Common uses

Clindamycin is an antibiotic that fights bacteria in the body. Clindamycin is used to treat serious infections caused by bacteria. Clindamycin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Before using

Do not use this medication if you are:
• allergic to clindamycin or lincomycin (Bactramycin, L-Mycin, Lincocin); or
• if you are also taking erythromycin (E-Mycin, E.E.S., Eryc, Ery-Tab, Robimycin, and others).
Before using clindamycin, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
• colitis, Crohn's disease, or other intestinal disorder;
• kidney disease;
• liver disease; or
• a history of asthma, eczema, or allergic skin reaction.
If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use clindamycin, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Clindamycin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Directions

Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take this medicine with a full glass of water to keep it from irritating your throat. Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. To be sure you get the correct dose, measure the liquid with a marked measuring spoon or medicine cup, not with a regular table spoon. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one. Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. clindamycin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.
To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.
If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time that you are using clindamycin. You may need to stop using the medicine for a short time.
• Store clindamycin at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Cautions

Patients with a medical history which includes intestinal disorders such as Chron’s disease or colitis, asthma, eczema, skin allergies, liver disease, or kidney disease may not be able to take Cleocin without careful monitoring, if at all, depending on the condition and the severity of the condition. Patients should also notify their physician if they have ever had an allergic reaction to clindamycin or lincomycin.

The American Food and Drug Administration determined this medication is not expected to be harmful to a developing fetus and rated it a pregnancy risk category B. Cleocin can however, pass into a woman’s breast milk and affect a nursing baby. Physicians should avoid prescribing this medication to women who are nursing.

Possible side effects

There are typically side effects associated with medication, and Cleocin is no exception. Some serious side effects like allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat) require urgent medical care. Other serious side effects such as fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, blood in diarrhea, watery diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, stomach pain, jaundice, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay colored stools, a decrease in urination, and a fever accompanied by a severe blistering or peeling rash and headache also require immediate medical assistance.

Less serious side effects such as mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, mild skin rash, itching, vaginal discharge, vaginal itching, or throat irritation, generally doesn’t require any medical attention but should be reported to the prescribing physician.

If you take too much

If an overdose of Cleocin is suspected the patient should seek immediate medical intervention and assessment. An overdose may involve symptoms such as changes in mood or behaviors, thoughts of self harm, suicidal thoughts, seizures, or convulsions.

Additional information

In rare instances, Cleocin can induce depression or other mental health issues. Should a patient who is taking Cleocin develop sudden or surprising new behaviors, a physician should be contacted immediately and the patient may require a different antibiotic that is less likely to encourage depression or other mental health issues.

Drug interactions

Other medications such as muscle relaxants, erythromycin, and other antibiotics may interact with Cleocin. Patients should always discuss new medications, including over the counter medications and herbal remedies. Physicians should always be sure they have an up to date medicine list form their patients prior to prescribing new medications.

Patients who have been prescribed Cleocin should not stop taking the medications prematurely, as this can encourage the infection to return more stubbornly and aggressively than it was previously.