Common uses

Linezolid is used to treat infections of the skin, bone, blood, lung and respiratory tract, and other tissues.

Before using

Your doctor need to know if you have any of these conditions:
•frequently drink alcoholic beverages, including wine or beer
•anxiety disorder
•asthma or bronchitis
•diabetes
•headaches or migraine
•heart or blood vessel disease, or irregular heart beats
•high blood pressure
•kidney disease
•liver disease
•over-active thyroid
•Parkinson's disease
•pheochromocytoma
•recent head trauma
•seizures or convulsions
•schizophrenia, psychosis or mania
•stroke or other cerebrovascular disease
•an unusual or allergic reaction to linezolid, other antibiotics or other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives
•pregnant or trying to get pregnant
•breast-feeding

Directions

Take linezolid tablets by mouth. Follow the directions on the prescription label. You can take this medicine with food. Take your doses at regular intervals. Do not take your medicine more often than directed. Finish the full course prescribed by your prescriber or health care professional even if you think your condition is better. Do not stop using except on your prescriber's advice. Ask your prescriber or health care professional if you have any questions.

Contact your pediatrician or health care professional regarding the use of this medicine in children. Special care may be needed.

Cautions

Tell your doctor your medical history, especially of: high blood pressure (hypertension), blood disorders (low blood counts), chronic infection, any allergies you may have. Tell your doctor if you have had diarrhea and stomach pain while taking other antibiotics. This may be a symptom of a different infection (pseudomembranous colitis) that requires another medication. This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding. This drug should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: apraclonidine, brimonidine, bethanidine, bupropion, buspirone, carbamazepine, dextromethorphan, entacapone, herbal products (e.g., ma huang), indoramin, meperidine, papaverine, sibutramine, SSRI antidepressants (e.g., fluoxetine, citalopram), sympathomimetics (e.g., methylphenidate, ephedrine), tolcapone, tricyclic antidepressants (e.g., amitriptyline, doxepin), "triptans" (e.g., sumatriptan, zolmitriptan). If you are currently using any of these medications, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting Zyvox.

Possible side effects

Diarrhea, headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, or rash may occur. If these persist or worsen, notify your doctor promptly. Tell your doctor immediately if you have any of these unlikely but serious side effects: easy bruising or bleeding, severe headache, severe dizziness, vision changes, tingling or numbness of hands/feet, fever, persistent sore throat, unusual fatigue. Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in a secondary infection (e.g., oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge or other new symptoms. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

If you take too much

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Symptoms of a Zyvox overdose may include weakness, or loss of balance or coordination.

Additional information

Antibiotic treatment can cause a type of diarrhea that, in rare cases, becomes extremely severe. If you develop diarrhea after starting Zyvox, be sure to notify your doctor immediately.
If you need to take Zyvox for more than two weeks, your doctor will perform blood tests to check for blood abnormalities. Blood tests are also needed if you tend to bleed easily or are taking medications that increase your chance of bleeding.

Drug interactions

•alcohol
•bupropion
•caffeine
•cocaine
•cyclobenzaprine
•dextromethorphan
•diet pills, stimulants or amphetamine-like drugs
•furazolidone
•guarana
•medicines for allergies, colds, hayfever, sinus, and breathing difficulties
•medicines for headaches or migraine (such as naratriptan, rizatriptan, sumatriptan, zolmitriptan or Midrin®)
•medicines for high blood pressure and heart medicines
•medicines called MAO inhibitors- examples: phenelzine (Nardil®), tranylcypromine (Parnate®), isocarboxazid (Marplan®)
•medicines for mental depression, anxiety, psychotic disturbances or other mental problems
•meperidine
•procarbazine
•some medications for Parkinson's disease, such as entacapone, levodopa or tolcapone
•St. John's wort, Hypericum perforatum
•tramadol
•tryptophan
•tyramine

Tell your prescriber or health care professional about all other medicines you are taking, including non-prescription medicines, nutritional supplements, or herbal products. Also tell your prescriber or health care professional if you are a frequent user of drinks with caffeine or alcohol, if you smoke, or if you use illegal drugs. These may affect the way your medicine works. Check with your health care professional before stopping or starting any of your medicines.