Generic Cleocin

Cleocin is an antibiotic commonly used to treat bacterial infections and can be generically prescribed as clindamycin. Cleocin may cause diarrhea, which may or may not be a sign of a secondary infection. Patients should alert the prescribing physician should they develop diarrhea without taking any medications to stop the diarrhea.

Cleocin should not be prescribed for all patients. A thorough medical history is required to determine whether or not a patient is a good candidate for Cleocin before prescribing the medication. Patients with a medical history which includes intestinal disorders such as Chron’s disease or colitis, asthma, eczema, skin allergies, liver disease, or kidney disease may not be able to take Cleocin without careful monitoring, if at all, depending on the condition and the severity of the condition. Patients should also notify their physician if they have ever had an allergic reaction to clindamycin or lincomycin.

The American Food and Drug Administration determined this medication is not expected to be harmful to a developing fetus and rated it a pregnancy risk category B. Cleocin can however, pass into a woman’s breast milk and affect a nursing baby. Physicians should avoid prescribing this medication to women who are nursing.

In the event the patient misses a dose of Cleocin, the patient should take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for the next scheduled dose, taking another dose of Cleocin may cause an overdose which can lead to serious health complications. In this case, the missed dose should be skipped entirely to avoid an overdose potential. If an overdose of Cleocin is suspected the patient should seek immediate medical intervention and assessment. An overdose may involve symptoms such as changes in mood or behaviors, thoughts of self harm, suicidal thoughts, seizures, or convulsions.

There are typically side effects associated with medication, and Cleocin is no exception. Some serious side effects like allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of the lips, mouth, tongue, or throat) require urgent medical care. Other serious side effects such as fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, blood in diarrhea, watery diarrhea, nausea, fatigue, stomach pain, jaundice, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay colored stools, a decrease in urination, and a fever accompanied by a severe blistering or peeling rash and headache also require immediate medical assistance.

Less serious side effects such as mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach discomfort, mild skin rash, itching, vaginal discharge, vaginal itching, or throat irritation, generally doesn’t require any medical attention but should be reported to the prescribing physician.

Other medications such as muscle relaxants, erythromycin, and other antibiotics may interact with Cleocin. Patients should always discuss new medications, including over the counter medications and herbal remedies. Physicians should always be sure they have an up to date medicine list form their patients prior to prescribing new medications.

Patients who have been prescribed Cleocin should not stop taking the medications prematurely, as this can encourage the infection to return more stubbornly and aggressively than it was previously.

In rare instances, Cleocin can induce depression or other mental health issues. Should a patient who is taking Cleocin develop sudden or surprising new behaviors, a physician should be contacted immediately and the patient may require a different antibiotic that is less likely to encourage depression or other mental health issues.