Lincocin

Lincocin is an antibiotic. It is used to treat serious infection caused by certain bacteria. It works by stopping production of certain proteins, needed by some bacteria to survive.

It is available in the form of capsule or solution and only with your doctor’s prescription.

If you are about to start Lincocin, speak with your doctor about what you need to know.

Before starting the treatment your doctor should be informed about condition such as:

Allergy: Inform your doctor if you are allergic to any food, preservatives, dyes, or had an allergic reaction when you used this drug before.

Children: It has been used in infants of age 1 month. It does not cause any different side effects from adults.

Elderly: Use Lincomycin with caution in the elderly, they may be more sensitive to its effects, especially diarrhea. Monitor carefully for changes in bowel frequency.

Pregnancy: It is a category C drug. It is not safe in pregnancy. It may cause abnormalities in an unborn baby.

Breast Feeding: Lincomycin is found in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while taking Lincomycin.

Drug Interactions: Lincomycin may interact with other drugs. Your doctor should be informed of any other medicines which you are taking. He may want to change the dosage or drug.

Inform your doctor if you are taking erythromycin, as it may reduce lincomycin effectiveness.

Other Medical Conditions: Several other conditions may reduce its effectiveness.

Make sure you inform your doctor of conditions such as:

• Diarrhea.
• The intestinal problem especially colitis.
• Asthma.
• Liver or kidney problem, as both can increase blood levels of this drug.

To use Lincocin properly, you must follow all instructions given by your doctor.

Ask your pharmacist if you have any queries. If it is given as an injection, your doctor will give you in his clinic or hospital.

If it is an oral dose, it should be taken with full glass of water (8 ounces) on an empty stomach, either 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal.

You should complete the course of the drug. Even if you are feeling well, don’t stop the treatment unless it is completed, as your symptoms may reappear.

If it is a streptococci infection and is not cleared up completely from your body, it may cause serious heart disease which can be fatal.

Dosage: It is different for different patients. Dosage mentioned below is an average dose. It is best to take each dose at equally spaced times a day and night. You must follow your doctor’s command.

For Oral Dosage Form:

Adults and teenager: 500 milligrams (mg) every 6 to 8 hours.

Children from 1 month of age and older: The usual dose is 7.5 to 15 mg per kilogram (kg) (3.4 to 6.8 mg per pound) of body weight every six hours, or 10 to 20 mg per kg (4.5 to 9.1 mg per pound) of body weight every eight hours.

Infants below 1 month of age: dose is determined by your doctor.

For Injection Dosage Form:

Adults and teenagers: 600 mg to 1 gram injected into a vein over at least one hour, every eight to twelve hours, or 600 mg injected into a muscle every twelve to twenty-four hours.

Children from 1 month of age and older: Dose is based on body weight.

Intramuscular injection: The usual dose is 10 mg per kg (4.5 mg per pound) of body weight injected into a muscle every twelve to twenty-four hours.

Intravenous injection: 3.3 to 6.7 mg per kg (1.5 to 3 mg per pound) of body weight injected into a vein every eight hours or 5 to 10 mg per kg (2.3 to 4.5 mg per pound) of body weight injected into a vein every twelve hours.

Infants below 1 month of age: Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.

Missed dose: If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember it. If it is almost a time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your daily schedule. Do not double the dose.

Storage: Store it at room temperature. Keep it away from children.

Before using Lincocin, there are some precautions you must take.

Your doctor should check your daily progress at regular visits. If Lincomycin is not improving your symptoms, or your symptoms become worse, inform your doctor right away.

Tell your doctor or dentist that you take Lincomycin before you receive any medical or dental care, emergency care, or surgery.

It can cause mild or severe diarrhea. Do not take any diarrhea medication as it may make your diarrhea worse.

Diarrhea medicines which contain kaolin or attapulgite may decrease Lincomycin absorption into the body. Therefore it should be taken 2 hours before or 3 hours after you take Lincomycin orally.

Long-term or repeated use of Lincomycin may cause a second infection. Tell your doctor if signs of a second infection occur. Your medicine may need to be changed to treat this.

A severe skin reaction (Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis) may happen.

Inform your doctor immediately if you have red, blistered, peeling skin with or without fever, mouth, nose or throat sores and red eyes.

Make sure you meet with your doctor in using Lincocin to avoid unwanted potential side effects.

All medicines have some side effects. Some people may experience none or minor side effects. Consult with your doctor if they become problematic or frequent.

• Diarrhea
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting
• Pain or irritation at the injection site

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.