Nystatin Oral Suspension

What is Nystatin Oral Suspension used for?

Nystatin oral suspension (100,000 units/ml) is an antifungal medication to treat oral candidiasis (oral thrush).

It works by targeting the infection directly in the mouth.

Supplied as a ready mixed liquid, it has a dropper with measurements to help you take the right dose for the infection.

Nystatin usually starts to work after 2 days of use and you would generally take it 4 times a day after meals and before bed for 7-14 days

Side effects include diarrhoea and feeling or being sick. No known interactions are recorded with this medication, but let your prescriber know if you are taking other medications.

Key Benefits of Nystatin Oral Suspension

• Rapid, topical action or oral thrush infections
• Clear usage instructions
• No known interactions with other medications

What is Oral Thrush?

Oral thrush symptoms include white patches (with a cottage cheese appearance), soreness and discomfort. It's caused by the overgrowth of Candida yeast.

How to Use Nystatin Oral Suspension

The recommended dose for adults and children is 1 ml of suspension dropped into the mouth four times a day. 

• Shake the bottle well before use.
• Use the measuring syringe provided, which is graduated in 0.5 ml steps.
• Doses should be equally spaced throughout the day.
• A dosing syringe for oral administration graduated from 0.5 to 5 ml with an adapter to attach to the bottle is provided in the case.

On first use:

1. Remove the adapter from the syringe (see picture 1)
2. Remove the cap from the bottle
3. Insert the adapter into the bottle (see picture 2)
4. Coat the bottle.

Each time you use it:

Preparation of the delivery device

1. Shake the suspension before each use
2. Remove the cap from the bottle
3. Attach the syringe to the adapter (see picture 3)
4. Turn the vial/syringe assembly (see picture 4)
5. Fill the syringe with a small amount of medicine by pulling the plunger and then pushing the plunger upwards to avoid the formation of air bubbles.

Dose preparation

1. Make sure the plunger is at the bottom of the syringe (see picture 5)
2. Slowly pull the plunger to extract the required dose with the dosing syringe
3. Once the dose has been extracted, turn the vial/syringe assembly upside down and remove it by gently turning the syringe containing the dose to be administered.
4. Introduce the tip of the syringe directly into the mouth
5. Immediately administer the entire extracted volume by slowly pressing the plunger.

After each use:

1. Close the bottle with the cap, leaving the adapter in the bottle.
2. Rinse the syringe with water, repeating the action.
3. Store the dry syringe in the case. Never separate the dosing syringe from the other parts of the medicinal product package (box, package leaflet).

See the full Nystatin Patient Information Leaflet here.

Ingredients

The active substance is nystatin, containing 100,000 units of nystatin per ml.

The other ingredients are: ethanol, flavours*, glycerine, methyl parahydroxybenzoate (E218), pH adjusters (hydrochloric acid, sodium hydroxide), propyl parahydroxybenzoate (E216), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (E466), sodium phosphate, sucrose and water.

*Cherry flavour, cinnamic aldehyde, peppermint oil.

Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.

If irritation or sensitisation develops, treatment should be discontinued.

Nausea has also been reported occasionally during therapy.

Large oral doses can occasionally cause:

• sickness and diarrhoea
• bloating
• stomach cramps, indigestion

Rash, including urticaria (itching), has been reported rarely.

Hypersensitivity, angioedema (swelling of the lips or tongue) and facial oedema (swelling of the face) have also been reported.

There have been very rare cases of a more serious allergic reaction called Stevens-Johnson Syndrome (a serious illness with blistering of the skin, mouth, eyes and genitals).

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor or pharmacist. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the above description and patient information leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for “MHRA yellowcard” in the Google Play or Apple App Store. By reporting side effects you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.