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Amphotericin B is used to treat many fungal infections including histoplasmosis and Cryptococcus. Histoplasmosis spreads through the blood stream and may affect multiple organs and produce a wide variety of symptoms. The most common symptoms are fever, swollen glands, weight loss, respiratory problems, weakness, lethargy, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. Cryptococcus usually infects the membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord. If you are starting amphotericin B and are taking ddC, you should discontinue ddC until you are stable on amphotericin B. You should not take other drugs that can affect the kidneys, such as foscarnet, at the same time as amphotericin B. A less toxic form of amphotericin B, called lipid amphotericin B, is being studied. There is also a liquid form of the drug that can be taken orally for treating thrush that is resistant to other antifungal drugs.

Side effects
Amphotericin B can cause fevers, chills, headache, anorexia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, kidney damage, and suppression of bone marrow which can lead to anemia.

Managing side effects
Flu-like side effects can be reduced by taking ibuprofen (Advil), acetominophen (Tylenol), diphenhydramine (Benadryl), or hydrocortisone one half hour before infusion of amphotericin B. Some doctors will give you meperidine (Demerol) both before treatment and during treatment in the same IV bag with amphotericin B. Sometimes the drug is combined at lower doses with flucytosine if you canít tolerate the side effects at full dose.