Clarithromycin for Pneumonia User Reviews

• Sas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 4, 2019

"I read the reviews on this site and was absolutely terrified of taking this drug. I had pneumonia, and amoxicillin had no effect, so I was prescribed clarithromycin. However, thank goodness, as it was amazing. Within less than 12 hours, my fever (of 39.5) had completely gone, and from then on, no fever and almost back to normal! The only side effect was a bitter taste, which was strong and woke me up at night. However, I found that mixing rice milk and honey literally took the taste away! So I kept a cup of it next to my bed, and if I woke up with the taste, I just drank it! It was amazing. I wouldn't advise having cow's milk in this case because it creates mucus, but any milk alternative and honey should work! Just wanted to let you know in case it is helpful! Wishing you better."

• 10m...
• February 10, 2016

"Was really ill, started off with a temp of 39.5, all body aches and pains. Took paracetamol, and nothing happened. Went to A & E the next day, whom did a chest X-ray and took blood, said I got a slight infection but couldn't hear anything on my lungs, so they gave me IV paracetamol and fluids and sent me home with amoxicillin, to be taken 3 times a day. After two days, I was still the same: temp, aches and pains, etc. Went to see my own GP, whom heard crackling in my lungs straight away and said he suspects pneumonia and couldn't understand why the hospital didn't. He gave me clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day. After taking the first one, within one hour, the temp had gone and I was feeling a lot better. Had a bitter taste in my mouth, but it didn't last long. These are the best antibiotics."

• dsi...
• June 10, 2009

Clarithromycin "Being asthmatic, I often suffer bronchial infections. I had borderline pneumonia a few months ago, a one-week course of Biaxin XL cleared it up. I am now taking Biaxin XL again because I have bronchitis, and after two days, I am breathing much better, it is also clearing up my ear infection. The only downside to this medication is the metallic taste in the mouth and some wild dreams. I recommend drinking plenty of water to keep you hydrated while on Biaxin XL."

• bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 20, 2016

"After being laid low for a week with agonizingly painful throat and ears, plus coughing up gunk and fever, took myself to a walk-in medical center (live in the UK) on a Saturday and was prescribed amoxicillin 500 mg as an ear infection, although I was told my chest was clear (very surprised). Got progressively worse, coughed all night and struggled for breath, plus pain in ears and throat was horrendous (I do have a high pain threshold too!) and ended up getting an emergency GP appointment Thursday morning and was diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed clarithromycin 500 mg for 7 days. Feel better already! Yes, odd taste, but I can swallow without grimacing and aren't taking max painkillers per day as I was, plus can eat again and chest is so much better. No other symptoms. Good antibiotic :)"

• Bad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2015

"I was sick for a year, a year, coughing up sticky yellow mucus relentlessly. I was put on 4 allergy medications, acid reflux medicine, and put through voice therapy (it was making me gag) and multiple other specialist visits. They thought I had asthma. Nope. After multiple antibiotic tries, my ENT put me on this one, and it cleared within two weeks. No more problems. Yes, it tastes like I ate a pile of crap, but worth it. So worth it."

• Lor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 3, 2016

"I've been on 500 mg twice a day for pneumonia, which I have had twice before. Feeling much better after day 2, although energy levels still pretty low. Side effects are grumbling, painful stomach ache, and a horrible taste in your mouth, plus I go dizzy at times and forget things."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2018

"This drug has definitely helped to clear up my pneumonia, but not without some terrible side effects. Most of which I didn't realize were common until I saw this thread! Day 1 hit me hard. Felt suddenly extremely unwell and tired. Nausea and no appetite. Sense of taste altered. Also, extremely anxious, night sweats, shakes, heart racing, difficulty sleeping. Every time I would almost fall asleep, I would snap back awake, heart sped up. Horrible taste in mouth. Had I realized it was the meds, I would have switched earlier! Have pressed through and am now on Day 5 of 7. I have slowly adjusted, each day I have a little more energy. I was so close to dropping this medication, but being so close to the end now, going to try and push through."

• Sic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2019

"Currently taking clarithromycin for pneumonia. One 500 mg tablet twice a day for 7 days. Constantly feeling sickly tired and have a constant, mental-like horrible taste in my mouth. Reassured me this must be off the antibiotics after reading the posts on here. Cough seems a lot better but not finished the course yet."

