Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Lincocin
ABOUT THIS MEDICATION
What the medication is used for:
LINCOCIN is used to treat serious infections caused by bacteria (germs).
Antibacterial drugs like LINCOCIN treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections such as the common cold. Although you may feel better early in treatment, LINCOCIN should be taken exactly as directed. Misuse or overuse of LINCOCIN could lead to the growth of bacteria that will not be killed by LINCOCIN (resistance). This means that LINCOCIN may not work for you in the future. Do not share your medicine.
What it does:
Lincocin helps stop the creation of protein by bacteria, thereby stopping growth and reducing the infection.
When it should not be used:
Do not take LINCOCIN if you:
- Have had an allergic reaction to lincomycin or to any of the other ingredients in this medicine (see “What the nonmedicinal ingredients are”).
- Have had an allergic reaction to another antibiotic called clindamycin (also known as Dalacin C).
- Have a vaginal infection.
LINCOCIN is not to be given to a newborn baby.
What the medicinal ingredient is:
Lincomycin hydrochloride
What the nonmedicinal ingredients are:
Benzyl alcohol (a preservative) and water for injection
What dosage forms it comes in:
LINCOCIN is a clear solution that comes in a glass vial. It does not smell of anything.
Each 2 mL vial contains 600 mg of lincomycin (as lincomycin hydrochloride monohydrate).
WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
BEFORE you use LINCOCIN talk to your doctor or pharmacist if:
- You are taking other medicines, including medicines you get without a prescription and herbal products (see also “Interactions with this medication”).
You are trying to get pregnant or are pregnant.
- You are breast-feeding or planning to breastfeed (you should not take LINCOCIN if you are breastfeeding because the medicine can get passed to your baby through your breast milk and be unsafe for your baby).
- You have a history of stomach or gut problems such as colitis (inflammation of the colon) or inflammatory bowel disease.
- You have diarrhea (or usually get diarrhea when you take antibiotics).
- You have kidney problems.
- You have liver problems.
- You have other health problems now or have had problems in the past.
LINCOCIN contains a preservative called benzyl alcohol. Benzyl alcohol can cause serious side effects, including the “Gasping Syndrome” and death in children.
INTERACTIONS WITH THIS MEDICATION
Some medicines can affect the way LINCOCIN works, or LINCOCIN itself can reduce the effectiveness of other medicines taken at the same time. These include:
- Erythromycin (another antibiotic): These medicines should not be used at the same time.
- Neuromuscular blocking agents (muscle-relaxing medicines).
If you are about to start taking any new medicines, tell your doctor and pharmacist that you are taking LINCOCIN.
PROPER USE OF THIS MEDICATION
Your doctor will determine the right dose of LINCOCIN for you.
LINCOCIN will always be prepared and given to you by a doctor or another healthcare professional.
It is very important that you continue to receive LINCOCIN for as long as your doctor prescribes it. Your doctor will decide how many days of treatment you need.
Overdose:
If you think that you may have been given too much LINCOCIN, contact a health care practitioner, hospital emergency department or regional poison control centre immediately. Do this even if there are no symptoms.
SIDE EFFECTS AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM
Like all medicines, LINCOCIN can have side effects although not everybody gets them.
Potential side effects with LINCOCIN include:
- Diarrhea, nausea, stomach cramps and vomiting.
- Vaginal itching or discharge.
- Skin rash or itching
- Pain or swelling in the area where the drug was injected.
If you experience symptoms such as severe diarrhea (bloody or watery) with or without fever, abdominal pain, or tenderness, you may have Clostridium difficile colitis (bowel inflammation). If this occurs, stop taking LINCOCIN and contact your healthcare professional immediately.
If you get diarrhea, do not take any diarrhea medicine without first checking with your doctor.
| SERIOUS SIDE EFFECTS, HOW OFTEN THEY HAPPEN AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT THEM | |||
| Symptom / effect | Talk with your doctor or pharmacist | Stop taking drug and seek immediate medical attention | |
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| Severe diarrhea or severe stomach cramps, or fever in combination with one or both of the above (even if these symptoms occur several weeks after LINCOCIN has been stopped). | √ | ||
| Severe allergic reaction (hypersensitivity) with symptoms such as sudden swelling of the mouth, throat and lips, difficulty breathing, rash, blisters and/or hives | √ | ||
Liver problems with symptoms such as yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice), abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting | √ | ||
| Feeling light headed, dizzy or faint (low blood pressure) | √ | ||
Blood problems such as low white blood cells (neutropenia/leukopenia) with a symptom of increased infections, or low blood platelets (thrombocytopenia) with a symptom of increased bleeding | √ | ||
This is not a complete list of side effects. For any unexpected effects while taking LINCOCIN, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
HOW TO STORE IT
Normally, your doctor will get your LINCOCIN from the hospital pharmacy. If, however, you take your LINCOCIN from the pharmacy to your doctor, it is important to store your LINCOCINS at room temperature (15 -30 ºC) and protect it from light. Do not leave your LINCOCIN in a car.
Keep out of reach and sight of children.
REPORTING SUSPECTED SIDE EFFECTS
You can report any suspected adverse reactions associated with the use of health products to the Canada Vigilance Program by one of the following 3 ways: -----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Report online at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada/adverse-reaction-reporting.html
- Call toll-free at 1-866-234-2345
Complete a Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and:
- Fax toll-free to 1-866-678-6789, or
Mail to: Canada Vigilance Program Health Canada
Postal Locator 1908C Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0K9
Postage paid labels, Canada Vigilance Reporting Form and the adverse reaction reporting guidelines are available on the MedEffect™ Canada Web site at https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-
products/medeffect-canada/adverse-reaction-reporting.html
NOTE: Should you require information related to the management of side effects, contact your health professional. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.
MORE INFORMATION
This document plus the full product monograph, prepared for health professionals can be found at: http://www.pfizer.ca or by contacting the sponsor, Pfizer Canada Inc., at: 1-800-463-6001