Fidaxomicin is used to treat diarrhoea in adults and children 6 months of age and older brought on by Clostridium difficile (C. difficile; a kind of bacteria that can cause severe or life-threatening diarrhoea). Fidaxomicin belongs to the group of drugs known as macrolide antibiotics. It eliminates intestinal microorganisms to work.

Infections in any other parts of the body cannot be treated with fidaxomicin. Colds, the flu, and other viral diseases cannot be treated with antibiotics like fidaxomicin. Antibiotic use that is not necessary raises the likelihood of developing a later infection that is resistant to antibiotic treatment.

Both a pill and a suspension (liquid) form of fidaxomicin are available for oral use. It is typically taken for 10 days, twice daily, with or without food, spaced about 12 hours apart. Take fidaxomicin 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. Use fidaxomicin as prescribed by your doctor. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Before making your dose, remove the suspension bottle from the refrigerator 15 minutes beforehand. Before each use, thoroughly shake the suspension to combine the medication. To accurately measure the dosage of your medication, use an oral syringe. Don’t measure your dose with a regular spoon.

The first few days of your fidaxomicin medication should see an improvement in your condition. Call your doctor if your symptoms don’t go away or get worse.

Despite feeling better, continue taking fidaxomicin until the prescription is finished. Your infection could not be entirely healed if you stop taking fidaxomicin too soon or skip doses, and the bacteria might develop an antibiotic resistance.

For a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient, ask your chemist or doctor.

Ask your doctor or chemist for more details if you believe this drug should be used for something else.

Before taking fidaxomicin,

• If you have any allergies, including to erythromycin (E.E.S., ERY-C, Erythrocin), azithromycin (Zithromax), clarithromycin (Biaxin, in Prevpac), telithromycin (Ketek; not available in the U.S.), or any of the ingredients in fidaxomicin tablets or suspension, notify your doctor right once. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and chemist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products you are now taking or intend to use. Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
• Inform your doctor of any medical conditions you now have or have ever had.
• Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking fidaxomicin.

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.

Fidaxomicin’s side effects could occur. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, let your doctor know right once:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal pain
• Rash

Certain adverse effects can be very harmful. Call your doctor right away if any of these symptoms occur to you:

• Rash
• Itching
• Face, throat, tongue, lips, and eye swelling
• Breathing difficulty
• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Chest ache
• An accelerated heartbeat
• Light skin
• Chilly fingers and feet
• Stomach pain
• Reddish blood in the vomit
• Poop that resembles coffee grounds
• Tarry, black stools
• Reddish blood in the stools
• Fever, chills, a sore throat, or other symptoms of infection

Further negative effects of fidaxomicin 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 out of the reach of children and tightly closed in the original container. Keep the pills at room temperature and away from sources of extreme heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). After 12 days, discard any unused suspension and keep the container well wrapped in the refrigerator.

All medications should be kept out of the sight and reach of children, as many of the containers (such as weekly pill containers and those for eye drops, lotions, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for small children to open. Always lock safety caps and put the medication in a secure spot right away, up high and out of young children’s 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 doctor’s appointments.

No one else should take your medication. It’s likely that your prescription cannot be renewed. After finishing the fidaxomicin, consult your doctor if you continue to experience infection-related symptoms.

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.