Erythromycin

Erythromycin is used to prevent or treat individuals with bacterial infections.

Can I get Erythromycin online?

The Online Clinic can prescribe Erythromycin for a number of infections. Click on the Free Consultation button and choose the most relevant consultation type.

What is Erythromycin?

Erythromycin is a member of the macrolide group of antibiotic medicines. Erythromycin may be used to treat a variety of bacterial infections of the eye, ear, nose, throat, respiratory tract, gastrointestinal system, skin, and soft tissues. It may also be used to prevent infections in situations of surgery, trauma, and burns, or in cases of rheumatic fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, osteomyelitis, urethritis, and prostatitis. Erythromycin acts on susceptible strains of bacteria, inhibiting their growth and preventing them from reproducing. It does this by interfering with the organism's means of producing protein. Your immune (defence) system then removes the bacteria from the body.

How to use Erythromycin

Erythromycin is available as tablets (250 and 500 mg), capsules (250 mg; regular or with a gastro-resistant coating), and a sugar-free oral solution (125 mg/5 ml and 500 mg/5 ml). A powder (1 g) for solution for infusion is also available, which is mainly used for serious infections requiring high doses. Your doctor will decide the most suitable preparation for you and the dose that you should take, as well as when and how long to take the medicine; this will depend on the type of infection that you are being treated for. Tablets and capsules are generally taken with a drink of water immediately before or with food, and capsules must not be chewed but swallowed whole. It is most important that you complete the entire course of treatment, regardless of feeling better. This is because the medicine does not actually kill the bacteria and, if your defence system has not had a chance to eliminate the bacteria from the body, the infection will return. If you forget to take Erythromycin at the scheduled time, then take it as soon as you remember, but do not take more than you have been told. It is recommended that you seek immediate medical advice if you take too much of this medicine.

Who can use Erythromycin?

Erythromycin can be taken by individuals of all ages. It cannot be taken by people who are allergic to erythromycin, to any other ingredients in the preparation or to macrolide antibiotics. Neither must you take Erythromycin if you are currently prescribed the following medicines: amisulpiride, astemizole, cisapride orprimozide, dihydroergotamine, domperidone, ergotamine, mizolastine, simvastatin, terfenadine, and tolterodine.

Report all medical conditions to your doctor before taking Erythromycin. The doctor will particularly want to know if you get diarrhoea when using antibiotics, have kidney and liver disorders, an irregular heart rhythm, myasthenia gravis, porphyria, or have syphilis and are pregnant.

Report all medications (prescription, non-prescription, and herbal) that you have recently taken, are taking, or may take to your doctor before taking Erythromycin. Specifically mention cholesterol-lowering drugs (‘statins’), but also mention: other anti-infectives (clarithromycin and antifungals), rifabutin (tuberculosis), warfarin and cilostazol (blood disorders), ergotamine or dihydroergotamine (migraine), pimozide (psychiatric disorders), cisapride (stomach disorders), theophylline (breathing disorders), vinblastine (cancer), sildenafil (erectile dysfunction), and colchicine (gout). Additionally, Erythromycin can interact with other drugs, so your dose of Erythromycin may require modification. This means that you must tell your doctor if you are taking any medicines for Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, heart conditions, organ transplants, sleep problems, and sedation.

Pregnancy and breast-feeding, including your intentions for these, must be discussed with your doctor. This is because Erythromycin will be transferred to the baby via the placenta and breast milk.

Erythromycin side effects

Erythromycin can cause allergic reactions, which may cause breathing difficulties, swelling of face, skin rash, and fever; in such cases stop taking the medicine and contact a doctor immediately. Also, immediately tell your doctor if a child that you are treating with antibiotics is irritable or vomits when fed. The most common side effects of Erythromycin are gastrointestinal - feeling/being sick, stomach pain, and diarrhoea. Occasionally, irregular heartbeats, palpitations, low blood pressure, hearing loss (with high doses), vertigo, confusion, hallucinations, and seizures are reported. Less frequently, individuals experience liver problems, jaundice, pancreatitis, and increased number of white blood cells.