Dalacin C Phosphate Injection

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NOTICE: This Consumer Medicine Information (CMI) is intended for persons living in Australia.

Clindamycin phosphate

Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Dalacin C Injection. It does not contain all the available information.

It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.

All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given Dalacin C Injection against the benefits this medicine is expected to have for you.

Dalacin C Injection should only be given to you by a health professional.

If you have any concerns about using this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet with your medicine.

You may need to read it again.

What DALACIN C Injection is used for

Dalacin C Injection is an antibiotic. It is used to treat infections in different parts of the body caused by bacteria.

This medicine works by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria causing your infection.

It will not work against viral infections such as colds or flu.

Dalacin C Injection is recommended for patients who are allergic to penicillin.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why Dalacin C Injection has been prescribed for you.

Your doctor may have prescribed Dalacin C Injection for another reason.

This medicine is available only with a doctor's prescription.

Dalacin C Injection is not addictive.

Before you are given DALACIN C Injection

When you must not be given it

You must not be given Dalacin C Injection if you have an allergy to:

clindamycin or lincomycin

any of the other ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet (see 'Product Description').

Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

shortness of breath

wheezing or difficulty breathing

swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body

rash, itching or hives on the skin.

You should not be given this medicine if the expiry date printed on the pack has passed or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.

If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.

Before you are given it

Tell your doctor if you have allergies to any other medicines, foods, preservatives or dyes.

Tell your doctor if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:

severe diarrhoea associated with the use of antibiotics

severe liver disease

kidney disease

bowel disease

any gastrointestinal (stomach or gut) problems.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breast-feeding.

Your doctor can discuss with you the risks and benefits involved.

If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell him/her before you are given Dalacin C Injection.

Children

Dalacin C Injection contains benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol has been associated with a rare but serious side effect in infants. Your doctor will decide if treatment is appropriate.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you get without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines and Dalacin C Injection may interfere with each other. These include:

erythromycin, a medicine used to treat bacterial infections

rifampicin, a medicine used to treat bacterial infections

some medicines that may be used during surgery.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following:

erythromycin, a medicine used to treat bacterial infections.

These medicines may be affected by Dalacin C or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicines, or you may need to take different medicines.

Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while being given this medicine.

How DALACIN C Injection is given

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor and pharmacist carefully.

They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

If you do not understand the instructions in this leaflet, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.

How much is given

Your doctor will decide what dose of Dalacin C Injection you should receive and for how long you should receive it for. This depends on your condition, the infection being treated and how severe it is.

For children, the doctor will work out the dose based on their age, body weight and how severe the infection is.

How it is given

Dalacin C Injection is usually given as an injection into a vein (intravenous drip) or into a muscle (intramuscular). It is given by a doctor or trained nurse.

Dalacin C Injection will be diluted if given as injection into a vein.

If you take too much (overdose)

As Dalacin C Injection is usually given to you in hospital under the close supervision of your doctor, it is unlikely that you will receive too much.

However, if you experience severe side effects after being given Dalacin C Injection, tell your doctor or nurse immediately.

Symptoms of an overdose are the same as those listed under the "Side effects" section but are usually of a more severe nature.

Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26) for advice, or go to Emergency at the nearest hospital if you think that you or anyone else may have been given too much Dalacin C Injection.

Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are being given DALACIN C Injection

Things you must do

If the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.

If you get severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after Dalacin C Injection has been stopped.

Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.

Do not take any medicines for diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.

If you get a severe skin rash tell your doctor immediately. Do this even if the rash occurs after Dalacin C Injection has been stopped.

A severe skin rash may mean you are having an allergic reaction to DALACIN C Injection. You may need urgent medical care.

If you get a sore, white mouth or tongue while being given Dalacin C Injection or soon after Dalacin C Injection has been stopped, tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you get vaginal itching or discharge.

This may mean you have a fungal/yeast infection called thrush. Sometimes the use of this medicine allows fungi/yeast to grow and the above symptoms to occur. Dalacin C Injection does not work against fungi/yeast.

If you become pregnant while you are being given Dalacin C Injection, tell your doctor immediately.

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are being given Dalacin C Injection.

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are being given Dalacin C Injection.

Things you must not do

Dalacin C Injection should not be given to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you.

Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as you.

Do not stop using your medicine without checking with your doctor.

If you stop using Dalacin C Injection too soon, the infection may not clear completely or your symptoms may return.

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are given Dalacin C Injection.

This medicine helps most people with bacterial infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people. All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.

Do not be alarmed by the list of side effects.

You may not experience any of them.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

stomach pain, cramps or discomfort

nausea and/or vomiting

diarrhoea

skin rash; irritation of the skin

vaginal thrush - sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge

low blood pressure (feeling of dizziness or light-headedness)

joint pain and swelling

pain, swelling, redness or formation of an abscess at the site of the injection

loss or distorted sense of taste.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to Emergency at your nearest hospital if you experience any of the following:

sudden signs of allergy such as rash, itching or hives on the skin, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body, shortness of breath, wheezing or trouble breathing

moderate or severe skin rash or blisters often with flu-like symptoms

enlarged lymph glands and/or fever

diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain and fever

yellowing of the eyes or skin, also called jaundice

pain, swelling, redness and tenderness in vein or pain

swelling of the legs, ankles, or feet, passing less urine, irregular heartbeat, confusion, shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue and nausea

chest pain, shortness of breath and/or fainting.

These are very serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation.

After finishing it

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with Dalacin C Injection:

severe stomach cramps;

watery and severe diarrhoea which may also be bloody;

fever, in combination with one or both of the above.

Dalacin C Injection can cause some bacteria, which are normally present in the bowel and normally harmless to multiply and therefore cause the above symptoms. You may need urgent medical attention. However this side effect is rare.

Do not take any medicine for diarrhoea without first checking with your doctor.

Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell.

Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.

Some of these side effects (for example, abnormal blood test results, and certain kidney and liver conditions) can only be found when your doctor does tests from time to time to check on your progress.