Clindamycin is one of many medications that can lead to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the large intestine. This may result in minor diarrhoea or the potentially fatal disease colitis (inflammation of the large intestine). Clindamycin should only be used to treat severe infections that cannot be treated by other antibiotics since it is more likely to produce this sort of infection than many other antibiotics. If you have colitis or any other disorders that damage your stomach or intestines, let your doctor know.

These issues could arise while you are receiving treatment or even months after it has completed. If you suffer any of the following symptoms while taking clindamycin or within the first few months after your treatment is done, call your doctor right away: diarrhoea, stomach pains, red or watery faeces, or fever

Consult your physician about the dangers of clindamycin use.

Some bacterial infections, such as those of the lungs, skin, blood, female reproductive systems, and internal organs, are treated with clindamycin. Clindamycin belongs to the group of drugs known as lincomycin antibiotics. It stops or slows down bacterial growth, which is how it functions.

Colds, the flu, or other viral infections will not be treated by antibiotics like clindamycin. Antibiotic overuse raises the likelihood that you’ll get an infection later on that is resistant to antibiotic therapy.

Clindamycin is available as a liquid solution and a capsule to be swallowed. Typically, it is taken three to four times a day. The sort of illness you have and how well you respond to the medication will determine how long your treatment will last. Clindamycin should be taken every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Clindamycin should be taken as prescribed. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Before each usage, give the beverage a good shake to evenly distribute the medication.

So that the drug won’t irritate your throat, take the capsules with a full glass of water.

During the first several days of clindamycin therapy, you should start to feel better. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not disappear or worsen.

Even when you feel better, continue taking the clindamycin until the prescription is finished. Your illness could not be entirely healed if you stop taking clindamycin too soon or skip doses, and the bacteria might develop an antibiotic resistance.

In addition to treating malaria and anthrax, which are dangerous infections that might be purposefully transmitted as part of a terrorist strike, clindamycin is also occasionally used to treat acne (a serious infection that is spread by mosquitoes in certain parts of the world). When other medications are ineffective for treating these conditions, clindamycin is also occasionally used to treat ear infections, tonsillitis (an infection that causes swelling of the tonsils), pharyngitis (an infection that causes swelling in the back of the throat), and toxoplasmosis (an infection that can cause serious problems in people with weakened immune systems or in unborn children whose mothers are infected). Occasionally, bacterial vaginosis is also treated with clindamycin (an infection caused from too much of certain bacteria in the vagina). Clindamycin may also be prescribed to those who are at risk of contracting endocarditis an infection of the heart valves as a result of a dental operation. Discuss the dangers of using this drug for your illness with your doctor.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you think this drug may be recommended for other conditions.

Before taking clindamycin,

• If you have any allergies, including to clindamycin, lincomycin (Lincocin), other medicines, or any of the substances in clindamycin capsules or solution, let your doctor and pharmacist know right once. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist. If you plan to take clindamycin capsules, let your doctor know if you have an aspirin or tartrazine allergy (a yellow dye found in some medications).
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products that you are now taking or intend to use. Mention erythromycin (E.E.S, E-Mycin, Erythrocin, others), clarithromycin (Biaxin, in PrevPac), indinavir (Crixivan), itraconazole (Sporanox), ketoconazole (Nizoral), nefazodone, nelfinavir (Viracept), rifampin (Rifadin, in Rifamate, in (Norvir, in Kaletra). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Tell your doctor about all of your current medications, even any not on this list, since many other drugs may also interact with clindamycin.
• Inform your physician if you have or have ever had kidney or liver problems, eczema (sensitive skin that frequently becomes itchy or irritated), allergies, asthma, or allergies.
• Inform your physician if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking clindamycin.
• You should let your doctor or dentist know that you are taking clindamycin if you are having surgery, including dental surgery.

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Clindamycin might have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Metallic or unpleasant aftertaste
• Aching joints
• Difficulty swallowing
• Heartburn
• Mouth with white spots
• White, thick vaginal discharge
• Vaginal stinging, burning, and swelling

Some adverse effects may be severe. Get emergency medical care or call your doctor right away if you develop any of the following symptoms or any of those in the IMPORTANT WARNING section:

• Blistered or flaking skin
• Rash
• Hives
• Itching
• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• Hoarseness
• Edoema of the hands, feet, ankles, lower legs, cheeks, neck, tongue, lips, and eyes
• Eyes or skin that have a yellow tint
• Less urinations

Further negative effects of clindamycin are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it away from excessive heat and moisture at room temperature (not in the bathroom). Clindamycin liquid shouldn’t be refrigerated because it could thicken and become difficult to pour. After two weeks, discard any unused clindamycin liquid.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To determine how well your body is responding to clindamycin, your doctor may request specific lab tests.

No one else should take your medication. It’s likely that your prescription cannot be renewed. Call your doctor if you continue to experience infection symptoms after taking the last of the clindamycin.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.