Precautions and Warnings with Erythromycin

Be weary when using Erythromycin

Be warned about Erythromycin

Erythromycin is a safe antibiotic that is prescribed by doctors for the treatment of certain bacterial infections. It is a very popular drug that is as common as penicillin and doctors prescribe it if the person has any allergy to penicillin. It does not work on viral infections like cold and flu. Though it is a relatively safe drug, there are some side effects and contra indications like all other chemical drugs. Of course the doctor asks his patients if they have any allergy to this drug, there are some warnings and precautions that one should be aware of before taking this drug.

People having certain diseases and taking medications for these diseases are advised not to take erythromycin. Some of these diseases are hepatitis, cirrhosis or other liver diseases, kidney diseases, myasthenia gravis, allergies to some foods, arrhythmia etc. It is essential to tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding, pregnant or even contemplating to become pregnant. In fact, like other antibiotics, E-Mycin does not go well with many other medications and thus it is prudent to tell your health care provider about any or all prescriptive and over the drug medications that you may be taking. Do not forget to tell about vitamins and health supplements even, if you are taking any.

There are some precautions that you should be aware of before taking erythromycin.

Antibiotics have a tendency to disrupt the movement of normal bacteria because of their actions, and this allows bacteria that are undesirable to grow in the digestive tract. This may result in colitis while you are on erythromycin or even after stopping its consumption. It is prudent to be alert to any symptoms of colitis as it may turn into full blown diarrhea. Diarrhea for a small time period which gets treated on its own is common with erythromycin. This however, is not a cause for concern.

QT prolongation is a medical condition that is change in the rhythm of heart beats. Erythromycin has been known to induce symptoms similar to QT prolongation and the condition may be aggravated if the patient is already talking medications that cause QT prolongation.

As with other antibiotics, over use or using when not necessary can cause the body to develop resistance to Ery-Tab. This happens as the body develops antibiotic resistant bacteria. It has been seen that sometimes people take E.E.S to treat viral infections which may lead the body to develop resistance to this drug.

Those suffering from kidney related diseases must disclose this fact to their doctors as this medical condition requires prescription of the drug in lower doses and in lower frequencies. The same applies to patients suffering from liver diseases.

Antibiotics are known to cause yeast infections in some individuals as they rip off healthy bacteria that provides protection against this infection. So if you have developed vaginal infection previously with erythromycin or a mouth infection, do not forget to mention this to your health care provider.

Erythromycin has been seen to worsen myasthenia gravis in some cases.

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