Lincomycin
About
Lincomycin belongs to a group of medicines known as 'antibiotics'. It is used to treat various bacterial infections of the respiratory system (like pneumonia, bronchitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, and sinusitis), skin, ear infections, and sexually transmitted infections. Bacterial infection is a condition in which bacteria grows in the body and cause infection. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly.
Lincomycin slows the growth or sometimes kills the harmful bacteria by preventing the production of proteins required by the bacteria for its survival. Lincomycin does not treat a viral infection like flu or a common cold.
Lincomycin will be administered by a healthcare professional; do not self-administer. In some cases, you may experience dizziness, headache, indigestion, vaginal inflammation, stomach pain, retching (nearly vomit), or rash with redness of the skin. Most of these side effects of Lincomycin do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Lincomycin or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, please inform your doctor before taking Lincomycin. Lincomycin is contraindicated in patients with severe kidney problems and patients undergoing hemodialysis (a process of purifying blood by filtering out extra fluids and wastes when kidneys are not working). If you notice blood in stools or have severe stomach pain with diarrhoea, contact your doctor immediately. If you have high blood pressure, hypernatraemia (high levels of sodium in the blood), hyperaldosteronism (excessive production of aldosterone hormone), pulmonary oedema (accumulation of fluid in the lungs), kidney or heart problems, inform your doctor before taking Lincomycin.
Uses of Lincomycin
Medicinal Benefits
Lincomycin slows the growth or sometimes kills the harmful bacteria by preventing the production of proteins required by the bacteria for its survival. It prevents and treats bacterial infections like throat and sinus infections, chest infections (like bronchitis and pneumonia), ear infections, mouth and dental infections, eye infections, skin and tissue infections (like acne), stomach and intestinal infections. It is better tolerated and has more effective tissue penetration compared to other similar antibiotics like erythromycin. Doctors prescribe Lincomycin for people who are intolerant of penicillin antibiotics. Besides this, it also helps prevent infection following burns, surgery or dental procedure, sexually transmitted infections, bone infections, or scarlet fever (bacterial illness with strep throat).
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Lincomycin
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Indigestion
- Stomach pain
- Vaginal inflammation
- Retching (nearly vomit)
- Rash with redness of the skin
In-Depth Precautions and Warning
Drug Warnings
Tell your doctor if you have liver problems (jaundice), muscle problems (myasthenia gravis), heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), electrolyte imbalance (low potassium or magnesium level). In rare cases, the use of Lincomycin can cause diarrhoea, so if you have watery or bloody diarrhoea, stop taking Lincomycin and call your doctor. However, do not take any anti-diarrheal medicine until your doctor tells you. It is not known whether Lincomycin harms a baby in pregnancy or not. Consult your doctor if you are pregnant, planning for pregnancy, or breastfeeding before using Lincomycin. Do not take Lincomycin if you are allergic to Lincomycin or other macrolide antibiotics, using cholesterol-lowering drugs (statins like simvastatin, lovastatin, etc.), anti-gout or anti-arthritis drugs (colchicine), and medicine for treating overactive bladder (tolterodine). Lincomycin is not recommended for patients with pneumonia who are judged to be inappropriate for oral therapy due to moderate to severe illness or risk factors.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interactions: Lincomycin have interactions with anti-nausea pills (domperidone), mental health pills (pimozide, amisulpride), anti-migraine medicines (ergotamine, dihydroergotamine), anti-cholesterol pills (simvastatin), bladder weakness medicine (tolterodine), and anti-gout/arthritis medicine (colchicine). Taking these drugs with Lincomycin may cause serious side effects.
Drug-Food Interactions: No relevant drug-food interaction was found with Lincomycin. As a precautionary measure, the consumption of alcoholic beverages should be avoided as it may lead to drowsiness and dizziness.
Drug-Disease Interactions: Lincomycin should not be given to people with liver problems, muscle problems (myasthenia gravis), heart rhythm disorder (arrhythmia), electrolyte imbalance (low potassium or magnesium level), and colitis (inflammation of the intestine).
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
safe if prescribedLincomycin should not be taken until prescribed if you are taking alcohol. Keep your doctor informed if you drink alcohol.
