What special precautions should I follow?
Before taking Dirithromycin:
Tell your doctor if you have liver disease. You may not be able to take dirithromycin, or you may require a lower dose or special monitoring during therapy.
Furthermore, please inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:
- seizure medications such as carbamazepine (Tegretol®), phenytoin (Dilantin®), and valproic acid (Depakote®, Depakene®) may or may not be affected. Since these drugs are so important, your doctor may want to perform some special blood-monitoring tests.
- anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin®). These medications may have an increased effect, which could lead to bleeding. Your doctor may want to monitor your blood clotting.
- heart medications for irregular heartbeats, such as digoxin (Lanoxin®). These drugs may also have an increased effect. Your doctor may want to monitor your blood levels more closely.
- other antibiotics. Do not use other antibiotics unless they are prescribed by your doctor.
Other drugs in the same class as dirithromycin have caused dangerous side effects when taken with terfenadine (Seldane®). Although dirithromycin has not caused the same reaction, it should be used cautiously if at all while you are taking terfenadine (Seldane®).
Additionally, medication other than that listed here may also interact with dirithromycin. Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines.
Dirithromycin is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether dirithromycin will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.
Also, it is not known whether dirithromycin passes into breast milk. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.
Dirithromycin has not been approved for use in children younger than 12 years of age.
Why is this medication prescribed?
Dosage and using this medicine
What should I do if I forget a dose?
What side effects can this medication cause?