Details for: TARO-CLARITHROMYCIN

To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take Taro-Clarithromycin. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:

• Or your child has now or has had health problems in the past.
• Or your child has or develops severe diarrhea as this may be a sign of a more serious condition.
• Or your child has kidney problems.
• Or your child has liver problems.
• Or your child are taking medicines called digoxin (for heart failure); atorvastatin or pravastatin (for high cholesterol); or midazolam (a sedative).
• Or your child are taking a medicine called quetiapine (for schizophrenia, bipolar depression). Serious and lifethreatening side effects have occurred in people taking clarithromycin and quetiapine, including malignant neuroleptic syndrome (fever, rigid muscles, dizziness, fainting, and altered mental state). Your doctor will decide if you/ your child should take this medication.
• Or your child are allergic to other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives.
• Have hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose/galactose malabsorption or sucrose/maltase insufficiency since this product contains sucrose.
• Are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or think you might be pregnant.
• Are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. Clarithromycin can get into your breastmilk and harm your baby.
• Or your child have a condition called myasthenia gravis which is a chronic disease that causes muscle weakness. Taro-Clarithromycin may make your myasthenia gravis worse.
• Or your child are taking clarithromycin and oral drugs for diabetes (such as gliclazide, glyburide) and / or with insulin as this can result in serious low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia). Discuss with your doctor or pharmacist how you should monitor your blood sugar levels.
• Or your child are taking warfarin, as there is a risk of serious bleeding with clarithromycin.
• Or your child are taking triazolam, alprazolam or other benzodiazepines (midazolam). These should be used cautiously with clarithromycin due to the serious risk of effects on your brain and spinal cord.

Other Warnings you should know about:
Use of antibiotics like clarithromycin have resulted in heart problems such as irregular heartbeat, torsades de pointes and QT prolongation sometimes leading to death. Talk to your doctor if you are elderly, have risk factors, or you / your child:

• Has heart disease, heart problems or slow heartbeat.
• Are taking other medicines which are known to cause serious disturbances in heart rhythm.
• Have disturbances in the levels of salts (electrolytes) in your blood, such as low levels of magnesium (hypomagnesemia).

Development of antibiotic resistance (where the medicine no longer works to kill bacteria) has been seen in patients with HIV taking clarithromycin. To avoid this, you should always take your medicine as advised by your doctor.

Driving and using machines:
If you feel dizzy, confused or disorientated while taking BIAXIN®, do not drive or operate machines.

Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.