Side Effects > Clindamycin

Clindamycin Side Effects

Brand Names: Cleocin Pediatric, Cleocin Phosphate

Please note - some side effects for Clindamycin may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/ or 1-800-FDA-1088 (1-800-332-1088).

Side Effects of Clindamycin - for the Consumer

Clindamycin

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin:

Mild diarrhea; nausea; vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or tarry stools; decreased urination; joint pain or swelling; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent diarrhea; severe stomach cramps or pain; unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Clindamycin/Tretinoin

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin/Tretinoin:

Dry skin; mild burning, itching, peeling, redness, scaling, or stinging of the skin; temporary change in skin color.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin/Tretinoin:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blistered, crusted, or swollen skin; bloody, severe, or persistent diarrhea; mucus in stools; severe or persistent burning, itching, peeling, redness, or scaling of the skin; stomach cramps or pain.

Clindamycin Cream

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Cream:

Fungal infection; genital itching or burning; inflammation or pain; vaginal discharge.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Cream:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood or mucus in stools; diarrhea; new or worsening vaginal or vulvar itching; painful sex; stomach cramps or pain; white vaginal discharge.

Clindamycin Foam

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Foam:

Burning sensation on treated areas; dry or itchy skin; headache.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Foam:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood or mucus in stools; severe or persistent diarrhea; stomach cramps or pain; swelling, redness, burning, or peeling of your skin.

Clindamycin Gel

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Gel:

Dryness; itching; oiliness or oily skin.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Gel:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood or mucus in stools; bloody or severe diarrhea; stomach cramps or pain; swelling, redness, burning, or peeling of your skin.

Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel:

Dry skin; flushing; itching; redness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin/Benzoyl Peroxide Gel:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody stools; burning, peeling, or irritation at the application site; severe diarrhea; stomach cramps or pain.

Clindamycin Lotion

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Lotion:

Dryness; itching; oiliness.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Lotion:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood or mucus in stools; diarrhea; stomach cramps or pain; swelling, redness, burning, or peeling of your skin.

Clindamycin Solution

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Solution:

Mild diarrhea; mild pain, swelling, or redness at the injection site; nausea; vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Solution:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or tarry stools; chest pain; decreased urination; dizziness; joint pain or swelling; fainting; numbness of an arm or leg; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent diarrhea; severe nausea or vomiting; severe or persistent pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site; severe stomach pain or cramps; unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Clindamycin Suppositories

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Suppositories:

Genital itching or burning; irritation not present before use of Clindamycin Suppositories; vaginal pain.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Suppositories:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood/mucus in stools; diarrhea; new or worsening vaginal or vulvar itching; painful sex; severe stomach cramps; white vaginal discharge.

Clindamycin Suspension

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor, side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Suspension:

Mild diarrhea; nausea; vomiting.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Suspension:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); bloody or tarry stools; decreased urination; joint pain or swelling; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; severe or persistent diarrhea; severe stomach cramps or pain; unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Clindamycin Swab

All medicines may cause side effects, but many people have no, or minor side effects. Check with your doctor if any of these most COMMON side effects persist or become bothersome when using Clindamycin Swab:

Dry skin; mild stinging after applying.

Seek medical attention right away if any of these SEVERE side effects occur when using Clindamycin Swab:

Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); blood or mucus in stools; diarrhea; stomach pain; swelling, redness, burning, or peeling of the skin.

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Side Effects by Body System

Gastrointestinal

The development of pseudomembranous colitis is associated with the presence of Clostridium difficile toxin in the stool. It appears as a pale plaque on direct visualization of the mucosa by endoscopy and is sensitive to oral vancomycin or metronidazole. Pseudomembranous colitis may be associated with toxic megacolon, which can be life-threatening.

Gastrointestinal side effects have included nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, esophagitis, diarrhea (in as many as 20% of treated patients), and pseudomembranous colitis. Dry mouth, hairy tongue, upset stomach, gastrointestinal bleeding, and mouth irritation have also been reported.

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity reactions have included generalized pruritic, maculopapular rash, vesiculobullous rash, urticaria, edema, erythema multiforme, exfoliative dermatitis, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, anaphylactoid reactions, and acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis. Rash is particularly common in AIDS patients.

Rare cases of leukocytoclastic angiitis, toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, and Stevens-Johnson syndrome associated with clindamycin hypersensitivity have been reported.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included rare cases of high degree heart block, hypotension, and cardiopulmonary arrest after clindamycin was administered intravenously over several minutes. In these cases, the affected patients subsequently tolerated slow infusions of clindamycin.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included rare cases of granulocytopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, transient neutropenia, and transient eosinophilia; however, causality could not be determined.

Neutropenia (ANC 945 cells/mm3) occurred in a 68 year old male 6 days after receiving a single 600 mg oral dose of clindamycin. The neutrophil count normalized after 2 weeks.

Dermatologic

A 47-year-old female patient with multiple comorbidities was diagnosed with Sweet's Syndrome. The patient's symptoms developed 2 days after initiating oral clindamycin therapy for a tooth infection. The patient's symptoms persisted despite tooth extraction and continuance of antibiotic treatment with IV, then oral, clindamycin. Following discontinuation of clindamycin, the patient's symptoms resolved over several days. Drug-induced Sweet's syndrome was determined based on the temporal relationship of the patient's symptoms, the beginning and end of clindamycin therapy, and the exclusion of other etiologies.

Dermatological side effects have included pruritus. At least one case of drug-induced Sweet's syndrome has been reported.

Musculoskeletal

Musculoskeletal side effects have included rare reports of polyarthritis.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have included jaundice and abnormalities in liver function tests. Cases of cholestatic liver disease with ductopenia have also been reported.

Renal

Renal side effects have included azotemia, oliguria, and proteinuria.

Genitourinary

Genitourinary side effects have included vaginitis.

Local

Local side effects have included pain induration, and sterile abscess after intramuscular administration and thrombophlebitis after intravenous administration.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included taste perversion/disorders (including bitter taste, taste loss, bad taste, and taste alteration) and parosmia.

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