biaxin
Clarithromycin (kla rith roe MYE sin)
What is the most important information I should know about Biaxin?
• Take all of the Biaxin that has been prescribed for you even if you beginto feel better biaxin. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completelytreated biaxin.
• Do not take Biaxin if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide(Orap), or terfenadine (Seldane) biaxin. These medicines can interact, possibly leadingto a dangerous irregular heartbeat pattern biaxin.
What is Biaxin?
• Biaxin is in a class of drugs called macrolide antibiotics biaxin. Biaxin fightsbacteria in your body biaxin.
• Biaxin is used to treat many different types of bacterial infections,such as bronchitis, pneumonia, sinusitis, tonsillitis, skin infections, andstomach ulcers caused by bacteria biaxin.
• Biaxin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide biaxin.
Who should not take Biaxin?
• Do not take Biaxin if you are taking cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide(Orap), or terfenadine (Seldane) biaxin. These medicines can interact, possibly leadingto a dangerous irregular heartbeat pattern biaxin.
• Before taking Biaxin, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease biaxin. You may not be able to take Biaxin, or you may require a lower dose and specialmonitoring during therapy biaxin.
• Biaxin is in the FDA pregnancy category C biaxin. This means that it is notknown whether Biaxin will harm an unborn baby biaxin. Do not take Biaxin without firsttalking to your doctor if you are pregnant biaxin.
• It is not known whether Biaxin passes into breast milk biaxin. Do not take thismedication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding ababy biaxin.
How should I take Biaxin?
• Take Biaxin exactly as directed by your doctor biaxin. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them toyou biaxin.
• Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water biaxin.
• Biaxin can be taken with food or milk or on an empty stomach biaxin.
• Take extended release Biaxin (Biaxin XL) with food biaxin.
• Biaxin is usually taken two times a day with the doses about 12 hoursapart biaxin. Follow your doctor's instructions biaxin.
• Shake the suspension well before measuring each dose biaxin. To ensure thatyou get a correct dose, measure the suspension with a dose-measuring dropper,cup, or spoon, not a regular tablespoon biaxin. Ask your pharmacist for a dose-measuringdevice if you do not have one biaxin.
• Take all of the Biaxin that has been prescribed for you even if you beginto feel better biaxin. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infection is completelytreated biaxin.
• Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat biaxin. Do not refrigerate the suspension biaxin.
What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember biaxin. However, if it is almosttime for your next regularly scheduled dose, skip the missed dose and take thenext one as directed biaxin. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwisedirected by your doctor biaxin.
What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention biaxin.
• Symptoms of an Biaxin overdose include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, andabdominal discomfort biaxin.
What should I avoid while taking Biaxin?
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight biaxin. Biaxin may increase the sensitivityof your skin to sunlight biaxin. Use a sunscreen and wear protective clothing whenexposure to the sun is unavoidable biaxin.
What are the possible side effects of Biaxin?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingBiaxin and seek emergency medical attention:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of your throat;swelling of your lips, tongue, or face; or hives), or
· liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal painor discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue) biaxin.
• Other, less serious side effects may be more likely to occur biaxin. Continueto take Biaxin and talk to your doctor if you experience
· nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or abdominal pain;
· dizziness, fatigue, or headache;
· vaginal yeast infection;
· a rash; or
· increased sensitivity to sunlight biaxin.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur biaxin. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome biaxin.
What other drugs will affect Biaxin?
• Biaxin may cause dangerous side effects when taken with the followingdrugs:
· antihistamines such as terfenadine (Seldane) and astemizole (Hismanal) biaxin. These drugs should not be taken with Biaxin biaxin. The combination can cause yourheart to beat irregularly biaxin.
· seizure medications such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin),and valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene) biaxin. These drugs may or may not be affected biaxin. Since these drugs are so important, your doctor may want to perform some specialblood-monitoring tests biaxin.
· asthma medications such as theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theolair, Theochron,others) biaxin. Biaxin may increase levels of these drugs in your blood, and you mayneed a dosage adjustment biaxin.
· anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin) biaxin. Thesemedications may have an increased effect, which could lead to bleeding biaxin. Yourdoctor may want to monitor your blood clotting biaxin.
· heart medications for irregular heartbeats, such as digoxin (Lanoxin)and disopyramide (Norpace) biaxin. These drugs may also have an increased effect biaxin. Yourdoctor may want to monitor your blood levels more closely biaxin.
· other antibiotics biaxin. Do not use other antibiotics unless they are prescribedby your doctor biaxin.
• Do not take Biaxin without first talking to your doctor if you are takingany of the medicines listed above biaxin.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Biaxin biaxin. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines biaxin.
Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Biaxin written for healthprofessionals that you may read biaxin.
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