• ISP...
• December 29, 2016

"I have been given clarithromycin and a steroid. The taste left in your mouth is terrible. And the weird feeling around the jaw and generally light-headed. But boy, has it cleared my chest in just 2 days. I can breathe, and coughing is not painful. But the taste is hard work and makes you wanna heave. But it's to repair your infection, so it definitely does as it says on the tin."

• Sja...
• April 20, 2017

Clarithromycin "Was first prescribed this on my discharge from the hospital with pneumonia. Had me feeling great within a few days. Just had it prescribed again to clear up an ear infection and a little bit of a chest infection starting. Same thing, cleared up in days. Only downside is the metallic taste in the mouth. Some people suggest taking it at night to avoid that, but sometimes I will wake up because of how awful it is. I also always make sure to take it with yogurt to help ease my stomach."

• JRR...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 22, 2015

"I was finally given Biaxin 500 mg bid after 3 rounds of other antibiotics for pneumonia. I have rheumatoid arthritis and take Xeljanz and methotrexate that lower my immune system. ER doctor gave me 10 days of Biaxin, and I was feeling better on day 9, but still not over it yet, so I called my regular doctor and he prescribed 7 more days. I have 4 days left, and I am feeling so much better. No side effects."

• Ali...
• February 9, 2017

"I'm on day 3 of taking this antibiotic, having been diagnosed with a severe chest infection. Within 48 hours, the stabbing pain and aches in my chest have completely disappeared. I have an awful bitter taste like an aerosol spray/some sort of gas in my mouth. Cleaning my teeth and drinking helps this, but it always feels worse at night. :( Last night, I had a bad nightmare, but after that, I slept well. I've had lots of tummy gurgling, and today I feel really nauseous. :( Have also been going to the loo more than usual! I'm pretty anxious about taking the next 4 days, but I'm unsure if there is anything else I can take. I'm allergic to penicillin."

• Har...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2019

"I have 10 hours left until my 4th dose of Biaxin XL 500 mg x2 tabs once per day. I finally feel like I’m back in the land of the living! After nearly 2 weeks of feeling absolutely awful (running 102 temps, headaches, pneumonia, and so fatigued and weak that I was sleeping 20 hrs a day), this has been a Godsend! I was fortunate and have had very few side effects, just mild diarrhea for the first two days, but that seems to have cleared up. I’ve had no nausea or metallic taste, but it may be because I was taking it at noon every day to make sure there would be enough food in my tummy so they didn’t go into an empty stomach. Still have a cough, but it has gone from wet to dry. No longer coughing up any gross stuff, and my nasal discharge has changed color, working on getting close to clear. First 2 days I felt like I’d been walloped after taking it, but that feeling has passed. So far, so good, and I would recommend this medication if you have pneumonia."

• JCB...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2015

"At first, I had horrible sickness with the tablets. I started them the day I got them because my doctor insisted I did so my pneumonia didn't get worse, and the first two days were awful. I had the urge to be sick about ten minutes after taking the tablet, and it would last mostly all day/night. I couldn't keep my food down, so I lived off water, and then the sickness wore off and I was fine for the rest of the time taking them. My pneumonia has cleared up quite well, and to be honest, the tablets smelled great and didn't taste all that bad. They have a lemon sherbet smell and taste to them. I did also experience a dry mouth and a nasty taste in my mouth a while after taking them, especially in the morning after sleeping."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2015

"I'm on day 6 of Biaxin for pneumonia. I take probiotics and have had no issues with this med until a few hours ago. I was awoken with a horrible, overwhelmingly bitter taste in my mouth. Yuck! 4 more days of this med...hope this taste goes soon."

• Jac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 17, 2018

"This medication was prescribed to treat my pneumonia. I felt the side effects from day one. Weird metallic and bitter taste in my mouth, dry mouth and lips even after drinking fluids, anxiety, fear, palpitations, weakness, very strong headaches, hallucinations, nightmares, sweating, fast heart rates. On the other hand, I can breathe again and the terrible back and chest pain are gone. If there is a future need for me to have antibiotics, I would really avoid this one. Side effects are way too much to take when you already feel poor and weary."

• Daw...
• March 12, 2016

"I am an asthmatic and have just had the flu, which has led to mild pleurisy and chest pain/shortness of breath. I'm taking a course of clarithromycin for 7 days (500mg x2 daily) with 30mg prednisolone for the first 5 days. Feeling sick, vile taste in mouth, headache, dizzy, fatigue, lack of sleep, randomly crying for no reason (may be the steroids). I feel quite beat up by the drugs and was feeling wiped out already. However, I can now breathe and cough without feeling like I'm being stabbed, so I'm going to try to last the full course as I don't have the option of another drug as I'm allergic to penicillin. I feel spaced out, and going to a supermarket and looking at all the food nearly made me throw up as I feel so sick. Trying a probiotic drink..."

