What is Vermox?
First, you should learn that Vermox belongs to the benzimidazole group of antiparasitic drugs that also include Albendazole and Thiabendazole. This means that it works by killing parasites by interfering with their important protein (tubulin) and preventing the glucose uptake, just like other benzimidazoles. This medication is often prescribed by physicians to help their patients treat roundworms, tapeworms, pinworms, enterocolitis, hookworms, pork worms, filariasis, threadworms, capillariasis and whipworms. Sometimes, this medication is also taken to treat giardiasis and toxocariasis, but it’s not effective against viral infections, such as a standard cold.
Recommendations for Use
As a patient, you need to take Vermox according to the recommendations given by your doctor and prescription labels. The good news is that this medicine can be crushed, swallowed, mixed with meals, chewed, etc. Be sure to take it for a full prescribed period of time even if your symptoms improve because skipping regular doses may result in developing further infections that are resistant to this medication.
Your doctor may prescribe you to take Vermox 1-3 times a day based on the medical condition that you want to treat, and it often takes up to three weeks to treat infections. If you want to prevent further reinfections, follow the necessary instructions, such as the ones that concern disinfecting and hygiene. Keep in mind that you can’t treat any worm infection by starving or fasting, forcing yourself to vomit and using laxatives.
What about the right dosage? To treat some tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms you need to take 100 mg twice a day, and the length of your treatment is no longer than three days. To treat pinworms take 100 mg once a day, and this dose should be repeated in a few weeks when needed.
Side Effects
Like other drugs, the intake of Vermox may result in experiencing certain adverse effects, including diarrhea, drowsiness, chills, dizziness, headaches, abdominal pain, vomiting, hiccups, flushing, hypertension, ringing in your ears, reducing the number of blood cells, bloody urine and others. The good news is that they are quite rare and not severe, but you still need to call your doctor once you notice any of them.
Precautions and Contraindications
For nursing and pregnant women, you should be careful with the intake of Vermox because of possible risks and adverse effects, so talk to your doctor before undergoing this treatment. It’s not advisable to start taking it if you have any allergic reactions to its ingredients, and you also need to tell your doctor about your medical conditions. Keep in mind that this medicine is not approved to be used by any patient who is less than two years old. Make sure that you store it properly and avoid overdosing it to avoid causing any harm to yourself.
It’s not allowed to mix the intake of Vermox with Flagyl and other meds that contain metronidazole because of the increased risk of developing serious skin conditions. There are other drugs that may interfere with this medication, including Carbatrol, Cerebyx, Tegretol, Peganone, Dilantin and others because they reduce its levels in the blood. Besides, the use of Tagamet may boost its levels, thus, leading to having an increased risk of developing adverse effects. That’s why your physician must know everything about other meds that you’re taking, including prescription and over-the-counter meds, vitamins and herbal supplements.
Drug Interactions