erythromycin 1 g (as lactobionate)
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about ERYTHROMYCIN SXP. It does not contain all the available information. It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or nurse.
All medicines have risks and benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of you being given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor or nurse.
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
What ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is given for
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP contains erythromycin, an antibiotic that belongs to the group of medicines called macrolides. These medicines work by killing or stopping the growth of bacteria that cause infections.
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is used to treat certain bacterial infections. These infections may occur in different parts of the body.
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds or flu.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why this medicine has been prescribed for you. Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.
Before you are given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP
Tell your doctor if you have any of the following conditions or if you have ever experienced any of these conditions.
It is very important that your doctor is aware of these matters when determining whether or not to prescribe ERYTHROMYCIN SXP.
When you must not have it
You must not be given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP if you have an allergy to:
- any medicine containing erythromycin
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet
- other antibiotics from the macrolide family, including:
– clarithromycin
– roxithromycin
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 have abnormally low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood (hypomagnesaemia or hypokalaemia)
you or someone in your family has a history of heart rhythm disorders (ventricular cardiac arrhythmia or torsades de pointes) or an abnormality of the electrocardiogram (electrical recording of the heart) called “long QT syndrome”.
You must not be given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP if:
- you are taking
– terfenadine or astemizole
– cisapride, pimozide or domperidone
– class IA and III antiarrhythmics e.g. quinidine, disopyramide, procainamide, amiodarone and sotalol
– certain neuroleptics and tri- and tetracyclic antidepressants
– arsenic trioxide, methadone, budipine, certain fluoroquinolones, imidazole anti-mycotics and anti-malarials e.g. petamidine i.v.
– simvastatin, lovastatin or atorvastatin
– ergotamine or dihydroergotamine - you have severe liver disease.
- you have heart rhythm disorders from birth or have developed it
- you have irregular heartbeat or severe chronic heart failure
- you have deficiency of potassium and magnesium in blood
You must not be given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP rapidly by direct intravenous injection (IV push).
You must not be given this medicine after the expiry date printed on the pack or if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.
If you are not sure whether you should be given this medicine, talk to your doctor.
Before you start to have 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:
- liver disease
- heart problems
- myasthenia gravis, a condition in which muscles become weak and tire easily.
- eye disorder
- pneumonia
- you are taking other medicines which are known to cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm
- if you have heart problems
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding. 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 ERYTHROMYCIN SXP.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, dietary supplements, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Other medicines and ERYTHROMYCIN SXP may interfere with each other.
These include:
- Anticoagulants e.g. warfarin, acenocoumarol and rivaroxaban (used to thin the blood)
- diltiazem, verapamil, felodipine and mibefradil, medicines used to treat high blood pressure and some heart conditions
- digoxin, a medicine used to treat heart failure
- omeprazole and cimetidine, used to prevent ulcers by reducing amount of acid produced in stomach
- theophylline, a medicine used to treat asthma
- some medicines used for epilepsy such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, hexobarbital, phenobarbital or valproate
- triazolam, zopiclone, hexobarbital and midazolam, used to treat sleeplessness
- nefazodone and St. John’s wort, medicines used to treat depression
- alprazolam used to treat anxiety disorders
- methylprednisolone, a corticosteroid
- ciclosporin, used to prevent organ transplant rejection or to treat certain problems with the immune system
- tacrolimus, another medicine used to prevent organ transplant rejection
- mizolastine and ebastine, medicines used to treat allergies such as hay fever
- ritonavir, used to treat infections in patients with advanced HIV infection
- rifabutin, rifampicin, clindamycin, lincomycin, chloramphenicol, streptomycin, colistin and bactericidal beta- lactam antibiotics (e.g. penicillin, cephalosporin)
- medicines used to treat fungal infections such as ketoconazole, itraconazole, fluconazole
- bromocriptine, used to treat various conditions including Parkinson’s Disease
- vinblastine, a medicine used to treat Hodgkin’s Disease
- sildenafil, used to treat erectile dysfunction in adult males
- colchicine, used for pain relief in gout.
- alfentanil, a medicine used for pain relief during anaesthesia
- cilostazol, a medicine used in the treatment of painful calves, due to poor blood flow to the muscles
- diphenoxylate with atropine used to treat diarrhoea.
- opiates used as analgesics
These medicines may be affected by ERYTHROMYCIN SXP 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 or pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while you are being given this medicine.
How ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is given
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is injected into a vein.
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP must only be given by a doctor or nurse.
How much is given
The recommended dose in adults and children is 15 to 20 mg/kg/day.
How long will Erythromycin SXP be given for
Your doctor will decide how long ERYTHROMYCIN SXP will be given to you. This will depend on the severity of the infection being treated.
While you are being given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP
Things you must do
If you are given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP for an infection and your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor and pharmacist that you are being given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP.
Tell any other doctors, dentists and pharmacists who treat you that you are being given this medicine.
If you are going to have surgery, tell the surgeon or anaesthetist that you are being given this medicine. It may affect other medicines used during surgery.
If you become pregnant while being given this medicine, tell your doctor immediately.
If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are being given this medicine. It may interfere with the results of some tests.
Things you must not do
Do not stop using your medicine or lower the dosage without checking with your doctor. If you stop using it, your condition may worsen.
Side effects
Tell your doctor or nurse as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP.
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP treats infections in most people, 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 If you are about to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are may need medical attention if you get some of the side effects.
Do not be alarmed by the following list of side effects.
You may not experience any of them.
Ask your doctor or nurse to answer any questions you may have.
Tell your doctor if you experience any of the following:
- nausea, vomiting, accumulation of gas and severe diarrhoea
- weight loss
- fever, headache
- oral thrush
- vaginal thrush
- stomach cramps and pains
- local irritation
These side effects are usually mild.
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following:
- yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice)
- generally feeling unwell and having poor appetite
- loss of hearing
- ringing or buzzing in the ears
- Abnormal heart rhythms (including palpitations, a faster heartbeat, a life-threatening irregular heart beat called torsades de pointes or abnormal ECG heart tracing) or heart stopping (cardiac arrest)
- chest pain
- muscle pain, weakness and joint swelling
- dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, hallucinations, fits
- severe diarrhoea especially if bloody
- any vision problem
- any type of skin rash, itching hives, serious scaly red rash with bumps under the skin and blisters
The above list contains serious side effects that may require medical attention. Serious side effects are rare
Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice:
- serious allergic reaction (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).
This is a very serious side effect. You may need urgent medical attention or hospitalisation. This side effect is very rare.
Some side effects can only be found if your doctor does tests on your blood or urine.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell while you are being given, or soon after you have been given ERYTHROMYCIN SXP, even if it is not on this list. Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some people.
After having it
Storage
The pharmacy is responsible for the appropriate storage of ERYTHROMYCIN SXP.
The vials should be stored where the temperature stays below 25°C.
Product description
What it looks like
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is supplied as a sterile powder for injection in single vials containing 1 g of erythromycin (as the lactobionate salt).
Ingredients
Each vial of ERYTHROMYCIN SXP contains erythromycin lactobionate as the active ingredient. The vial contains no other ingredients.
This medicine does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.
Manufacturer/Sponsor
ERYTHROMYCIN SXP is supplied in Australia by:
Southern Cross Pharma Pty Ltd
Suite 5/118 Church St
Hawthorn VIC 3122
Date of preparation:
18 December 2020
Australian registration number:
AUST R 290146
Published by MIMS February 2021
