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In this Article

• What is meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• What are the possible side effects of meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• What is the most important information I should know about meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• How should I take meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Merrem I.V.)?
• What happens if I overdose (Merrem I.V.)?
• What should I avoid while taking meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• What other drugs will affect meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?
• Where can I get more information?

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?

Do not take meropenem without first talking to your doctor if you have an allergy to meropenem, imipenem (Primaxin), a penicillin antibiotic, or a cephalosporin antibiotic.

Before taking meropenem, talk to your doctor if you have

• a head injury or brain tumor;
• epilepsy or a seizure disorder; or
• kidney disease.

You may not be able to use meropenem, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment.

Meropenem is in the FDA pregnancy category B. This means that it is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not use meropenem without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment.

It is not known whether meropenem passes into breast milk. Do not take meropenem without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take meropenem (Merrem I.V.)?

Meropenem will be administered as an intravenous (into a vein) injection by a healthcare provider.

If you are using meropenem at home, your healthcare provider will give you detailed instructions regarding preparation, administration, and storage of the medication.

It is important to take meropenem regularly to get the most benefit.

Take all of the meropenem that has been prescribed for you, even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated.

Your doctor may want you to have blood tests or other medical evaluations during treatment with meropenem to monitor progress and side effects.