Lincomycin Side Effects

Brand Names: Lincocin

Please note - some side effects for Lincomycin 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 Lincomycin - for the Consumer

Lincomycin

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 Lincomycin:

Diarrhea; infrequent urination; nausea; pain or irritation at the injection site; vomiting.

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; decreased urine; difficulty swallowing; dizziness; red, swollen, or blistered skin; severe or continuing diarrhea; stomach pain/cramps; swelling of hands, eyes, or throat; yellowing of skin or eyes.

Side Effects by Body System

Gastrointestinal

Gastrointestinal side effects have included glossitis, stomatitis, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea (up to 49%), colitis, pruritus ani, pseudomembranous colitis (up to 14%), and metallic taste in mouth (4%).

Hypersensitivity

A 19-year-old male patient, who had received 2 previous intramuscular injections of lincomycin at the age of 17 years and 1 intramuscular injection 2 weeks prior, reported that a few minutes after his fourth intramuscular injection of lincomycin he noticed a tingling sensation around his face and mouth. The patient's symptoms progressed to bright red to blue-violet skin discoloration, injection of the bulbar conjunctivae, and swelling of his face, neck, and ears. The patient recovered without incident after receiving adrenaline and betamethasone intramuscularly followed by oral prednisone with an antihistamine.

Hypersensitivity reactions have included angioneurotic edema, serum sickness, and anaphylaxis, with rare instances of erythema multiforme, some resembling Stevens-Johnson syndrome. At least one case of face, ears, and neck swelling and bulbar conjunctival injection have been reported.

Hematologic

Hematologic side effects have included neutropenia, leukopenia, agranulocytosis, thrombocytopenia, and thrombocytopenic purpura. There have been rare reports of aplastic anemia and pancytopenia; however, causality could not be determined.

Dermatologic

Dermatologic side effects have included skin rashes, urticaria, and rarely, exfoliative and vesiculobullous dermatitis.

Hepatic

Hepatic side effects have included jaundice and abnormalities in liver function tests; however, causality could not be determined.

Renal

Renal side effects have included rare instances of azotemia, oliguria, and proteinuria.

Cardiovascular

Cardiovascular side effects have included rare cases of cardiopulmonary arrest and hypotension after lincomycin was administered intravenously too rapidly. In these cases, the affected patients subsequently tolerated slow infusions of lincomycin. A study that looked at multiple large dose administration of lincomycin found that when the doses were appropriately diluted and administered more slowly, cardiovascular changes did not occur.

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included neuromuscular blockade.

Genitourinary

Genitourinary side effects have included vaginitis.

Local

Local side effects have included infrequent reports of pain following intramuscular administration.

Other

Other side effects have included tinnitus and vertigo.

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