Patient leaflet - ERYTHROMYCIN 125 MG / 5ML ORAL SUSPENSION
Check before taking your medicine
Do not take Erythromycin and tell your doctor if you:
- are allergic to Erythromycin or any of the other ingredients in the oral suspension
- are taking Terfenadine or Astemizole to treat hayfever and other allergies
- are taking Cisapride to treat stomach problems
- are taking Pimozide for mental health problems
- are taking Ergotamine or Dihydroergotamine for migraines
- are taking Simvastatin to lower your cholesterol.
- are taking Tolterodine for over active bladder
- are taking the antihistamine, mizolastine
- are taking Amisulpiride and domperidone
Tell your doctor before you take this medicine if you:
- are pregnant or breast feeding or likely to become
pregnant
- are suffering from liver problems
- are currently taking medication that may interfere with the function of your liver (check with your doctor to see if this applies to any medicines you are taking)
- have previously experienced diarrhoea following the use
of antibiotics
- are pregnant and have been told that you have a sexually transmitted disease called syphilis. In this case erythromycin may be not effective for preventing the transfer of this infection to your body. Consult your doctor before receiving erythromycin.
- are treating a young child with antibiotics and they are
irritable or vomit when fed, you should contact your physician immediately.
- have myasthenia gravis
- are taking erythromycin with ‘statins’ such as simvastatin or lovastatin (used to lower cholesterol) as serious side effects can occur.
If you are not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking this medicine.
Having tests
If you are having urine tests or liver function tests, tell the doctor that you are taking Erythromycin, as it may interfere with the results.
Use in pregnancy and while breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, or if you are breast-feeding please consult your doctor before taking this medicine.
Driving and using machines
Eryth romycin should not affect your ability to d rive o r o perate machinery.
Important information about some of the ingredients of Erythromycin
This medicinal product contains over 3 g of sucrose i n each 5 ml andis unsuitable in hereditary fructose intolerance, glucosegalactose malabsorption syndrome, o r sucrase-isomaltase deficiency. It should also be used with caution in patients with diabetes mellitus. This product may be harmful to people o n a lowsodium diet.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines, even medicines bought without a prescription. This is because Erythromycin can affect the way some other medicines work. Also, some medicines can affect the way Erythromycin works.
In particular, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- astemizole, terfenadine or mizolastine (used to treat
allergies such as hayfever)
- domperidone (used to treat nausea (feeling sick) and
vomiting (being sick)
- pimozide (used to treat mental problems)
- ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (used to relieve migraine)
- cisapride (used to treat stomach disorders)
- statins (used to help lower cholesterol levels e.g. lovastatin
and simvastatin)
- protease inhibitors (used to treat viral infections e.g. saquinavir)
- oral contraceptives.
- Zafirlukast and reboxetine
This is also important if you are taking medicines called
- colchicine (used to treat gout and arthritis)
- cimetidine and omeprazole (used to treat acid reflux and
other related conditions)
- clarithromycin, rifabutin or rifampicin (medicines used to treat bacterial infections)
- fluconazole, ketoconazole and itraconazole (medicines to treat fungal infections)
- digoxin, quindine or disopyramide (used to treat heart
problems)
- cilostazol (a medicine used to treat peripheral circulation problems)
- hexobarbitone, phenobarbital or midazolam (used as sedatives)
- warfarin and acenocoumarol (used to help thin the blood)
- valproate, carbamazepine or phenytoin (used to control epilepsy)
- theophylline (used to treat asthma and other breathing problems)
- ciclosporin or tacrolimus (used following organ transplants)
- bromocriptine (used to treat Parkinson’s disease)
- zopiclone or triazolam/alprazolam (used to help you sleep
or relieve states of anxiety)
- alfentanil (a medicine used to provide pain relief) methylprednisolone (used to help supress the body’s immune system- this is useful in treating a wide range of conditions)
St John’s Wort (a herbal medicine used to treat depression)
verapamil (used to treat high blood pressure and chest pain)
vinblastine (used to treat certain types of cancer) sildenafil (used to treat erectile dysfunction) hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine (used to treat conditions including rheumatoid arthritis, or to treat or prevent malaria). Taking these medicines at the same time as erythromycin may increase the chance of you getting side effects that affect your heart.
Your doctor will monitor you appropriately and may adjust your dose of Erythromycin as necessary.
DO NOT TAKE Terfenadine, Astemizole, Cisapride, Pimozide, Tolterodine, Mizolastine, Domperidone, Amisulpiride, Ergotamine, Dihydroergotamine or Simvastatin if you have been prescribed Erythromycin.
When and how to take Erythromycin Suspension
Erythromycin Oral Suspension is to be taken by mouth and only in the doses prescribed by your doctor. Keep taking this medicine for as long as your doctor tells you.
DO NOT stop taking it if you feel better.
Shake the bottle well before each dose.
Adults, Elderly and children over 8 years:
For 125 mg / 5 ml strength: Four 5 ml spoonfuls four times a day For 250 mg / 5 ml strength: Two 5 ml spoonfuls four times a day
Children
The dosage will be determined by the doctor based upon the child’s weight.
Normal dose for Children aged 2 to 8 years:
For 125 mg / 5 ml strength: Two 5 ml spoonfuls four times a day For 250 mg / 5 ml strength: One 5 ml spoonful four times a day Infants and children up to 2 years:
For 125 mg / 5 ml strength: One 5 ml spoonfuls four times a day For 250 mg / 5 ml strength: One 5 ml spoonful twice a day
In severe infections, dosages may be doubled.
What to do if too much Erythromycin is taken
If you accidentally take more medicine than recommended, contact your doctor or pharmacist at once for advice or go to the nearest hospital emergency department immediately. An overdose of erythromycin could cause temporary hearing loss, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea.
If you forget to take Erythromycin
If you miss a dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosage schedule. Do not take two doses at once.
What side effects can Erythromycin have?
Like all medicines, Erythromycin can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
If you get any of the following side effects, STOP TAKING this medicine and seek urgent medical help:
- difficulty in breathing
- fainting
- swelling of the face, lips or throat
- skin rashes
- severe skin reaction including fluid-filled blisters, sores and ulcers
- ulcers in the mouth and throat
as these may be signs of an allergic reaction.
Tell your doctor if you get any of these side effects:
- diarrhoea which may be severe or prolonged and may contain blood or mucus
- feeling sick (nausea)
- being sick (vomiting)
- increase in a particular type of white blood cells (eosinophilia)
- stomach pains; these may be symptom of an inflamed pancreas (pancreatitis)
- ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- reversible loss of hearing (usually associated with high does or in patients with kidney problems)
- various liver or gall bladder problems, which can cause yellowing of the skin and/or eyes (jaundice) or pale stools with dark urine
- chest pains
- abnormal heart rhythms (including palpitations)
- fever
- anorexia
- confusion
- fits (seizures)
- vertigo (problems with balance that can result in feelings of dizziness or sickness -particularly on standing)
- feeling generally unwell (malaise)
- inflammation of the kidneys (a condition known as interstitial nephritis)
- low blood pressure
- serious skin rashes that may involve blistering and cover large areas of the torso, face and limbs (condition known as Steve Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis and erythema multiforme)
- vomiting and irritability n young children between the age of 1 month and 12 months
- visual impairment/blurred vision (Mitochondrial optic neuropathy)
- Hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there)