Erythrocin Lactobionate (Intravenous)

Erythromycin injection is used to treat bacterial infections in various parts of the body. It is also used to treat diphtheria, acute pelvic inflammatory disease, and Legionnaire's disease. This medicine is also used to prevent bacterial endocarditis and rheumatic fever from happening again in patients who have had an allergic reaction to penicillin or sulfa drugs.

Erythromycin belongs to the class of medicines called macrolide antibiotics. It works by killing bacteria or stopping their growth. However, this medicine will not work for colds, flu, or other viral infections.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of a doctor.

It is very important for your doctor to monitor you or your child's progress closely while receiving this medicine to ensure it is working well and to check for any unwanted effects.

If you or your child's symptoms do not get better within a few weeks, or if they worsen, contact your doctor.

You should not receive this medicine if you are also taking astemizole (Hismanal®), cisapride (Propulsid®), dihydroergotamine (Migranal®), ergotamine (Ergomar®), pimozide (Orap®), terfenadine (Seldane®), or any statin medicine (e.g., lovastatin, simvastatin, Mevacor®, Zocor®). Taking these medicines together may cause serious unwanted effects.

Contact your doctor immediately if you or your child experience pain or tenderness in the upper stomach, pale stools, dark urine, loss of appetite, nausea, unusual tiredness or weakness, or yellowing of the eyes or skin. These could indicate a serious liver problem.

Erythromycin may cause diarrhea, and sometimes it can be severe. This can happen 2 months or more after you stop taking this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first discussing it with your doctor. Diarrhea medicines may worsen the diarrhea or prolong it. If you have any questions about this or if mild diarrhea continues or worsens, consult your doctor.

This medicine can cause changes in heart rhythms, such as a condition called QT prolongation. It may affect your heart's beating and lead to fainting or serious side effects in some patients. Contact your doctor immediately if you or your child show any symptoms of heart rhythm issues, such as a fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat.

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS) can occur in infants receiving this medicine. Inform your child's doctor right away if your child is vomiting or is irritable during feeding.

Before undergoing any medical tests, inform the medical doctor in charge that you or your child are taking this medicine. The results of some tests may be influenced by this medicine.

Do not take other medicines unless you have discussed them with your doctor. This includes prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicines and herbal or vitamin supplements.

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

Allergies

Inform your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medication or any other medicines. As well 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

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated pediatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of erythromycin injection in children.

Geriatric

Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific issues that would limit the usefulness of erythromycin injection in the elderly. Nevertheless, elderly patients are more likely to have erythromycin-induced hearing loss, heart rhythm problems, and bleeding problems, and age-related kidney, liver, or heart issues, which may require caution and an adjustment in the dose for patients receiving erythromycin injection.

Breast Feeding

Studies in women suggest that this medicine poses minimal chance to the infant when used during breastfeeding.

Interactions with Medications

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medications 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 receiving this medication, it is especially critical that your healthcare professional know if you are using 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 medications is not advised. Your clinician may decide not to treat you with this medication or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Astemizole
• Bepridil
• Cisapride
• Colchicine
• Dihydroergotamine
• Dronedarone
• Eliglustat
• Ergotamine
• Flibanserin
• Fluconazole
• Grepafloxacin
• Levoketoconazole
• Levomethadyl
• Lomitapide
• Lovastatin
• Mesoridazine
• Pimozide
• Piperaquine
• Posaconazole
• Saquinavir
• Simvastatin
• Sparfloxacin
• Terfenadine
• Thioridazine
• Ziprasidone

