating less than usual or not at all.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium?

There may be other drugs that can interact with colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium. Tell your doctor about all your prescription and over-the-counter medications, vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about colistin, hydrocortisone, neomycin, and thonzonium otic.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.