Pregnancy
unsafeThere is insufficient information available about the use of Lincomycin during pregnancy. Therefore you should not use Lincomycin during pregnancy unless explicitly advised by your doctor.
Breast Feeding
unsafeLincomycin is partially passed through the mother’s milk. Therefore it should not be used if you are breastfeeding.
Driving
safe if prescribedThere are no data available about the influence of Lincomycin on the ability to drive or operate machines. However, Lincomycin may cause dizziness and seizures, so make sure you are not affected before driving or operating machinery.
Liver
cautionYou should tell your doctor if you have liver problems as your doctor may need to alter the normal dose.
Kidney
cautionYou should tell your doctor if you have kidney problems as your doctor may need to alter the normal dose.
Children
cautionLincomycin to be taken with caution, especially if you are children below the age of 12. Your doctor may adjust your dose depending upon your age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Probiotics should be taken after taking the full course of Lincomycin to restore some of the healthy bacteria in the intestines that may have been killed.
- Taking probiotics after antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of antibiotic-associated diarrhoea. Certain fermented foods like yoghurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi can help restore the intestine's good bacteria.
- Include more fibre-enriched food in your diet, as it can be easily digested by your gut bacteria, which helps stimulate their growth. Thus, fibre foods may help restore healthy gut bacteria after a course of antibiotics.
- Whole grains like whole-grain bread, brown rice should be included in your diet. Avoid taking too much calcium, iron-enriched foods, and drinks as it might affect the working of Lincomycin.
- Avoid intake of alcoholic beverages with Lincomycin as it can make you dehydrated and affect your sleep. This can make it harder for your body to aid the Lincomycin in fighting off infections.
Special Advise
A bacteria culture test is done to check the type of bacterial infection.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Bacterial infection: A bacterial infection is a condition in which harmful bacteria enter, multiply, and infect our body. It can target any body part and multiple very quickly. When you get infected with bacteria, you can experience generalized symptoms, like fevers, chills, and fatigue. Bacteria are of various forms comprising commonly of spherical, rod, and spiral-shaped. Bacterial infections vary from minor illnesses like sore throat and ear infections to severe brain infections like meningitis and encephalitis. Few harmful bacteria that cause infections include Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, and E. coli. Anyone can become infected with a bacterial infection. But, people with weak immune systems or taking immunosuppressive medicine can make them more prone to bacterial infection.
FAQs
Do not take antacids that contain aluminium or magnesium hydroxide within 2 hours before or after you take Lincomycin. These antacids can interact with Lincomycin and make them less effective when taken at the same time.
Never stop the treatment with Lincomycin on your own as the infection may come back again (relapse) if the prescribed treatment is not completely taken before stopping Lincomycin once discuss this with your doctor.
If you forget to take Lincomycin, take your dose as soon as possible. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip that dose and take the next one when it is due. If in doubt, please contact your doctor. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
Lincomycin contains lactose monohydrate so if you have intolerance towards sugars, consult your doctor before starting Lincomycin.
Lincomycin can cause diarrhoea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhoea that is watery or bloody, call your doctor. Do not use anti-diarrhoea medicine unless your doctor tells you to.
You should avoid taking Lincomycin if you have colitis (intestine inflammation), heart rhythm disorder, liver disease (like jaundice), and muscle problem (like myasthenia gravis). Contact your doctor if you have these conditions before taking Lincomycin.
Lincomycin is a Schedule H drug that can be taken only if your doctor has prescribed it. Taking it on your own or self-medication can cause unwanted side-effects and lead to antibiotic resistance, thereby lowering its efficiency.
Yes, in some cases, people using Lincomycin may get fungal skin infection known as thrush. It happens because Lincomycin also kills harmless bacteria that protects against thrush.
Clinical evidence suggests that Lincomycin does not affect the working of any oral birth control pills and contraceptives devices.
A person should tell their doctor if they have asthma, an intestinal disorder like colitis, severe allergies, and liver or kidney disease. In this condition, the doctor will prescribe the medication after checking the medical condition of the patient.
Lincomycin may make bacterial vaccine-like typhoid vaccine not work well, so it is best to avoid taking any vaccine while taking Lincomycin.
