Levamisole is one of the most unique medicines. Its peculiarity lies in the fact that it can have a positive effect on the human body in two cases: with chemotherapy, and also with infection with helminths that poison a person from the inside. For what diseases is this drug prescribed, and how does this medication work in each situation? This is what we will talk about today. In addition, analogues of the drug and reviews of doctors will be presented to your attention.
What is the drug?
"Levamisole", reviews of which we will consider below, is a drug whose main active ingredient is levamisole hydrochloride. It effectively affects ascaris, pinworms, toxoplasma and other helminths. The principle by which the medicine copes with worms is by blocking the ganglions of the parasites, which results in complete paralysis of the muscles of these creatures. After the onset of paralysis, the helminth is no longer inable to attach to the walls of human organs, so within a day it leaves the human body naturally.
In addition to the properties described above, Levamisole does an excellent job of normalizing the immune system in humans. When patients undergo radiation therapy or chemistry, they must be prescribed immunomodulatory drugs. It is known that after such manipulations, the human immune system suffers greatly. In this case, one of the most popular medicines is Levamisole. Patient reviews about the drug are positive. But it is worth noting that only a doctor can perform any prescription of drugs and the selection of their dosage. And the patient is simply obliged to strictly follow all the recommendations.
Composition of the drug and the form in which it is produced
"Levamisole" has a second name - "Dekaris". It is available in tablets and as a solution for injection. By the way, the drug in the form of an injection is quite actively used in veterinary medicine. They will help you deal with a drug such as Levamisole, instructions for use, reviews.
Tablets are available in blister packs, and injections are made in glass containers or ampoules. The effect of this medication should definitely be studied before proceeding with treatment. This will greatly help the reviews of patients who have already tried this remedy on themselves. As described above, the main active ingredient is levamisole hydrochloride, and the following are auxiliary componentsingredients:
- cornstarch;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- lactose;
- talc;
- sodium starch glycolate.
For what diseases is it prescribed?
Are there worms? Levamisole will help to cope with this task. Reviews confirm this. This tool is very effective and proven. This drug is used in the presence of the following types of helminths:
- somecats;
- Ascaris;
- hookworms;
- stronglyary;
- trichostrongylaria and other parasites.
This drug copes well not only with helminths, it also has an immunomodulatory effect. Moreover, this medication is often used in infectious therapy, as well as in the treatment of oncological diseases.
The drug "Levamisole 7, 5" (fl. 50ml) receives mostly positive reviews. It is prescribed to combat the following pathologies:
- recurrent herpesvirus infection;
- hepatitis of viral origin;
- chronic hepatitis B;
- Reiter defect;
- Hojkin's defect in remission;
- after surgical treatment of malignant neoplasms in the area of the breast, large intestine and bronchi.
Only a specialist has the right to prescribe Levamisole. The pills that patients leave reviews are quite effective, but self-medication is a rather stupid idea. If a personis in the hospital, then the doctor will fulfill the appointment, but if there are suspicions of helminths, then it is imperative to take tests and only then you can get a consultation from a doctor.
Contraindications for use
Despite its uniqueness and effectiveness, Levamisole has contraindications for use, namely:
- acute leukemic form;
- kidney or liver failure;
- impaired blood circulation in the brain;
- women during lactation and pregnancy;
- children under 14;
- any person who has hypersensitivity to Levamisole.
"Decaris" (reviews on this subject are available) can sometimes provoke an allergic reaction in a person in the form of a rash on the skin. In rare cases, dermatitis may also occur. Sometimes after taking "Levamisole" in people, the body temperature increased, and a feverish state manifested itself. At the same time, cases of obstruction were recorded. Therefore, it will not be superfluous to recall that taking this remedy without first consulting a doctor is highly undesirable.
How to use the drug?
First of all, this drug is strictly not recommended to be used without a prescription from the attending physician, since this medication has many side effects, and in some cases severe pathologies can develop. To get rid of worms, "Levamisole" is used once a day before bedtime. It must be used according to a specific schedule. One tablet of this remedy contains 150 mg of the active substance. Therefore, a single dosage is calculated according to the weight of the person who plans to treat with this drug.
Adults, regardless of body weight, use 150 mg of the drug at a time, that is, one tablet. To avoid re-infection with helminths, it is necessary to take the medication again. In this case, the repeated procedure is carried out no earlier than three weeks later, after consulting with the doctor.
And in order to get an immunomodulatory effect from Levamisole, it should be taken in courses. For three days, use 50 mg of this drug. Then they take a break for 2 weeks, and repeat the course. It is worth noting that in some cases the doctor may prescribe a single use of this medication, then the multiple dose will be 150 mg. Confirms the effectiveness of the drug "Levamisole" instruction. Feedback on this is also positive. It is very important to follow one rule while taking such a drug: a person using Levamisole should avoid ethanol, since this substance can cause negative reactions from the body. And the very first one is intoxication.
The medicine "Levamisole Plus 10" has good reviews. It is a veterinary drug used to treat worms in birds, pigs and other pets.
