Erythromycin Facts
Some Important facts about Erythromycin
Erythromycin
Erythromycin is a common medication prescribed by doctors to patients suffering from bacterial infections and people recognize the drug prescribed by the brand name available in the market. It belongs to a group of antibiotics labeled as macrolides antibiotics. These antibiotics are known for their ability to slow or inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria. This the drug achieves by decreasing the secretion of proteins that these bacteria need to survive inside the body.
The point to remember is that E-Mycin is to be used to treat certain bacterial infections only, and not to be taken by people to treat viral infections such as flu or cold as this reduces the efficacy of the drug on the individual (body of the patient develops resistance to the drug). Also, the drug cannot fight all bacterial infections and has to be prescribed by a qualified doctor after studying the symptoms exhibited by the patient. The antibiotic is mostly a second choice of doctors as they prefer treating bacterial infections with penicillin and resort to prescribing EryPed only when patients have allergies to penicillin.
Tell your doctor beforehand if you are allergic to this antibiotic. Also you need to intimate your doctor if continuing with some other medications like Propulsid or Orap, both of which are known to interfere with the working of erythromycin, also available as E.E.S (brand name). There have been instances in the past where severe heart rhythm disorders developed because of such deadly combinations of antibiotics.
The average dose given to adults may have to be altered by the doctor if the patient is suffering from liver or kidney disorders, and also from myasthenia gravis. Sometimes, patients need undergoing several tests to check whether they can consume erythromycin safely. The drug is available both as a tablet and as a capsule. It can also be administered through injection. If the doctor has prescribed a delayed release pill for you, do not break or chew to open the contents of the capsule. This makes higher dose entering your body which could be detrimental to your health. One thing that companies advice is to prevent exposure to sunlight while taking erythromycin as this drug can make the skin sensitive to sun’s rays and the patient may have sunburns.
Many patients having been prescribed this antibiotic report symptoms of diarrhea. Mild diarrhea is common and not taken seriously by doctors as it goes away in a few days. However, severe diarrhea is indicative of serious side effect that requires the patient to discontinue with the drug.
Like all other antibiotics, it is vital to complete the course and take Robimycin for as many days as recommended by the doctor. This ensures removal of the bacterial infection and also that it does not recur in near future. Sometimes people make the mistake of discontinuing with the drug as they feel to start better which is not advisable. Doctors say that the disease may relapse if the prescribed course is not completed by the patient.
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