NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.
APO-CLINDAMYCIN CAPSULES
Contains the active ingredient Clindamycin hydrochloride
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about this medicine. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking this medicine against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine.
You may need to read it again.
What this medicine is used for
Clindamycin is an antibiotic. It is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria.
It works by killing or stopping the growth of the bacteria causing your infection.
Clindamycin will not work against viral infections such as colds or flu.
Clindamycin is recommended for patients who are allergic to penicillin or patients for whom penicillin is not suitable.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Clindamycin has been prescribed for you.
Your doctor may have prescribed Clindamycin for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Clindamycin capsules are not recommended in children for formulation reasons.
Clindamycin is not addictive.
Before you take this medicine
When you must not take it
Do not take this medicine if you have an allergy to:
any medicine containing clindamycin or lincomycin
lactose or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath
wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
rash, itching or hives on the skin
Do not take this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
severe diarrhoea associated with the use of antibiotics
severe liver disease
severe kidney disease
any gastrointestinal (stomach or gut) problems
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
Clindamycin crosses the placenta and therefore should only be used in pregnancy if clearly needed.
Clindamycin capsules are not recommended during breast feeding.
Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you start taking this medicine.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including medicines you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may interact with clindamycin. These include:
erythromycin, used to treat bacterial infections
rifampicin, used to treat bacterial infections
medicines used for muscle relaxation in anaesthesia
These medicines may be affected by clindamycin or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.
Other medicines not listed above may also interact with clindamycin.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while taking this medicine.
How to take this medicine
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the directions, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much of this medicine you should take. This will depend on your condition and whether you are taking any other medicines.
Adults
One capsule (150 mg) every six hours is the usual dose. The number of capsules may increase with more serious infections.
Continue taking clindamycin until you finish the box or until your doctor recommends. Check with your doctor if you are not sure how long you should be taking it.
Do not stop taking clindamycin capsules because you are feeling better.
If you do not complete the full course prescribed by your doctor, all of the bacteria causing your infection may not be killed. These bacteria may continue to grow and multiply so that your infection may not clear completely or may return.
How to take it
Clindamycin capsules should be taken by mouth, with a full glass of water.
When to take it
Space the doses of this medicine evenly apart throughout the day and take them at about the same time each day.
Taking it at the same time each day will have the best effect and will also help you remember when to take it.
It does not matter if you take it before, with or after food.
If you forget to take it
If it is almost time to take your next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the usual time.
Otherwise, take it as soon as you remember and then go back to taking your medicine as you would normally.
If you are not sure whether to skip the dose, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take a double dose to make up for missed doses.
This may increase the chance of you experiencing side effects.
If you have trouble remembering to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.
If you take too much (overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much of this medicine. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
You may need urgent medical attention.
While you are taking this medicine
Things you must do
If the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.
If you get severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately.
Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped taking clindamycin.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.
Do not take any medicines for diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.
If you get a severe skin rash tell your doctor immediately. Do this even if the rash occurs after clindamycin has been stopped.
A severe skin rash may mean you are having an allergic reaction to clindamycin. You may need urgent medical care.
If you get a sore, white mouth or tongue while taking or soon after stopping clindamycin, tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you get vaginal itching or discharge.
This may mean you have a fungal/yeast infection called thrush. Sometimes the use of clindamycin allows fungi/yeast to grow and the above symptoms to occur. Clindamycin does not work against fungi/yeast.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking this medicine.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who treat you that you are taking this medicine.
If you become pregnant or start to breastfeed while taking this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are taking this medicine.
It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you feel that clindamycin is not helping your condition, tell your doctor.
Tell your doctor if, for any reason, you have not used clindamycin exactly as prescribed.
Things you must not do
Do not take this medicine to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.
Do not stop taking your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking this medicine.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious but most of the time they are not.
Do not be alarmed by the following lists of side effects. You may not experience any of them.
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
oral thrush – white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
vaginal thrush – sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
stomach cramping
stomach discomfort
inflammation of the food pipe; discomfort and/or pain of the food pipe
loss or distorted sense of taste
nausea and/or vomiting
heartburn
diarrhoea
loss of appetite
skin rash; irritation of the skin
jaundice (yellowing of the skin)
joint pain and swelling
Tell your doctor as soon as possible if you notice any of the following, even after several weeks after stopping treatment.
These may be serious side effects and you may need medical attention:
severe stomach cramps
watery and severe diarrhoea which may also be bloody
fever, in combination with one or both of the above
These are serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital:
symptoms of an allergic reaction including cough, shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing; swelling of the face, lips, tongue, throat or other parts of the body; rash, itching or hives on the skin
moderate or severe skin rash or blisters often with flu-like symptoms
enlarged lymph glands and/or fever
diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain and fever
yellowing of the eyes or skin, also called jaundice
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.
Other side effects not listed above may occur in some patients.
Some of these side effects (for example, abnormal blood test results and certain kidney and liver conditions) can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check on your progress.
Do not take any medicine for diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.
Storage and disposal
Storage
Keep your medicine in its original packaging until it is time to take it.
If you take your medicine out of its original packaging it may not keep well.
Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature will stay below 25°C.
Do not store your medicine, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink. Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Keep this medicine where children cannot reach it.
A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking this medicine or the expiry date has passed, ask your pharmacist what to do with any medicine that is left over.
Product description
What APO-Clindamycin Capsules looks like
150 mg Capsules: white cap and white body imprinted with ‘Clin 150’ in black printing ink. AUST R 214377.
Blister packs of 24 and 100
* Not all strengths, pack types and/or pack sizes may be available.
Ingredients
Each capsule contains 150 mg of Clindamycin (as hydrochloride) as the active ingredient.
It also contains the following inactive ingredients:
lactose monohydrate
magnesium stearate
maize starch
purified talc
titanium dioxide
gelatin
black printing ink (shellac, iron oxide black)
This medicine is gluten-free, sucrose-free, tartrazine-free and free of other azo dyes.
Sponsor
Apotex Pty Ltd
16 Giffnock Avenue
Macquarie Park NSW 2113
APO and APOTEX are registered trade marks of Apotex Inc.
This leaflet was last updated in:
September 2019.
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