Side effects
Like any other medicine, Levamisole may causehuman side effects. In some cases, there may simply be heaviness in the stomach, which will immediately disappear as soon as the course of treatment is completed. And sometimes more complex symptoms can be observed, namely:
- nausea and gagging;
- severe diarrhea;
- pain in the epigastric region;
- appearance of small sores in the mouth;
- pancreatitis.
However, if treatment with this remedy lasts for a long time, a person may experience the following symptoms:
- severe headaches;
- general weakness of the body;
- disturbances in smell;
- manifestation of hyperthermia;
- cramps of limbs;
- sleep disorder;
- rashes on the skin;
- changes in blood chemistry;
- kidney dysfunction.
If at least one of the above symptoms appears, then the use of this drug should be stopped immediately and consult a doctor for advice. The specialist will be able to choose an analogue of this drug, which is suitable for a person and will not cause negative reactions from the body. This confirms the instructions for use for the drug Levamisole.
Analogues
Today, the pharmaceutical market has several synonyms that can replace this drug. All of them cope with the task very well and can be prescribed in the case when Levamisole cannot be purchased, orit causes adverse reactions in the human body. A drug synonym means the same active substance that can replace the main drug in case of all of the above problems.
We examined how Levamisole describes the instructions for use. Patient reviews indicate the high effectiveness of some drug substitutes. Among them are:
- Ergamizol.
- Levazol.
- Sitrax.
- Casidrol.
- "Derinat".
- "ADS-atoxin".
- Neovir.
- Likopid.
These medications exactly repeat the action of Levamisole. Many patients have used them in their treatment. And the reviews of parasitologists are good about the Levamisole preparation itself. But at the same time, do not forget that each remedy has its own contraindications and side effects. Analogues were created so that the drug could be replaced in the event of unpleasant symptoms. Only a doctor can perform such a replacement and calculate the required dosage for the patient, so you cannot do the substitution yourself.
Overdose symptoms
If you exceed the indicated dosage, then a person will begin to develop poisoning of the body within a couple of hours. The first signs pointing to this fact will be nausea and vomiting, dizziness, diarrhea and severe cramps. Further, if measures are not taken in time, the following symptoms will appear: confusion, severeheadaches and more likely to lethargy.
Overdose of the body requires a cleansing of the gastrointestinal tract. Such treatment includes a whole range of procedures. First of all, do a gastric lavage with an obligatory enema. In parallel, therapeutic therapy is prescribed with the control of all vital signs of the affected person. Sometimes, due to an overdose, an anticholinesterase reaction may develop, in which case the administration of atropine is mandatory.
As a rule, if you seek help in time, you can avoid all possible complications. The main task of the victim is to immediately go to the hospital. It must always be remembered that an overdose is much easier to deal with if help is provided on time. Thus, one can hope that this fact will not bring any complications.
Some Features
If this medication is used once, then there is no need to take a laxative or an additional remedy from the diet therapy group. It is highly undesirable to drink alcohol during treatment. Sometimes such actions can lead to poisoning of the body. Confirms this effect of the drug "Levamisole" instructions for use. Reviews also do not bypass this issue. Doctors warn that alcohol combined with medication can be harmful to human he alth.
Use "Levamisole" reviews are advised very carefully, since this drug contains lactose, which not everyone tolerates. If it is possible to usereplacing this drug, it is much easier to do so and thereby avoid possible side effects. In the course of medical therapy, the content of leukocytes in the blood should be regularly monitored.
This drug has many restrictions when used with other drugs, namely:
- when taking Levamisole, the simultaneous use of Pirantel should be avoided, since overdose and poisoning can develop from such a tandem;
- if the drug is used together with Phenotoin, then its effect will increase significantly;
- during the interaction of "Doxorubicin" with "Levamisole" intoxication of the body may occur;
- if taken together with Amphotericin-B, then such a tandem will lead to the development of bronchospasms.
This is only a small part of medicines described. Therefore, when a doctor prescribes this drug for treatment, and a person takes other medicines, it is necessary to notify a specialist about them in order to avoid unpleasant consequences and protect their own he alth. Before taking any remedy, always consult with your doctor, because sometimes even the most harmless drugs can do great harm. That's how unsafe the drug "Levamisole" turned out to be.
Reviews of doctors
Medication reviews abound. Doctors-parasitologists confirm the effectiveness of the drug. Side effects are not so common, but for preventive purposes, you should not take the drug. If worms are suspectedexperts recommend getting tested. If the diagnosis is confirmed, Levamisole or a similar drug should be taken. But it is imperative to follow the regimen prescribed by the doctor, or read it in the instructions for use. About the drug "Levamisole" reviews of doctors are mostly positive. If you still experience adverse reactions, you should immediately stop taking the medication and consult a doctor. The specialist will select another remedy for treatment.
Conclusion
Levamisole is a drug that really helps to cope with many problems. But it must be used with caution, since this remedy has a lot of contraindications and side effects. Do not recommend using Levamisole alone. instructions for use.
Reviews, analogues and properties of the drug we have considered. Now it is clear that you can take such medications only as prescribed by a doctor. However, some people do it for prevention purposes. This approach is not entirely correct, since you can harm your own body. Therefore, before making a decision on the use, it is worth visiting a doctor to get a detailed consultation. We should not forget that self-treatment can turn into big problems in the future. Take care of yourself and your he alth!
