What is Ivermectin?
Ivermectin got approved for medical use in 1981, and the World Health Organisation placed Ivermectin on the list of essential medicines. The Food and Drugs authorities also approved Ivermectin as an antiparasitic agent. Ivermectin is available only with a proper prescription from a doctor under the brand name called Stromectol. You can take Ivermectin orally or use it in topical form for external use.
What is the use of Ivermectin?
Doctors will prescribe you Ivermectin to treat the following health conditions:
- Head lice
- Scabies
- River blindness (onchocerciasis)
- Strongyloidiasis
- Trichuriasis
- Ascariasis
- Lymphatic filariasis
- Any other condition as they determine
In some clinical trials, doctors found Ivermectin tablets very useful in treating COVID-19 caused due to SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Ivermectin dosage
Take Ivermectin dosage as exactly prescribed by your doctor, and please don’t take it more often than prescribed. Your doctor should prescribe you the lowest possible dose in starting and then gradually increase your medicine dose according to your health condition. To determine a suitable dosage, they should make a full and proper medical checkup of the patient.
Your doctor will recommend Ivermectin depending on several factors such as:
- Your age
- Your weight
- Your medical condition
- Other health disorder you already have
- How you responded to the first dose of the medicine
The following is the Ivermectin usual dose that a doctor can prescribe according to different medical conditions:
In the form of oral tablets
Dosage for river blindness
- For adults
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The usual dose of Ivermectin is 150 mcg/kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For teenagers
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The typical dose for the said medication is 150 mcg per kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For children (weighing more than 15 kg)
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The typical dose of this medication is 150 mcg per kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For children ( (weighing less than 15 kg)
Doctors should prescribe Ivermectin dosage for children after a full and proper medical examination.
Dosage for strongyloidiasis
- For adults
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The typical dose for the said medicine is 200 mcg per kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For teenagers
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The typical dose of this medication is 200 mcg per kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For children
Ivermectin dosage for adults to treat river blindness is dependent on their body weight. The typical dose of Ivermectin tablet is 200 mcg per kg as a single dose. Your doctor may repeat the treatment after every three to twelve months.
- For children
Doctors should prescribe Ivermectin dosage for children after a full and proper medical examination.
How do Ivermectin works?
Being a medicine of anti-parasite group; it also works similar to the other drugs of this group work. Ivermectin destroys parasites present in the body and reduces its growth and further production.
What to know before using Ivermectin?
It is best to keep the following guidelines in mind before using Ivermectin:
- Take Ivermectin only if your doctor prescribes you.
- If you are allergic to Ivermectine or its components or similar medicines, please avoid it.
- To ensure that taking Ivermectin is safe for you, you should tell your doctor if you are suffering from the following health disorder:
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Cancer
- HIV ADIS
- Any other medical conditions that weaken your immunity system
- Expecting women should not take the said medicine without consulting their doctor.
- Ivermectin can pass into the breast milk and harm the nursing baby; therefore, it is not safe for lactating mothers to use Ivermectin.
- Health authorities have not approved Ivermectin for children weighing less than 15 kg.
- Using alcohol while taking this medication can increase the risks of certain side effects.
- If you ever feel uneasy after taking Ivermectin, you should immediately consult your doctor and ask for medical help.
- You can also get emergency medical assistance by calling the Poison helpline at 1-800-222-1222.
- It is the patients’ responsibility to say to the doctor about all their current medicines. Their medical professional will prescribe them Ivermectin accordingly to avoid interaction between medications. The following medicines may interact with Ivermectin or may increase the risk of certain side effects or can make other treatments less effective:
- Blood thinners
- Vitamins and other nutritional supplements
- Herbal products
- Other over the counter medications
- Keep your medication out of reach of the children.
- Store it at room temperature, away from heat and moisture.
- After completion of treatment, dispose of all the leftover medicine with your pharmacist’s advice.
- You should also ask your doctor about all the necessary precautions that you should take while using Ivermectin.
- You can consult your doctor to learn more about the risks and benefits associated with Ivermectin.
Ivermectin side effects
The common side effects of Ivermectin while using it for treating intestinal infections includes the following:
- Tiredness
- Itchiness
- Loss of energy
- Drowsiness or sleepiness
- Pain in the stomach
- Dizziness
- Loss of appetite
- Diarrhea
- Nausea or vomiting
Side effects symptoms, when used for treating skin and eye infections, are as follows:
- The problem in the eyes
- Pain and swelling in the joints
- Fever
- Swollen and tender lymph nodes
- Skin rashes
- Itching
It is evident to experience mild side effects symptoms after using this medication. You can still consult your doctor and ask for medical help if these symptoms bother you so much or are unbearable. You should not take medicine anymore and tell your doctor if you experience any of the following health issues:
- Pain in the neck and back
- Pain or swelling in the eyes
- Redness or bleeding in the eyes
- Loss of vision
- Shortness of breath or breathlessness
- Uncontrollable urination
- Uncontrolled bowel movement
- Seizures
- Trouble in standing and walking
- Confusion
- Tiredness
- Drowsiness
- low blood pressure resulting in lightheadedness, dizziness, fainting, or unconsciousness
- Liver damage resulting in fatigue, nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite, pain on the right side of the stomach, dark-colored urine, symptoms of jaundice
- Any other allergic reaction to the medicine
You should also report to your doctor if you ever experience any other side effects or symptoms that are getting even worse.
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