tobramycin

Make sure that you are using the right technique for inhaling tobramycin (Tobi) by reading the step-by-step instructions included with your medication and by reviewing your technique with your provider. If you aren't sure how to take your dose, check with your provider or pharmacist. Parents or caregivers should supervise children who are using this medication.

The dose is the same for adults and children over 6 years of age.

Take your doses 12 hours apart. It's okay if your timing is off by a little bit, but don't take them less than 6 hours apart. So if you miss a dose and it's less than 6 hours until the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the regular dose according to your usual schedule.

Use tobramycin (Tobi) in 4-week cycles. Take it for 28 days, then stop for 28 days, then repeat the cycle. It may help to mark your calendar so you know where you're at in the treatment cycle.

If you're feeling better after a few doses of this medication, you should continue to take tobramycin (Tobi) for the full 28-day cycle. Stopping this antibiotic too early can lead to bacterial resistance (tobramycin (Tobi) may not work anymore). Antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections are very difficult to treat and are especially problematic in people who have CF.

If you are getting chest physiotherapy or using other inhaled medications, take your dose of tobramycin (Tobi) last.

Tips for the Tobi Podhaler: The capsules should only be used with the Podhaler device for inhalation. Do not swallow the capsules, since the medication only works if it's inhaled directly into the lungs where you have the infection. After each dose, check to make sure that the capsule is empty; if there's still some powder inside, keep inhaling until it's empty. Use a new Podhaler every 7 days.

Tips for the inhalation solution: Store the solution in the refrigerator or at room temperature. If it's out of the refrigerator for a while, the solution may become a darker yellow color; this is normal, and you can use the medication as long as it has been out of the refrigerator and at room temperature for fewer than 28 days. The medication breaks down if exposed to light, so also make sure to keep unopened ampules in the foil pouch until right before you're ready to use it. Once the medication is in the nebulizer machine, breathe it in through your mouth until the solution is completely gone (this can take up to 15 minutes). Make sure to clean and disinfect your nebulizer machine regularly to prevent contamination.

It's normal to feel a little throat or lung irritation from tobramycin (Tobi), but talk to your provider if side effects are bothersome or if you experience significant difficulty breathing.

Tobramycin (Tobi) can interact with other medications. Make sure to tell your provider and pharmacist all the medications that you take, including supplements and over-the-counter medications, so that they can help you watch out for interactions and side effects.

Tobramycin (Tobi) mostly stays in the lungs and doesn't reach other parts of the body. In certain situations, your provider may check blood tests just to be safe.