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

• Abametapir
• Acalabrutinib
• Acecainide
• Adagrasib
• Afatinib
• Ajmaline
• Alfentanil
• Alprazolam
• Amiodarone
• Amisulpride
• Amitriptyline
• Amlodipine
• Amoxapine
• Anagrelide
• Apixaban
• Apomorphine
• Aprepitant
• Aprindine
• Aripiprazole
• Aripiprazole Lauroxil
• Arsenic Trioxide
• Ascorbic Acid
• Asenapine
• Atazanavir
• Atorvastatin
• Avapritinib
• Azimilide
• Azithromycin
• Bedaquiline
• Benzhydrocodone
• Berotralstat
• Betrixaban
• Bosutinib
• Bretylium
• Brexpiprazole
• Brigatinib
• Buprenorphine
• Buserelin
• Carbamazepine
• Ceritinib
• Cerivastatin
• Chloral Hydrate
• Chloroquine
• Chlorpromazine
• Cholera Vaccine, Live
• Cilostazol
• Ciprofloxacin
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Clindamycin
• Clofazimine
• Clomipramine
• Clothiapine
• Clozapine
• Cobicistat
• Cobimetinib
• Codeine
• Conivaptan
• Crizotinib
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Dabigatran Etexilate
• Dabrafenib
• Daridorexant
• Darunavir
• Dasatinib
• Deflazacort
• Degarelix
• Delamanid
• Desipramine
• Deslorelin
• Deutetrabenazine
• Dexmedetomidine
• Dibenzepin
• Digoxin
• Dihydrocodeine
• Diltiazem
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Dolasetron
• Domperidone
• Donepezil
• Doxepin
• Doxorubicin
• Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
• Droperidol
• Edoxaban
• Efavirenz
• Elacestrant
• Elexacaftor
• Encainide
• Encorafenib
• Enflurane
• Entrectinib
• Eplerenone
• Escitalopram
• Etrasimod
• Everolimus
• Fedratinib
• Felodipine
• Fentanyl
• Fexinidazole
• Finerenone
• Fingolimod
• Flecainide
• Fluoxetine
• Formoterol
• Fosaprepitant
• Foscarnet
• Fosnetupitant
• Fostemsavir
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Gepirone
• Glasdegib
• Gonadorelin
• Goserelin
• Granisetron
• Halofantrine
• Haloperidol
• Halothane
• Histrelin
• Hydrocodone
• Hydroquinidine
• Hydroxychloroquine
• Hydroxyzine
• Ibrutinib
• Ibutilide
• Ifosfamide
• Iloperidone
• Imipramine
• Infigratinib
• Inotuzumab Ozogamicin
• Isoflurane
• Isradipine
• Itraconazole
• Ivabradine
• Ivacaftor
• Ivosidenib
• Ketoconazole
• Lapatinib
• Larotrectinib
• Lefamulin
• Lemborexant
• Leniolisib
• Lenvatinib
• Leuprolide
• Levofloxacin
• Lidoflazine
• Lofexidine
• Lopinavir
• Lorcainide
• Lumacaftor
• Lumateperone
• Lumefantrine
• Lurasidone
• Lurbinectedin
• Macimorelin
• Mavacamten
• Mefloquine
• Meperidine
• Methadone
• Metronidazole
• Mifepristone
• Mirtazapine
• Mitapivat
• Mobocertinib
• Morphine
• Morphine Sulfate Liposome
• Moxifloxacin
• Nafarelin
• Naloxegol
• Neratinib
• Netupitant
• Nifedipine
• Nilotinib
• Nirmatrelvir
• Norfloxacin
• Nortriptyline
• Octreotide
• Ofloxacin
• Olanzapine
• Olaparib
• Omaveloxolone
• Ondansetron
• Osilodrostat
• Osimertinib
• Oxaliplatin
• Oxycodone
• Ozanimod
• Pacritinib
• Paliperidone
• Palovarotene
• Panobinostat
• Paroxetine
• Pasireotide
• Pazopanib
• Pemigatinib
• Pentamidine
• Pentazocine
• Pexidartinib
• Pimavanserin
• Pirmenol
• Pitavastatin
• Pitolisant
• Pixantrone
• Ponesimod
• Prajmaline
• Pralsetinib
• Probucol
• Procainamide
• Prochlorperazine
• Promethazine
• Propafenone
• Protriptyline
• Quetiapine
• Quinidine
• Quinine
• Quizartinib
• Ranolazine
• Relugolix
• Ribociclib
• Rimegepant
• Risperidone
• Ritonavir
• Rivaroxaban
• Selpercatinib
• Selumetinib
• Sematilide
• Sertindole
• Sertraline
• Sevoflurane
• Simeprevir
• Siponimod
• Sirolimus Protein-Bound
• Sodium Phosphate
• Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
• Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
• Solifenacin
• Sonidegib
• Sorafenib
• Sotalol
• Sparsentan
• Spiramycin
• Sufentanil
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Sulpiride
• Sultopride
• Sunitinib
• Tacrolimus
• Tadalafil
• Tazemetostat
• Tedisamil
• Telaprevir
• Telavancin
• Telithromycin
• Tenofovir Alafenamide
• Tetrabenazine
• Tezacaftor
• Theophylline
• Tolvaptan
• Toremifene
• Tramadol
• Trazodone
• Triclabendazole
• Trifluoperazine
• Trimethoprim
• Trimipramine
• Triptorelin
• Troleandomycin
• Ubrogepant
• Vandetanib
• Vardenafil
• Vemurafenib
• Venetoclax
• Venlafaxine
• Verapamil
• Vilanterol
• Vinblastine
• Vincristine
• Vincristine Sulfate Liposome
• Vinflunine
• Voclosporin
• Voriconazole
• Warfarin
• Zanubrutinib
• Zolmitriptan
• Zolpidem
• Zotepine
• Zuclopenthixol

Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best therapy for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your physician may change the dose or how frequently you use one or both of the medications.

• Anisindione
• Avanafil
• Bexarotene
• Budesonide
• Buspirone
• Cyclosporine
• Diazepam
• Dicumarol
• Methylprednisolone
• Midazolam
• Phenprocoumon
• Roflumilast
• Sildenafil
• Sirolimus
• Suvorexant
• Tolterodine
• Triazolam
• Trimetrexate
• Valproic Acid
• Zafirlukast

Interactions with Food/Tobacco/Alcohol

Certain medications 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 additionally cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.

Other Medical Problems

The presence of other medical issues may affect the use of this medication. Make sure you inform your doctor if you have any other medical issues, especially:

• Heart rhythm issues (eg, QT prolongation, ventricular tachycardia) or
• Myasthenia gravis (severe muscle weakness)—Use with caution. May make these conditions worse.

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease—Use with caution. Effects of erythromycin may be increased since of slower removal of the medication from the body.

Along with its necessary effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may happen, if they do occur, they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

• Blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
• chest pain or discomfort
• chills
• cough
• diarrhea
• difficulty with swallowing
• dizziness
• fainting
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• hearing loss
• hives or welts, itching, skin rash
• irregular or slow heart rate
• irritation at the injection site
• joint or muscle pain
• puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
• red, irritated eyes
• red skin lesions, often with a purple center
• redness of the skin
• sore throat
• sores, ulcers, or white spots in the mouth or on the lips
• tightness in the chest
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

• Bleeding, blistering, burning, coldness, discoloration of the skin, feeling of pressure, hives, infection, inflammation, itching, lumps, numbness, pain, rash, redness, scarring, soreness, stinging, swelling, tenderness, tingling, ulceration, or warmth at the injection site

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

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

In the U.S.

• Erythrocin Lactobionate

Available Dosage Forms:

• Powder for Solution

Therapeutic Class: Antibiotic

Chemical Class: Erythromycin

A nurse or other trained health professional will give you or your child this medicine in a hospital. It is given through a needle placed into one of your veins.

Your doctor may give you a few doses of this medicine until your condition improves, and then you may be switched to an oral medicine that works the same way. If you have any concerns about this, talk to your doctor.

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