Patient leaflet - Vancomycin 125 mg hard capsules
1. What Vancomycin Capsules are and what they are used for
Vancomycin is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of antibiotics called “glycopeptides”. Vancomycin works by eliminating certain bacteria that cause infections.
Vancomycin is used in adults and adolescents from 12 years of age for the treatment of infections of the mucosa of the small and the large intestines with damage to the mucosae (pseudomembranous colitis), caused by the Clostridium difficile bacterium.
2. What you need to know before you take Vancomycin Capsules
Do not use Vancomycin Capsules if:
- You are allergic (hypersensitive) to vancomycin or to any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6).
Warnings and precautions:
Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Vancomycin Capsules if:
- You have ever developed a severe skin rash or skin peeling, blistering and/or mouth sores after taking vancomycin. Serious skin reactions including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis, drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP) have been reported in association with vancomycin treatment. Stop using vancomycin and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the symptoms described in section 4,
- You have a kidney disorder (you will need to have your blood and kidneys tested during treatment),
- You have an inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract (you may be at risk of side effects, especially if you also have a kidney disorder),
- You are elderly (you may need your blood and hearing monitored),
- You have a hearing disorder (you may need hearing tests during treatment),
- You are receiving Vancomycin Capsules for a long time (you may develop another type of infection).
- Signs of an allergic reaction to this medicine, including breathing problems and chest pain, have been reported with Vancomycin Capsules. Stop immediately Vancomycin Capsules and contact immediately your doctor or medical emergencies if you notice any of these signs.
Children and adolescents
Vancomycin capsules are not appropriate for children under 12 years or for adolescents unable to swallow them. Other forms of this medicine may be more suitable for children; ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Other medicines and Vancomycin Capsules
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken or might take any other medicines, including medicines obtained without a prescription. This is especially important of the following, as they may interact with your Vancomycin Capsules:
- any drug that harms your kidneys e.g. antibiotics such as gentamicin, tobramycin.
- any drug that harms your hearing e.g. antibiotics such as gentamicin, tobramycin.
It may still be alright for you to be given Vancomycin Capsules and your doctor will be able to decide what is suitable for you.
Vancomycin Capsules with food and drink
Vancomycin Capsules do not have known interactions with any food or drink and can be taken with or without food.
Pregnancy and breast-feeding
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. Experience is limited from the use of Vancomycin Capsules in pregnant women. Vancomycin is excreted in human milk. If you are pregnant or breast feeding, your doctor will advise if Vancomycin Capsules are appropriate for you.
Driving and using machines
Vancomycin Capsules should not affect your ability to drive or use machines.
Important information about Vancomycin Capsules
This medicine contains less than 1 mmol sodium (23 mg) per capsule, that is to say essentially ‘sodium-free’.
3. How to take Vancomycin Capsules
Always take this medicine exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has told you. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure. The recomended dose is:
Adults and adolescents (from 12 years and older)
The recommended dose is 125 mg every 6 hours. In some cases, your doctor may decide to give a higher daily dose of up to 500 mg every 6 hours. The maximum daily dose should not exceed 2 g.
If you suffered other episodes (infection of the mucosa) before you may need different dose and different duration of the therapy.
Method of administration
For oral use.
Swallow the capsules whole with water.
The usual duration of the therapy is 10 days but it may be different depending on the individual response to treatment for every patient.
If you take more Vancomycin Capsules than you should
Never take more than the recommended dose each day. If you or someone else swallows several of these capsules all together, contact your doctor, pharmacist or hospital emergency department immediately. Always take any capsules left over with you and also the box, as this will allow easier identification of the capsules.
If you forget to take Vancomycin Capsules If you miss a dose, just carry on with the next one as normal. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you stop taking Vancomycin Capsules
Continue taking Vancomycin Capsules until you finish the pack or for as long as your doctor recommends.
Keep taking Vancomycin Capsules for the full time of treatment, even if you begin to feel better after a few days. If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist or the other health care professionals.
4. Possible side effects
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Vancomycin can cause allergic reactions, although serious allergic reactions (anaphylactic shock) are rare. Tell your doctor immediately if you get any sudden wheeziness, difficulty in breathing, redness on the upper part of the body, rash or itching.
Stop using vancomycin and seek medical attention immediately if you notice any of the following symptoms:
- Reddish non-elevated, target-like or circular patches on the trunk, often with central blisters, skin peeling, ulcers of mouth, throat, nose, genitals and eyes. These serious skin rashes can be preceded by fever and flu-like symptoms (Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis).
- Widespread rash, high body temperature and enlarged lymph nodes (DRESS syndrome or drug hypersensitivity syndrome).
