Cleocin HCl

Clindamycin is a lincosamide antibiotic used for the treatment of bacterial infections. This drug may be given to patients who are allergic to penicillin. 

This drug exerts a bacteriostatic effect by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. This drug is ineffective against viral infections. This drug requires prescription.

Before taking this drug, the risks and benefits for your body should be discussed with your healthcare provider. Inform your healthcare provider for any allergic reactions to these drugs or any other drugs, foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. 

Carefully read the label of non-prescription drugs for any possible allergic reaction or contraindications. There are no studies reporting pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of clindamycin in children. 

Studies in the elderly have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of this drug. Care must be given to the elderly patients while taking this drug as they are more likely to develop colitis. The teratogenic effects of this drug have not been determined.  

Adverse effects have been reported in pregnant animals but adequate studies in pregnant women have failed to demonstrate a risk to the fetus. There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when taking this drug during breastfeeding. 

Discuss with your healthcare professional the potential risks and benefits before taking this drug while breastfeeding. Drugs should not be taken together to prevent any interactions but in necessary cases inquire your healthcare provider regarding the adjustments in dosage or any other necessary precautions to prevent any unwanted side effects. 

Inform your healthcare professional if you are taking any other drugs such as Amifampridine, Erythromycin, Atracurium, Cyclosporine, Metocurine, or Tubocurarine. Intake of specific food or using alcohol or tobacco with magnesium is associated with an increased risk of certain side effects. 

Your healthcare professional can give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. Inform your healthcare provider for any other medical problems such as atopic syndrome, diarrhea, liver disease, short stomach or bowel, or meningitis.

This drug must be taken exactly as directed by your doctor. To prevent any side effects, take this drug exactly as directed in the label or as prescribed by your healthcare professional. To prevent irritation of the esophagus, take this drug with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. 

Take this drug correctly using a marked measuring spoon that comes with the package. Take this drug for the full time of treatment to ensure complete antibiotic therapy. This drug must be taken for at least 10 days for patients with strep infection to prevent complications of serious heart problems such rheumatic heart disease. 

Do not miss any doses and take each dose at evenly spaced times day and night as optimal effects of this drug are achieved when maintained in a constant amount in the blood. The dose of this drug will be variable for different patients. 

The directions on the label or the prescription by your healthcare professional should be followed. The dosage of this drug you take depends on the medical problem for which you are using this drug. Adults with bacterial infections are given 150 to 300 milligram capsules every 6 hours while 300 to 450 mg every 6 hours is given for serious infections. 

Dose in children is based on body weight and must be determined by your healthcare professional. The dose is usually 8 to 16 milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, divided into three or four equal doses. For more severe infections, the dose is usually 16 to 20 mg per kg of body weight per day, divided into three or four equal doses. 

A missed dose should be taken as soon as possible. However, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule if it is almost time for your next dose. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. 

Keep out of the reach of children. Dispose any outdated or expired drugs and ask your healthcare professional for the proper disposal of the drugs.

Your healthcare provider should closely monitor the effectiveness of this drug as well as check for unwanted effects.  Unwanted effects can be detected using blood tests. Consult with your healthcare professional if your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse. 

This drug may cause diarrhea which may occur 2 months or more after you stop taking this drug. Consult with your healthcare professional first before taking any anti-diarrheal medicine as this drug may make the diarrhea worse or make it last longer. 

Consult with your healthcare professional immediately if you have symptoms serious skin reactions such as blistering, peeling, or loose skin, red skin lesions, severe acne or skin rash, sores or ulcers on the skin, or fever or chills while taking this drug. 

Contact emergency medical services immediately if symptoms of anaphylaxis such as rash, itching, trouble breathing, trouble swallowing, or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth while you taking this drug. 

Consult with your healthcare professional before taking any other prescription or non-prescription drug, and herbal or vitamin supplements.

Side effects may vary for each individual and prompt medical attention should be given if they occur. 

Inform you healthcare provider immediately if you experience symptoms such as cracks in the skin, loss of heat from the body, red, swollen skin scaly skin, abdominal or stomach cramps, pain, or tenderness, black, tarry stools, bleeding gums, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, bloating blood in the urine or stools, blurred vision, chest pain, chills clay-colored stools, cloudy urine, confusion, cough or hoarseness, dark urine, decrease in the amount of urine, watery and severe diarrhea, which may also be bloody difficulty with swallowing, dizziness, faintness, or lightheadedness when getting up suddenly from a lying or sitting position, dry mouth, fast heartbeat fever with or without chills, general feeling of tiredness or weakness, headache, heartburn, heart stops, hives or welts, itching, or skin rash, increased thirst, itching of the vagina or genital area, joint or muscle pain, loss of appetite, lower back or side, pain nausea or vomiting, no breathing, no pulse or blood pressure, pain during sexual intercourse, pain in the lower back or side, painful or difficult urination, pinpoint red spots on the skin, puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin red skin lesions, often with a purple center, red, irritated eyes, redness of the skin, shortness of breath, sore throat sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips swollen glands thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor, thirst, tightness in the chest, unconscious unpleasant breath odor, unusual bleeding or bruising, unusual tiredness or weakness, unusual weight loss, vomiting of blood, yellow eyes or skin. 

Ask your healthcare professional about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. If any of the following side effects persists, or are inconvenient, or if you notice any other effects, or if you have any questions about them, consult with your health care professional. I

f any of the following side effects persists, or are inconvenient, or if you notice any other effects, or if you have any questions about them, consult with your health care professional. Report any side effects to the FDA hotline at 1-800-FDA-1088.