Every drug treatment has its own side effects that may be categorized into two main kinds, less serious and more serious. On this occasion, the question is: What are the more serious side effects of azithromycin? Side effects may be defined as necessary evils that normally accompany a noble practice – that of offering the most efficacious drug medication to treat the sufferings of ordinary people so they can get along with their lives.
Side effects that you should take note of
Side effects caused by taking antibiotic medication such as azithromycin should be regarded as serious instances that warrant your personal attention.
It’s true that there are side effects that are less serious than others but whether or not they are shouldn’t make you lower your guard. Instead you should be proactive and go into action the moment you feel their onslaught.
Azithromycin’s more serious side effects
It’s a must that your call your doctor immediately if you experience serious side effects or call the emergency number of your area if you believe the side effect is life threatening or that a medical emergency is likely. More serious side effects may include:
- liver problems. The symptoms here may include:
- fatigue or weakness
- loss of appetite
- pain in your belly or upper abdomen
- dark urine
- yellowing of the whites of your eyes or your skin
- QT prolongation, which may cause fast irregular heartbeat. Symptoms of QT prolongation may include:
- a fluttering feeling in your chest
- gasping during your sleep
- fainting
- Allergic reactions. Symptoms can include:
- difficulty breathing
- swelling of throat, face, tongue and lips
- serious skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome, acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), or toxic epidermal necrolysis, which may cause symptoms of re, blistering skin or sloughing of your skin (peeling of dead skin cells)
- Diarrhea that’s cause by bacteria Clostridium difficile (C. diff). Included with the diarrhea are symptoms that may include:
- fever
- abdominal or belly pain
- nausea
- loss of appetite
- Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis or narrowing or blockage of part of the digestive system in newborns). Symptoms may include:
- vomiting after eating your meal
- irritability when feeding
- failure in gaining weight
Immediately call your doctor or local poison control center if you have an allergic reaction. If the symptoms are severe, call your local emergency number. For your own benefit don’t take this drug again if you’ve ever experienced an allergic reaction from it as taking it again can be fatal.
Azithromycin in the spotlight
There are three major features of azithromycin you should keep in mind:
- Azithromycin is now available in this generic name and the drug brand name Zithromax.
- Azithromycin can be given as a tablet or in liquid (suspension) form and taken orally. It can be given as eye drops and intravenously by your health care provider.
- Azithromycin is mainly used for treating bacterial infections.
Precautionary warnings about azithromycin
- Warning on an irregular heartbeat. It’s a known fact that azithromycin has the ability to cause an abnormal heartbeat known as QT prolongation.
Of greater concern is that this condition can be aggravated if you are already suffering from certain issues with your heartbeat or if you are already taking drugs that may also give rise to QT prolongation.
Older adults are more susceptible to the risk of getting QT prolongation. This QT prolongation problem is very serious and may even be deadly in some cases.
If you are experiencing any issues with the beating rhythm of your heart, you should tell your doctor before you actually begin to take azithromycin.
You also need to tell your doctor about the every other medications you are taking before begin taking the drug.
- Warning on antibiotic-related diarrhea. It’s also a known fact that nearly allantibiotics, in addition to azithromycin, may cause diarrhea.
It can cause mild diarrhea to severe inflammation of your colon and may even cause death. If you get severe diarrhea, call you doctor especially if it persists even after you stop taking this drug medication.
- Warning on problems for your liver. It’s very rare that this drug medication will cause liver problems. However, if you are already experiencing liver problems, taking azithromycin can exacerbate the functioning of your liver.
It’s possible that your doctor may want to monitor the function of you liver during your treatment with azithromycin.
You may also undergo blood tests to find out how well your liver is functioning. If you liver happens to function poorly, your doctor may have to take you off this drug.
- Warning on myasthenia gravis. It’s also a medical fact that azithromycin can aggravate symptoms of myasthenia gravis. What is myasthenia gravis?
Simply put, myasthenia gravis is a condition that can cause symptoms that involve the weakness of muscles that help the body’s mobility.
This drug medication can also cause another similar condition known as myasthenic syndrome. If you do have myasthenia gravis, make sure you inform your doctor before you start taking azithromycin.
Warnings for other groups
For pregnant Women
No clinical studies on azithromycin have been evaluated for pregnant women. Nevertheless, when it was used by women during pregnancy, the drug has never been found to raise the risk of failed births, birth defects or any other issues.
In one study pregnant rats showed a rise in fetal death and fetal development after birth, but a majority ofanimal studies of azithromycin have not shown any rise in the risk of defects after birth. Be sure to keep in mind that animal studies don’t always reveal what ultimately happens in humans.
For women who breastfeed
Evidence suggests that azithromycin does pass into breast milk of milk producing women. It logically follows that the child being breast fed may develop side effects which may include rash, diarrhea and vomiting.
Breastfeeding women should discuss with their doctor about the safety of breastfeeding while taking azithromycin.
Bottom line
Knowing all the side effects that may be caused from taking azithromycin or amoxicillin is a a very desirable situation when you want to protect yourself from less harmful side effects to the serious side effects that have been discussed in this article. The punch line however is not so much how many side effects that you know but rather, your willingness to precisely follow the directions that your health provider gives to you. By doing so you can avoid so many complications that may impact your health and even your life!
