Clindamycin is an antibiotic medication used to manage all sorts of bacterial infections. According to MedlinePlus, it belongs to a class of drugs known as lincomycin antibiotics, and it works to slow the progression of bacterial growth. Clindamycin is available as a capsule. Typical dosage is 150 to 300mg every 6 hours. Your doctor will increase your dosage if your infection is more severe.
Common Side Effects
According to Drugs.com, clindamycin can cause nausea, stomach pain, skin rash, itching of skin, vaginal itching and throat irritation. Clindamycin might also cause heartburn, joint pain, vomiting or odynophagia (pain when swallowing). Inform your doctor if these side effects persist longer than 3 days.
Serious Side Effects
The National Library of Medicine reports that clindamycin can induce a gastrointestinal condition called pseudomembranous colitis. This is an antibiotic-induced condition in which your intestines experience Clostridium difficile bacterial overgrowth. Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis include severe diarrhea and nausea. The diarrhea can be so severe that you could become extremely dehydrated and hypokalemic (low potassium levels). This condition is potentially fatal.
Clindamycin's other serious side effects include esophagitis (inflammation of your esophagus), skin rashes, jaundice (yellowing of your eyes or skin), neutropenia (lower white blood cells) and polyarthritis, a condition of widespread joint pain. Drugs.com also cites infrequent urination, bloody or watery diarrhea, fever, body aches and chills as serious side effects. Seek emergency medical care for these side effects.
Additional Concerns
Drugs.com recommends that you tell your doctor if you suffer from asthma, intestinal problems and kidney or liver disease as clindamycin can worsen these conditions. Clindamycin can also adversely interact with erythromycin, increasing the risk of side effects.
The National Library of Medicine says that clindamycin is passed into breast milk, so alert your doctor if you are breast feeding. Clindamycin's effects on pregnancy are not known, so before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you are pregnant.
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