- A red, scaly widespread rash with bumps under the skin and blisters accompanied by fever at the initiation of treatment (acute generalised exanthematous pustulosis).
- Chest pain, which can be a sign of a potentially serious allergic reaction called Kounis syndrome.
Uptake of vancomycin from the gastrointestinal tract is negligible. Therefore, adverse events following intake of capsules are unlikely.
However, if you have an inflammatory disorder of the digestive tract, especially if you also have a kidney disorder, side effects that occur when vancomycin is given by infusion may appear. Therefore, the below mentioned side effects and frequencies reported for vancomycin given as infusion are included.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- Fall in blood pressure,
- Breathlessness, noisy breathing (a high pitched sound resulting from obstructed air flow in the upper airway),
- Rash and inflammation of the lining of the mouth, itching, itching rash, hives,
- Kidney problems which may be detected primarily by blood tests,
- Redness of upper body and face, inflammation of a vein.
- Increase of liver enzymes
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
- Temporary or permanent loss of hearing.
Rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people):
- Decrease in white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets (blood cells responsible for blood clotting),
- Increase in some of the white blood cells in the blood,
- Loss of balance, ringing in your ears, dizziness,
- Blood vessel inflammation,
- Nausea (feeling sick),
- Inflammation of the kidneys and kidney failure,
- Pain in the chest and back muscles,
- Fever, chills.
Very rare side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people):
Sudden onset of severe allergic skin reaction with skin flaking, blistering or peeling skin.
This may be associated with a high fever and joint pains,
- Cardiac arrest,
- Inflammation of the bowel which causes abdominal pain and diarrhoea, which may contain blood.
Not known (frequency cannot be estimated from the available data):
- Being sick (throwing up), diarrhoea,
- Confusion, drowsiness, lack of energy, swelling, fluid retention, decreased urine,
Rash with swelling or pain behind the ears, in the neck, groin, under the chin and armpits
(swollen lymph nodes), abnormal blood and liver function tests,
- Rash with blisters and fever.
- Excessive breakdown of red blood cells causing tiredness and pale skin (haemolytic anaemia).
Reporting of side effects
If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in this leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via Yellow Card Scheme at: www.mhra.gov.uk/yellowcard or search for MHRA Yellow Card in the Google Play or Apple App Store.
By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.
5. How to store Vancomycin Capsules
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date which is stated on the carton after EXP. The expiry date refers to the last day of that month.
This medicinal product does not require any special storage conditions. Keep blisters in the outer carton to protect from moisture.
Medicines should not be disposed of via wastewater or household waste. Ask your pharmacist how to dispose of medicines you no longer use. These measures will help to protect the environment.
6. Contents of the pack and other information
What Vancomycin Capsules contain
The active substance is Vancomycin Hydrochloride. Each capsule contains 128.15mg of vancomycin hydrochloride equivalent to 125,000 IU vancomycin base.
The other ingredient is polyethylene glycol.
The capsule shell contains:
Gelatin, FD & C blue no.2 lake (E132), iron oxide red (E172), iron oxide yellow (E172), purified water, sodium lauryl sulphate, titanium dioxide (E171).
What Vancomycin Capsules look like and contents of the pack
The capsules are opaque, blue and brown coloured hard capsules.
The capsules are available in blister packs of 10, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30, 56, 60, 84, 90 and 112 capsules. Not all pack sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorisation Holder
Morningside Healthcare Ltd.
115 Narborough Road
Leicester, LE3 0PA
United Kingdom
Manufacturer
Morningside Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
5 Pavilion Way
Loughborough, LE11 5GW
United Kingdom
This leaflet was last revised in December 2025.
Advice/medical education
Antibiotics are used to cure bacterial infections. They are ineffective against viral infections. If your doctor has prescribed antibiotics, you need them precisely for your current illness. Despite antibiotics, some bacteria may survive or grow. This phenomenon is called resistance: some antibiotic treatments become ineffective.
Misuse of antibiotics increases resistance. You may even help bacteria become resistant and therefore delay your cure or decrease antibiotic efficacy if you do not respect appropriate:
- dosage
- schedules
- duration of treatment
Consequently, to preserve the efficacy of this drug:
- 1. Use antibiotics only when prescribed.
- 2. Strictly follow the prescription.
- 3. Do not re-use an antibiotic without medical prescription, even if you want to treat a similar illness.
- 4. Never give your antibiotic to another person; maybe it is not adapted to her/his illness.
- 5. After completion of treatment, return all unused drugs to your chemist's shop to ensure they will be disposed of correctly.