Clindamycin

Brand Names

Cleocin

What is Clindamycin

Clindamycin is an antibiotic medication that effective in the treatment of different infections. It is an active ingredient in many different prescription medications. Clindamycin is available in many different forms such as capsules, lotions or gels, vaginal suppositories or as an injection.

Side effects of Clindamycin

The most common side effects of Clindamycin include:

• nausea
• vomiting
• joint pain
• pain when swallowing
• heartburn
• white patches in the mouth
• thick, white vaginal discharge
• burning, itching, and swelling of the vagina

In some cases, this medication may cause the following serious side:

• blisters
• rash
• hives
• difficulty breathing or swallowing
• yellowing of the skin or eyes
• decreased urination

Indication

Clindamycin comes in several different forms, oral or injectable forms of clindamycin are used to treat such infections as:

• Serious respiratory tract infections
• Serious skin infections
• Serious soft tissue infections
• Abdominal (stomach) infections or abscesses
• Female pelvic infections
• Bone, joint or bloodstream infections (injectable form only)

Clindamycin lotions, gels, solution or foams that are applied to the skin are used for treating acne. Some acne medications combine clindamycin with benzoyl peroxide, another acne treatment. The vaginal forms (creams and suppositories) are effective in the treatment of bacterial vaginosis.

This medication is used to treat infections only when they are caused by certain types of bacteria- not all bacteria will respond to clindamycin. Also, bacteria have different resistance patterns in various regions in the country. This means that some bacteria may be susceptible to clindamycin in certain parts of the country but not in others. You should not use this medication for treating viral illnesses such as the common cold or the flu.

Precautions

Please, do not use this medication if you have:

• Liver disease such as cirrhosis, liver failure or hepatitis
• Kidney disease such as kidney failure (renal failure)
• Colitis
• Frequent yeast infections
• Any allergies, including allergies to foods, dyes or preservatives
• Are pregnant, want to be pregnant or breastfeeding

Dosage forms

If you use clindamycin capsules, the usual dose is 150-450 mg every 6 hours, depending on the particular infection. If you use the injectable form, your doctor may recommend you 1200-2700 mg total per day, divided into 2-4 smaller doses per day. The maximum capsule dosage is 1800 mg per day; the maximum injectable dosage is 4800 mg per day. If you have serious infection, you doctor will prescribe you clindamycin combined with other antibiotics.

For acne treatment, lotion, gel, foam or solution clindamycin products are usually applied to the skin once a day. For bacterial vaginosis, cream or suppository clindamycin products are inserted vaginally once daily before bedtime.

The standard dose of clindamycin to prevent endocarditis in some at-risk patients before certain procedures is 600 mg (either capsule or injectable form) shortly before the procedure. You have to note that this medication is not officially approved for this use.

The dose of clindamycin for children should be determined by your doctor based on weight.