• Basic Info
• Top Questions
• Clinical Info
• Interactions

What is erythromycin?
Erythromycin is in a group of drugs called macrolide antibiotics. Erythromycin fights bacteria in the body. Erythromycin is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria. Erythromycin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

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What are the possible side effects of erythromycin?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

• chest pain, uneven heartbeats, feeling light-headed or fainting;

• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, lost appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); or

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody.

Less serious side effects may include:

• mild nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain;

• dizziness, headache, feeling tired;

• vaginal itching or discharge; or

• mild itching or skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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How should I take erythromycin?
Take erythromycin exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Take each dose with a full glass (8 ounces) of water. Erythromycin can be taken on an empty stomach or with food or milk. Do not crush, chew, break, or open an enteric-coated or delayed-release pill. Swallow the pill whole. The enteric-coated pill has a special coating to protect your stomach. Breaking the pill could damage this coating. The delayed-release pill is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time.

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What is the most important information I should know about erythromycin?
Do not use this medication if you are allergic to erythromycin, or if you are also taking astemizole (Hismanal), cisapride (Propulsid), pimozide (Orap), or terfenadine (Seldane). Erythromycin may interact with these medicines and could cause dangerous or life-threatening heart rhythm disorders. Before taking erythromycin, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or myasthenia gravis. You may not be able to take erythromycin, or you may require a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

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What happens if I miss a dose?
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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What other drugs will affect erythromycin?
Many drugs can interact with erythromycin. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using: digoxin (Lanoxin); sildenafil (Viagra); disopyramide (Norpace); warfarin (Coumadin); theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theobid, and others); alprazolam (Xanax) or triazolam (Halcion); ergotamine (Ercaf, Cafergot, Ergostat, Ergomar) or dihydroergotamine (D.H.E. 45, Migranal); carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenytoin (Dilantin), or valproic acid (Depakote, Depakene); tacrolimus (Prograf); cyclosporine (Sandimmune, Neoral);

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Can I take this if I am pregnant or trying to get pregnant or if I am breastfeeding?

Erythromycin has been assigned to pregnancy category B by the FDA. Animal studies failed to reveal evidence of teratogenicity. There are no controlled data in human pregnancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers erythromycin the drug of choice for treatment of Chlamydia infections in pregnant women. However, erythromycin estolate is considered contraindicated because of drug-related hepatotoxicity. Erythromycin should only be given during pregnancy when need has been clearly established.

Erythromycin crosses the placenta in small amounts. In one study of 11 patients who had detectable erythromycin levels in the serum, 4 infants did not have detectable cord concentrations. The cord concentrations in the remaining 7 infants generally ranged from 1% to 6% of that found in maternal serum. A case of left absence-of-tibia syndrome was reported in an infant whose mother had received erythromycin, ethisterone, and ethinyl estradiol at approximately 4 weeks gestation. Erythromycin has been used prior to delivery in women colonized with group B beta-hemolytic streptococcus to reduce infant colonization. No adverse events in the infants have been reported. Erythromycin has also been used to treat genital Mycoplasma infection during the first trimester without evidence of fetal adverse effects. Pregnant women receiving erythromycin estolate may be more prone to hepatotoxicity. In one study of women receiving erythromycin estolate between the 22nd and 32nd week of pregnancy, 10% showed abnormal levels of SGOT.

Erythromycin is excreted into human milk in small amounts. Erythromycin is considered compatible with breast-feeding by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

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Who should NOT use this medication?

• Hypersensitivity to erythromycins.
• Concomitant use with certain drugs highly dependent on CYP3A for metabolism and for which elevated plasma concentrations are associated with serious and/or life-threatening events (e.g., astemizole, cisapride, pimozide, terfenadine). (See Specific Drugs under Interactions.)
• Erythromycin estolate in patients with hepatic dysfunction or preexisting liver disease.
• Fixed combination of erythromycin ethylsuccinate and sulfisoxazole acetyl in patients hypersensitive to either component.

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What happens if I overdose?
Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, or hearing loss.

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What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking erythromycin?
Do not take this medication if you are allergic to erythromycin, or if you are taking any of the following medicines: astemizole (Hismanal); cisapride (Propulsid); pimozide (Orap); or terfenadine (Seldane). Erythromycin may interact with these medicines and could cause dangerous or life-threatening heart rhythm disorders. Before taking erythromycin, tell your doctor if you have liver disease or myasthenia gravis. You may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take erythromycin.

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Can I stop taking the medication if I feel better?
If you have been diagnosed with a disease for which an antibiotic is needed, you must complete the prescribed course of treatment. Even if you start to feel better, do not skip any doses and remember to take the medication until it is all gone.

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I am on so many medications; do I have to take them all?
This is called polypharmacy—many different medications being used at the same time by one person. Sometimes, being on multiple medications is acceptable and appropriate but at other times it may be problematic. If you are receiving your medications from multiple physicians you need to ensure that they all know what medications you are taking. The best way to do this is to make a list of all the medications you are currently using, including all nutritional supplements, homeopathic remedies, vitamins and over-the-counter drugs (if possible, also include all the diseases you have been diagnosed with). Give a copy to every doctor who takes care of you so they have it on file, this way they can avoid duplicating medications and perhaps even try to consolidate some. After every doctor's visit remember to update the list accordingly. Also, as much as you possibly can, try to use the same pharmacy to fill all your prescriptions, this way any potential drug interactions can be caught and averted.

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Where can I get more information?
More Information

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