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 Drug Name
Erythromycin
Drug Uses
Erythromycin is used treating infections caused by certain bacteria. It is also used to prevent bacterial endocarditis and attacks of rheumatic fever. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.
How Taken
Use Erythromycin as directed by your doctor.
- Take Erythromycin by mouth with or without food. If stomach upset occurs, take with food to reduce stomach irritation.
- Swallow Erythromycin whole. Do not break, crush, or ch ew before swallowing.
- Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you use Erythromycin.
- Erythromycin works best if taken at the same times each day.
- To clear up your infection completely, take Erythromycin for the full course of treatment. Keep taking it even if you feel better in a few days.
Ask your health care provider any questions you may have about how to use Erythromycin.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Erythromycin is a macrolide antibiotic. Macrolide antibiotics slow the growth of, or sometimes kill, sensitive bacteria by reducing the production of important proteins needed by the bacteria to survive.
Missed Dose
If you miss a dose of Erythromycin, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.
Storage
Store Erythromycin at room temperature, between 68 and 77 degrees F (20 and 25 degrees C). Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Keep Erythromycin out of the reach of children and away from pets.
Warnings/Precautions
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to erythromycin, or if you are also taking astemizole (Hismanal), cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap), or terfenadine (Seldane). Erythromycin may interact with these medicines and could cause dangerous or life-threatening heart rhythm disorders.
Before taking erythromycin, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or myasthenia gravis. You may not be able to take erythromycin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.
Do not crush, chew, break, or open an enteric-coated or delayed-release pill. Swallow the pill whole. The enteric-coated pill has a special coating to protect your stomach. Breaking the pill could damage this coating. The delayed-release pill is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Erythromycin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun.
Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.
Take erythromycin for as many days as it has been prescribed for you even if you begin to feel better. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Erythromycin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.
Possible Side Effects
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using erythromycin and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:
- chest pain, uneven heartbeats, feeling light-headed or fainting
- nausea, stomach pain, low fever, lost appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes)
- diarrhea that is watery or bloody.
Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue taking erythromycin and talk with your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:
- mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain
- dizziness, headache, feeling tired
- vaginal itching or discharge
- mild itching or skin rash.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.
More Information
Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.
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