Clindamycin

• Clindamycin is an antibiotic. It treats certain serious bacterial infections.
• It is used for infections in many parts of the body when other antibiotics cannot be used or have not worked.
• It may also be used, along with another medicine, to treat a type of pneumonia in people with weakened immune systems.
• It may be given before certain dental or surgical procedures to prevent an infection of the heart valves in people who are allergic to penicillin.
• Clindamycin does not treat colds, flu, or other viral infections.

• Swallow the capsule whole with a full glass of water.
• Stay sitting or standing upright for at least 30 minutes after each dose, and do not take a dose right before lying down or going to bed.
• You can take clindamycin with or without food.
• Take this medicine exactly as your healthcare professional tells you. The amount and how often you take it will be on your prescription label.
• Finish the entire course of medicine, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to stop.

If you miss a dose

• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember.
• If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular schedule.
• Do not take two doses at once to make up for a missed one.

• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding before starting clindamycin.
• Clindamycin passes into breast milk and may cause diarrhea or rash in a nursing baby. Your doctor can help you weigh the benefits and risks.

• Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had an allergic reaction to clindamycin or lincomycin.
• Tell your healthcare professional if you have ever had colitis or a reaction to an antibiotic that caused severe diarrhea.
• Tell your healthcare professional about any liver, kidney, or bowel problems.
• Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant, trying to become pregnant, or breastfeeding.

Important warnings

• Clindamycin can cause severe diarrhea caused by an overgrowth of bacteria called C. difficile. This can happen during treatment or even up to two months after you finish. Get medical help right away if you have watery or bloody diarrhea, stomach cramps, or fever.
• Clindamycin capsules can irritate your throat or esophagus if not taken properly. Always take them with a full glass of water and stay upright afterward.
• Serious allergic reactions and severe skin reactions have happened rarely. Stop taking clindamycin and get help right away if you develop a rash, especially with fever, blistering, or swelling.

• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Stomach pain
• Vomiting
• Skin rash
• A strange or unpleasant taste in your mouth

When to get emergency help

• Watery or bloody diarrhea, especially with stomach cramps or fever.
• Signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, hives, or trouble breathing.
• A severe skin rash, blistering, or peeling skin, especially with fever.
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes, or unusual tiredness.
• Unusual bruising or bleeding.

When to contact a healthcare professional

• If you develop diarrhea that does not go away or gets worse.
• If you develop chest or throat pain or difficulty swallowing after taking a dose.
• If your infection does not seem to be improving.
• If you develop joint pain or swelling.

• You can take clindamycin with or without food.
• Tell the Care365 care team about all other medicines you take, especially other antibiotics like erythromycin, and any medicines used during surgery or anesthesia.
• There is no specific concern with alcohol, but limiting it while you are unwell is generally a good idea.

• Store at room temperature.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Return unused or expired medicine to your pharmacy for safe disposal.