Romycin

Serious side effects have been reported with erythromycin. See the “Erythromycin Precautions” section.

Oral:

• Common side effects of oral erythromycin include the following:
• Upset stomach
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Stomach cramps
• Mild skin rash
• Stomach pain

Topical:

Common side effects of topical erythromycin include the following:

• Irritation at the site of application, including dryness, redness, itching, and burning

Injectable:

Common side effects of oral injectable erythromycin include the following:

• Irritation at the injection site
• Skin rash

This is not a complete list of erythromycin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Tell your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Wash your hands before and after using this medicine.

Avoid using other medications on the areas you treat with erythromycin topical unless your doctor tells you to.

Avoid getting this medication in your eyes, mouth, and nose, or on your lips. If it does get into any of these areas, rinse with water.

It may take up to 12 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks of treatment.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, stop taking erythromycin topical and call your doctor. Do not use anti-diarrhea medicine unless your doctor tells you to.

You should not use erythromycin topical if you are allergic to it.

FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether erythromycin topical will harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

Erythromycin topical can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not use this medicine on a child younger than 18 years old without the advice of a doctor.

Use exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger or smaller amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

Do not use erythromycin topical to treat any skin condition that has not been checked by your doctor.

Wash your hands before and after using this medicine.

Clean and dry the skin area before you apply erythromycin topical. Spread the medicine on lightly, without rubbing it in.

Erythromycin topical is usually applied once or twice daily. Follow your doctor's instructions.

It may take up to 12 weeks before your symptoms improve. Keep using the medication as directed and tell your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 6 weeks of treatment.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Keep the tube or bottle tightly closed when not in use.

The gel form of this medicine is flammable. Do not use near high heat or open flame.

It is not likely that other drugs you take orally or inject will have an effect on topically applied erythromycin. But many drugs can interact with each other. Tell your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal products. Do not start a new medication without telling your doctor.

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered:

Allergies

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Pediatric

Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of this medicine in children with use in other age groups.

Geriatric

Many medicines have not been studied specifically in older people. Therefore, it may not be known whether they work exactly the same way they do in younger adults or if they cause different side effects or problems in older people. There is no specific information comparing use of this medicine in the elderly with use in other age groups.

Interactions with Medicines

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.

• Clindamycin
• Warfarin

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

• It is used to treat or prevent eye infections.

• If you have an allergy to erythromycin or any other part of Romycin (erythromycin (ophthalmic)).
• If you are allergic to any drugs like this one, any other drugs, foods, or other substances. Tell your doctor about the allergy and what signs you had, like rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat; or any other signs.

This medicine may interact with other drugs or health problems.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist about all of your drugs (prescription or OTC, natural products, vitamins) and health problems. You must check to make sure that it is safe for you to take this medicine with all of your drugs and health problems. Do not start, stop, or change the dose of any drug without checking with your doctor.

If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

• If your symptoms or health problems do not get better or if they become worse, call your doctor.
• Do not share your drugs with others and do not take anyone else's drugs.
• Keep a list of all your drugs (prescription, natural products, vitamins, OTC) with you. Give this list to your doctor.
• Talk with the doctor before starting any new drug, including prescription or OTC, natural products, or vitamins.
• Some drugs may have another patient information leaflet. Check with your pharmacist. If you have any questions about this medicine, please talk with your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care provider.
• If you think there has been an overdose, call your poison control center or get medical care right away. Be ready to tell or show what was taken, how much, and when it happened.

This information should not be used to decide whether or not to take Romycin or any other medicine. Only the healthcare provider has the knowledge and training to decide which medicines are right for a specific patient. This information does not endorse any medicine as safe, effective, or approved for treating any patient or health condition. This is only a brief summary of general information about this medicine. It does NOT include all information about the possible uses, directions, warnings, precautions, interactions, adverse effects, or risks that may apply to Romycin. This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from the healthcare provider. You must talk with the healthcare provider for complete information about the risks and benefits of using this medicine.

Review Date: October 4, 2017