Mebendazole is an "antihelmintic," or anti-worm, medication. It prevents worms from growing or multiplying in your body.
Mebendazole is used to treat infections caused by worms such as whipworm, pinworm, roundworm, and hookworm. It is also used to treat infections caused by more than one of these worms at the same time.
Follow your doctor's instructions about treatment; about the washing of clothes, linens, and towels; and about household disinfecting. Pinworm infections are easily spread from one person to another.
Mebendazole tablets may be swallowed, chewed, or crushed and mixed with food.
Before taking mebendazole, tell your doctor about any other medical conditions that you have.
Mebendazole is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take mebendazole without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnant during treatment. It is not known whether mebendazole passes into breast milk and how it might affect a nursing baby. Do not take mebendazole without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Children younger than 2 years of age should not take mebendazole unless otherwise directed by your doctor.
Take mebendazole exactly as directed by your doctor. If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Take each dose with a full glass of water.
Mebendazole tablets may be swallowed, chewed, or crushed and mixed with food.
Take all of the mebendazole that has been prescribed for you even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completely treated.
It may be up to 3 days after treatment before the worm is removed from your stomach and intestines. The amount of time it takes to cure the infection depends on how susceptible the worm is to mebendazole, and how quickly your own digestive system is moving. If the infection has not been cured within 3 weeks, a second treatment may be necessary.
Fasting, laxatives, and purging will not help cure this infection.
Treatment of family members and other close contacts may be necessary. Pinworm is spread very easily to others in close contact with the infected person.
To prevent reinfection, toilets must be disinfected daily, and clothing, linens, towels, and pajamas must be changed and washed daily.
