• Pharmacologic Category: Antibiotic, Miscellaneous

• This medicine is used to prevent or treat infections caused by Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia.
• This medicine is used to prevent or treat a variety of bacterial infections.
• This medicine is used to treat dermatitis herpetiformis (a skin irritation).
• This medicine is used to treat leprosy.
• This medicine may be used to prevent or treat toxoplasmosis.
• This medicine is used to prevent or treat malaria.
• Dapsone works to injure the bacteria and fight the infection.

How to take

• To gain the most benefit, do not miss doses.
• Use prescription as directed, even if feeling better.
• Take this medicine with or without food. Take with food if it causes an upset stomach.

Missed Dose

• Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
• Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
• If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your regular schedule.

Storage

• Store at room temperature.
• Protect from light.
• Protect from moisture. Do not store in a bathroom or kitchen.

Avoid

• If you have an allergy to dapsone or any other part of this medicine.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other symptoms involved.
• If you have a sulfonamide ("sulfa") allergy, talk with healthcare provider.

Precautions

• If you have anemia, talk with healthcare provider.
• If you have liver disease, talk with healthcare provider.
• Be careful if you have G6PD deficiency. Anemia may occur.
• Check medicines with healthcare provider. This medicine may not mix well with other medicines.
• Avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juice.
• You can get sunburned more easily. Avoid sun, sunlamps, and tanning beds. Use sunscreen; wear protective clothing and eyewear.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are pregnant or plan on getting pregnant.
• Tell healthcare provider if you are breast-feeding.

Side Effects

• Nausea or vomiting. Small frequent meals, frequent mouth care, sucking hard, sugar-free candy, or chewing sugar-free gum may help.
• Mood changes.
• Anemia.
• Headache.
• Blurred vision. Use caution when driving or doing other tasks that require you to have clear vision.
• Allergic reactions can rarely occur.

Monitoring

• Change in condition being treated. Is it better, worse, or about the same?
• Follow up with healthcare provider.

Contact a healthcare provider

• If you suspect an overdose, call your local poison control center or emergency department immediately.
• Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing; chest tightness; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits; or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Signs or symptoms of infection. These include a fever of 100.5 degrees or higher, chills, severe sore throat, ear or sinus pain, cough, increased sputum or change in color, painful urination, mouth sores, wound that will not heal, or anal itching or pain.
• Difficulty breathing.
• Severe belly pain.
• Severe diarrhea, even after medicine is stopped.
• Feeling extremely tired or weak.
• Weakness, numbness, or tingling.
• Dark urine or yellow skin or eyes.
• Not able to eat.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.
• Any rash.
• No improvement in condition or feeling worse.

General Statements

• If you have a life-threatening allergy, wear allergy identification at all times.
• Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's medicine.
• Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
• Most medicines can be thrown away in household trash after mixing with coffee grounds or kitty litter and sealing in a plastic bag.
• In Canada return any unused drugs back to the pharmacy. Also, visit http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/iyh-vsv/med/disposal-defaire-eng.php#th for more facts about the right way to get rid of unused drugs.
• Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, natural products, supplements, vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, pharmacist, physician assistant).
• Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or in Canada to Health Canada's Canada Vigilance Program at 1-866-234-2345.
• Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine, including over-the-counter, natural products, or vitamins.

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