• Ne1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2018

"The side effects from Clarithromycin were dreadful: shakes, palpitations, and anxiety. I didn't sleep for six nights; each time I was just dropping off to sleep, my heart suddenly leapt and shook me awake. It was my third course of antibiotics after amoxicillin and Cefalexin didn't work. I had three different courses of antibiotics, four ECGs, blood tests including a D-dimer blood test as they thought I had a pulmonary embolism, three X-rays, steroid tablets, tablets for my heart, sleeping tablets, fluids as I was dehydrated, and antihistamine tablets. The Clarithromycin did get rid of the infection, but I absolutely hated the side effects. Originally diagnosed with bronchitis, which apparently turned into pneumonia. Best wishes from London."

• AJ_...
• January 7, 2016

"I was prescribed this medicine after suffering with pneumonia! I needed a strong antibiotic to keep me out of the hospital for an extended length of time, on top of the penicillin shot. At the same time, I have an albuterol inhaler, Tessalon pearls, and Zofran. With all that going on, I'm not experiencing any anxiety, but I can literally stay awake for the entire 7 days I'm on it! Never tired, and if my lungs would allow, these 7 days I could probably repaint my house, keep it entirely clean 24/7, retile my kitchen, and probably build an ark! Pretty annoying that I can't sleep, and as far as the taste, I'm scrubbing my jaws 4 times a day with toothpaste and baking soda, no luck! Also, give up eating at all! Which I can stand to lose a lb or 2."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2009

Clarithromycin "I have taken this medication many times before. I have asthma, so I am prone to infections in my lungs. I get prescribed this medication often, and it clears it up in the 7 days. The only side effect I get is the metallic taste, I just take it at night to avoid it."

• Moo...
• December 29, 2019

"This worked a treat for the pneumonia after doxycycline and amoxicillin had not helped at all. BUT 2 hours after the first dose, I got a very odd feeling of looking down on my body and watching myself interact with others. I lay in a darkened room for a while, it eased off. I felt that I had no choice but to continue with the medicine given my fear of the infection getting even worse. Happily, although I felt a tiny bit odd after the second dose, the strange depersonalization feeling did not recur. Later, I got a strange metallic taste, lack of appetite, and headache, but no more awful out of body/mind feelings."

• Ano...
• February 15, 2016

"Strong metallic taste for the first couple of days. I started taking it with milk, and if the taste returned, had another glass of milk, which neutralized the revolting metallic taste for me. Also, this initially caused sickness, but it stopped after 2 days."

• Lit...
• December 9, 2014

"I have been on this pill for 5 days now! It seems to work through the day, but at night my chest still feels very sore, the pneumonia still hasn't seemed to fade. However, I am able to do more during the day without being in pain. Must be working! I too had an awful metallic taste in my mouth all day after this pill. It made me sick to my stomach. To stop this, I actually started taking my pill with applesauce. Just ate a few spoonfuls, then put the pill on the spoon in applesauce and swallow. It leaves a tiny taste, however, it does not last and doesn't make me sick. I suggest trying something like this, not just water."

• Lau...
• September 24, 2017

"I have had a chest infection for over 8 weeks. I have been on amoxicillin, didn't work! A chest X-ray and some omeprazole later, they seem to think I have the underlying pneumonia! I was given 500 mg of clarithromycin to take for 5 days! Today, day 4, I have coughed a lot less. I feel I need longer than another day, but my god, it's worked... yes, you do get the hairspray taste, the morning is the worst from the night pill. It is pretty bad but soon goes. You feel sicky-ish, but to be honest, that's from the coughing in general. Only other side effect is taking longer to get to sleep and loss of appetite... I recommend trying it, it's nearly ended months of mystery for me."

• Jan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2016

Clarithromycin "I have COPD and experience many lung infections. Also allergic to penicillin. I have used many different antibiotics and find best results with Biaxin XL 1000 mg once daily. It does not bother my stomach at all. I usually experience relief within 2-3 days. Doctor gives me 10-day run of it... I sometimes take prednisone along with it on a 5-day blast, 30 mg a day... Prednisone is very good for lessening inflammation in the airways... leaves you sleepless, a little agitated, but works."