Clindamycin : Drug Information
What is Clindamycin
It is an antibiotic that fights a specific type of bacterial infection. This medication can treat lung infections, blood, skin, female reproductive organs, and internal organs infections. Clindamycin belongs to the class of antibiotics known as lincomycin and works by slowing or stopping bacteria’s growth in your body.
This medication is not for viral infections such as cold, flu, or others. If you are taking an antibiotic when not needed, you may increase the risk of getting infected with a new infection that resists the antibiotic treatment.
Important Information
Clindamycin can cause severe diarrhea; it is a severe side effect of this medication. If you have diarrhea and it is watery or bloody, immediately stop taking this medication and consult with your doctor. Diarrhea due to Clindamycin can severely harm you, so take it seriously if you have diarrhea due to taking this medication.
Before using this medication, your doctor should know about your liver disease, kidney disease, an intestinal disorder like colitis or Crohn’s disease. Your doctor must know if you have a history of eczema, asthma, or allergic skin reaction.
You must complete the full length of Clindamycin treatment. If you stop taking this medication before completing your therapy, your symptoms of infection may improve, and this time your disease may resistant to antibiotics.
What to know before taking Clindamycin?
You can not take this medication if you are allergic to Clindamycin or Lincomycin.
Before taking Clindamycin, make sure it is safe for you. Talk to your doctor if you have or ever had;
- Crohn’s disease, colitis, or other intestinal disorder;
- allergic skin reaction or eczema;
- liver disease;
- severe allergic reaction to aspirin or asthma;
- an allergy to yellow food dye.
Clindamycin is harmful to an unborn baby or not; it is still unknown, so if you are pregnant, then consult with your doctor without taking this medication. Without consulting with your doctor, taking this medication may harm your baby severely.
This medicine does pass into breast milk, so do not breastfeed your baby while you are under Clindamycin treatment. Suppose you breastfeed your baby while taking this medication. In that case, it can pass to your newborn through breast milk and show some side effects such as diaper rash, stomach discomfort, redness or white patches in the mouth or throat, or bloody or watery diarrhea. Your doctor should know that you are breastfeeding while you go for Clindamycin treatment.
The injection form of Clindamycin contains an ingredient that is dangerous for young or premature babies. Do not give this medication to children without medical advice.
How to take Clindamycin?
Take Clindamycin as you prescribed, follow all the directions that your doctor suggests you at the time of prescription. Read all the medication guide carefully that comes with the medication. Your doctor may ask to take your first dosage in front of them and can teach you how to take this medicine properly by yourself.
Take a capsule form of this medication with a full glass of water to not irritate your throat.
Carefully measuring liquid medicine is necessary. You must use a dosing syringe or medicine dose-measuring device to measure Clindamycin’s liquid form carefully. Do not use your kitchen spoon to measure your medicine.
Your doctor may call you for frequent medical tests while you are taking this medication. The purpose of these routine tests by your doctor is to know how this medication works on your body? Is it suitable for you? The dosage you are taking is best for you, or is there any need for increment or decrement in your dosage?
If you need surgery, your surgeon must know that you are taking Clindamycin because it can interact with many other drugs your surgeon uses to treat you. It can also interact with the medicines that your surgeon is using for anesthesia.
Complete the full course of this medication. If you stop taking this medication before completing your treatment, you may variable for increased infection risk. This time your infection may resistant to antibiotics. During this treatment, your disease symptoms may quickly improve, but it is not an indication that your infection is gone. You may suffer from infection again if you stop taking this medication before completing your therapy.
Store this medication away from moisture and heat and at room temperature. Do not put injectable medicine near the high heat. Do not put your oral liquid medicines in the refrigerator. Do not store unused and two weeks old oral liquid form of this medication.
Clindamycin dosage
Usual Adult Dose for Bacterial Infection
Oral
- For Serious Infection: recommended dosage is 150mg to 300mg orally after every 6 hours.
- The recommended dosage is 300mg to 450mg orally after every 6 hours for more severe infections.
Parental
- For serious infections: recommended dosage is 600mg to 1200mg through IV infusion or IM injection every day, in 2 to 4 equally divided doses.
- For severe infections: recommended dosage is 1200mg to 2700mg through IV infusion or IM injection every day, in 2 to 4 equally divided doses.
- For more severe infections: the recommended dosage is upto 4800mg through IV infusion every day.
Usual Pediatric Dose for Bacterial Infection
Oral
- For the 10kg body weight or less: the minimum recommended dosage is 37.5mg orally three times a day
- For the 11kg or more bodyweight
- For Serious infection, the recommended dosage is 8mg to 12mg/kg orally every day, in 3 to 4 equally divided doses.
- For severe infection: the recommended dosage is 13mg to 16mg orally every day in 3 to 4 equally divided doses.
- The recommended dosage is 17mg to 25mg/kg orally every day for more severe infections in 3 to 4 equally divided doses.
An alternate regimen:
- For Serious infection: the recommended dosage is 8 to 16 mg/kg orally every day, in 3 to 4 equally divided doses
- For More severe infection: the recommended dosage is 16 to 20 mg/kg orally per day, in 3 to 4 equally divided doses
Parenteral:
- For Up to 1 month of age: the recommended dosage is 15 to 20 mg/kg through IV infusion per day in 3 to 4 equally divided doses; the lower quantity may be sufficient for small premature neonates.
- For one month to 16 years:
- For Bodyweight dosing: the recommended dosage is 20 to 40 mg/kg through IV infusion or IM injection per day, in 3 to 4 equally divided doses.
- For Body surface area dosing:
- For Serious infection: the recommended dosage is 350 mg/m2 via IV infusion or IM injection per day
- For Severe infection: the recommended dosage is 450 mg/m2 via IV infusion or IM injection per day
- For 17 years or older: Usual adult dose
Overdose
If by mistake you take Clindamycin in excess, immediately call on Poison helpline at 1-800-222-1222.
What to avoid while using Clindamycin?
Do not use Clindamycin and other antibiotics and erythromycin at the same time. Please Do not mix this medication with others; it may become fatal for you.
Clindamycin side effects
Antibiotic medication, such as Clindamycin can cause diarrhea. It may be a sign of a new type of infection. If you are suffering from diarrhea that is bloody and watery, stop taking this medicine immediately and go to your doctor for further consultancy.
Clindamycin can cause side-effects, some of it may common, and some may be severe. Below is the list of side-effects of this medication; check if you are taking this medication and have;
- any change in bowel habits
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody, severe stomach pain
- little or no urination
- nausea, vomiting, stomach pain
- a metallic taste in your mouth (after clindamycin injection)
- mild skin rash
- vaginal itching or discharge
What drugs can interact with Clindamycin?
Clindamycin may interact with other medications; if you use other medicines before taking it, you should tell your doctor about your current medicinal intake. Your doctor must know about all types of drugs that you are using.
Vitamins and herbal products also interact with Clindamycin, so do not use any other type of herbals or vitamins with it.
Please do not mix it with alcohol. Taking this medication with alcohol may harm your body.
If you plan for surgery and are taking this medication, please inform your surgeon that you are taking this medication.