Dapsone (Systemic)
Brand Names : Avlosulfon, DDS
Proper Use of This MedicineFor patients
taking dapsone for leprosy:
-
To help clear up your leprosy completely or to keep it from coming
back, it is very important that you keep taking this
medicine for the full time of treatment
, even if you begin to feel
better after a few weeks or months. You may have to take it every day for
as long as 3 years or more, or for life. If you stop taking this medicine
too soon, your symptoms may return.
-
This medicine works best when there is a constant amount in the blood.
To help keep the amount constant, do not miss any doses.
Also, it is best to take each dose at the same time every day
. If you
need help in planning the best time to take your medicine, check with your
health care professional.
For patients taking dapsone for dermatitis herpetiformis:
-
Your doctor may want you to follow a gluten-free diet. If you have
any questions about this, check with your doctor.
Dosing - The dose of dapsone will be different for different
patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions
on the label
. The following information includes only the average doses
of dapsone. If your dose is different, do not change
it
unless your doctor tells you to do so. The number of tablets that you take depends on the strength of the medicine.
Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time
allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend
on the medical problem for which you are taking dapsone
.
-
For oral
dosage form (tablets):
-
For Hansen's disease (leprosy):
-
Adults and teenagers - 50 to 100 milligrams (mg) once a day;
or 1.4 mg per kilogram (kg) (0.6 mg per pound) of body weight once a day.
Dapsone should be taken with other medicines to treat Hansen's disease.
-
Children - Dose is based on body weight. The usual dose is 1.4
mg per kg (0.6 mg per pound) of body weight once a day. Dapsone should be
taken with other medicines to treat Hansen's disease.
-
For dermatitis herpetiformis:
-
Adults and teenagers - 50 mg once a day to start. Your doctor
will increase your dose, up to 300 mg once a day, until your symptoms are
controlled. Then your dose will be decreased to the lowest dose that will
still control your symptoms.
-
Children - Dose is based on body weight. The usual dose is 2
mg per kg (0.9 mg per pound) of body weight once a day to start. Your doctor
will increase your dose until your symptoms are controlled. Then your dose
will be decreased to the lowest dose that will still control your symptoms.
Missed dose - You may skip a missed dose if it does not make
your symptoms come back or get worse. If your symptoms do come back or get
worse, take the missed dose as soon as possible. Then go back to your regular
dosing schedule.
Storage - To store this medicine:
-
Keep out of the reach of children.
-
Store away from heat and direct light.
-
Do not store in the bathroom, near the kitchen sink, or in other
damp places. Heat or moisture may cause the medicine to break down.
-
Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Be sure
that any discarded medicine is out of the reach of children.
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