quinupristin-dalfopristin IV

Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and headache may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.
Tell your doctor right away if you develop redness/swelling/pain/warming of the skin at the injection site. Flushing the IV line after each dose of this medication with dextrose 5 percent in water solution as directed will reduce the risk of vein irritation.
Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: joint/muscle pain, yellowing eyes/skin, blood in the urine.
Get medical help right away if you experience this rare but very serious side effect: chest pain.
This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea) due to a type of resistant bacteria. This condition may occur during treatment or weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea products or narcotic pain medications if you have any of the following symptoms because these products may make them worse. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop: persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, blood/mucus in your stool.
Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new vaginal yeast infection. Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge, or other new symptoms.
A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.
This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.
In the US -
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before using quinupristin/dalfopristin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other streptogramin antibiotics (e.g., pristinamycin, virginiamycin); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.
Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: liver problems, high levels of bilirubin in the blood (hyperbilirubinemia).
During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.
It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

See also How to Use.
Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor\'s approval.
Some products that may interact with this drug include: digoxin.
This drug can slow down the removal of certain medications from your body by affecting certain liver enzymes. These affected drugs include those that may affect the heart rhythm (QTc prolongation in the EKG), infrequently resulting in serious (rarely fatal) irregular heartbeat. Quinupristin/dalfopristin should not be used with the following medications because very serious interactions may occur: certain antiarrhythmic drugs (e.g., amiodarone, disopyramide, quinidine), cisapride, certain macrolide antibiotics (e.g., erythromycin, clarithromycin), certain antipsychotics (e.g., haloperidol, pimozide).
If you are currently using any of these medications listed above, tell your doctor or pharmacist before starting quinupristin/dalfopristin.
This drug can also slow down the removal of other drugs from your body by affecting certain liver enzymes. Before taking quinupristin/dalfopristin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any of the following medications: certain drugs to suppress the immune system (e.g., cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus), certain drugs to treat HIV (e.g., delavirdine, indinavir, nevirapine, ritonavir), certain anti-cancer drugs (e.g., docetaxel, paclitaxel, vinblastine, vincristine), calcium channel blockers (e.g., diltiazem, nifedipine, verapamil), certain \"statin\" drugs to lower cholesterol (e.g., atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin), certain benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam, midazolam), carbamazepine, corticosteroids (e.g., methylprednisolone), drugs to treat erectile dysfunction-ED or pulmonary hypertension (e.g., sildenafil, tadalafil).
Although most antibiotics probably do not affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, some antibiotics may decrease their effectiveness. This could cause pregnancy. Examples include rifamycins such as rifampin or rifabutin. Be sure to ask your doctor or pharmacist if you should use additional reliable birth control methods while using this antibiotic.

If overdose is suspected, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately. US residents can call the US National Poison Hotline at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center.

NOTES:
Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., liver function tests) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

MISSED DOSE:
For the best possible benefit, it is important to receive each scheduled dose of this medication as directed. If you miss a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist immediately to establish a new dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

STORAGE:
Consult the product instructions and your pharmacist for storage details. Keep all medications away from children and pets.
Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.
Information last revised July 2012. Copyright(c) 2012 First Databank, Inc.