Product Details

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU TAKE ERYTHROMYCIN

Do not take Erythromycin: • if you are allergic to erythromycin or any of the other ingredients of this medicine (listed in section 6) • if you are currently taking a medicine called – ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (used to treat migraines) as this may cause serious side effects while taking erythromycin – terfenadine or astemizole or mizolastine (widely taken for hayfever and allergies), domperidone (for nausea (feeling sick) and vomiting (being sick)), cisapride (for stomach disorders) or pimozide or amisulpride (for psychiatric conditions) while receiving erythromycin, as combining these drugs can sometimes cause serious disturbance in heart rhythm. Consult your doctor for advice on alternative medicine you can take instead – simvastatin (used to lower cholesterol and triglycerides (types of fat) in the blood) – tolterodine (used for treating overactive bladder with symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency and leakage) – lomitapide (used to lower increased blood fats such as cholesterol and triglycerides). Taking this medicine at the same time as erythromycin may lead to a rise in enzymes produced by liver cells (transaminases), which indicates that the liver is under stress and may lead to liver problems • if you have abnormally low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood (hypomagnesaemia or hypokalaemia) • if you or someone in your family has a history of heart rhythm disorders (ventricular cardiac arrhythmia or torsades de pointes) or an abnormality of the electrocardiogram (electrical recording of the heart) called “long QT syndrome”. Warnings and precautions Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking Erythromycin: • if you are taking colchicine (used for treatment of gout and arthritis) as this may cause serious side effects whilst taking erythromycin • if you have any liver problems or have been told that any drugs you are taking can cause liver problems • if you have previously experienced diarrhoea following the use of antibiotics • if you are pregnant and have been told that you have a sexually transmitted disease called syphilis. In this case erythromycin may not be effective for preventing the transfer of this infection to your baby. Alternatively if you were treated for early stages of syphilis during your pregnancy, and your child is under 1 year and is prescribed erythromycin, consult your doctor before giving erythromycin to your child • if you are treating a young child with antibiotics and they are irritable or vomit when fed • if you suffer from a condition called myasthenia gravis, which causes muscle weakness • if you are taking erythromycin with ‘statins’ such as simvastatin or lovastatin (used to lower cholesterol) • if you are taking other medicines which are known to cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm • if you have heart problems. Contact your doctor as soon as possible if you develop watery and bloody stools during or up to 2 months after treatment, with or without stomach cramps and fever (to rule out the possibility of pseudomembranous colitis). Other medicines and Erythromycin Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking, have recently taken or might take any other medicines. This is especially important if you are taking medicines from the following families: • astemizole, terfenadine or mizolastine (used to treat allergies such as hayfever) • domperidone (used to treat nausea and vomiting) • pimozide (used to treat mental problems) • ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (for migraine) • cisapride (for 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. 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 different types of bacterial infections) • fluconazole, ketoconazole and itraconazole (medicines used to treat fungal infections) • digoxin, quinidine or disopyramide (used to treat heart problems) • cilostazol (a medicine used to treat peripheral circulation problems) • hexobarbitone, phenobarbital or midazolam (used as sedatives) • Anticoagulants e.g. warfarin, acenocoumarol and rivaroxaban (used to 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 suppress the body’s immune system – this is useful in treating a wide range of