Clindamycin for Skin or Soft Tissue Infection User Reviews

• Kat...
• September 6, 2020

"I saw all the horrible reviews. But I had no choice. I'd already been on amoxicillin for 7 days for a dental abscess and had to try clindamycin. Let me say I have EXTREME anxiety and HATE taking anything. So I was nervous. Anyway, I had read some people said to drink LOTS of water with it and take a probiotic, so I did. I drank 30 oz with every dose (3 times a day) and took a probiotic halfway between doses 2 and 3. I also sipped water throughout the day (no juice, coffee, soda, etc.). I had almost ZERO side effects. I did notice for about an hour after each dose, I felt a little dizzy/out of it. Nothing major (could have just been my anxiety too). I also did use the bathroom more often, but honestly, with my level of anxiety, I was not surprised. That was it. And it cleared up my infection totally! I will continue the probiotics and lots of water at least for a month to be sure. But this stuff works. Don't let the reviews scare you. I think lots of water is key."

• Kat...
• September 19, 2015

"I had a serious cellulitis infection in my leg this year (summer of 2015), and since I am allergic to penicillin, I asked the doctor for clindamycin. It worked well! I didn't have any side effects that I could notice. I am still on the watch for any tummy trouble, though, since I read the FDA warning about C-diff and this drug. Hopefully, I won't get that. But as for the cellulitis, the clindamycin completely resolved it, I am so happy to say. I tolerated the drug well. I drank lots of water while on it and when taking it. That's very important. So happy that this antibiotic worked so well. The prescription was for 300 mg/pill, 4 times per day."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2020

"I was prescribed 150 mg clindamycin for an armpit boil. I just had slight stomach discomfort, no diarrhea or any complications. Everyone's system reacts differently to the medication. I made a mistake by looking at reviews before taking it. It's not always a horrible experience."

• Dal...
• August 20, 2016

"Had a deep gum abscess, not tooth, but gum, from a piece of popcorn. Dr. Rx was 300 mg 3x a day, for 10 days. No problems. You HAVE to drink tons of water when taking the pill and all day long. Why? To flush out the toxins. When STRONG antibiotics work, they KILL the good and bad bacteria. That die-off is called a 'Herxheimer' reaction. Thus, the headaches, eye aches, etc. So, up your intake of WATER to help. Then, take probiotics, kefir, and yogurt because the GOOD bacteria are killed off in your gut, hence severe diarrhea. C. diff is a dirty hospital issue, it's their big secret, but probiotics will reestablish the GOOD bacteria, very quickly. Hang in there, it is the best medicine ever."

• Cra...
• January 18, 2019

"I've never posted a review before but wanted to reassure people that are freaking out reading the scary reviews that not every experience is like that. I was having panic attacks when taking the pills because of reviews I'd seen. My anxiety about it made me feel sick this week, not the pill. Made sure to drink 2 big glasses of water when taking a pill... ate before taking it... had yogurt every day and didn't lay down or recline for one hour after taking it. Other than getting mild diarrhea a few times, I haven't experienced any other side effects. I was taking 300 mg/3x a day for 7 days. I take my last pill tonight."

• Jul...
• August 8, 2014

"I am allergic to many antibiotics, including amoxicillin, and this is after taking it many times before and suddenly developing a reaction. I was given clindamycin (doc said it is one of the milder antibiotics) for 5 foot/ankle/calf surgeries. Months of my surgeries: Aug., Sept., Dec. 2013, and Aug. 7, 2014 (last night). The doctor didn't want me to develop an infection, which is why he prescribes it. It is now the ONLY medication that works for me. PLUS, I have a medium-sized hiatal hernia, GERD, and bad acid reflux and esophagitis. The previous 4 surgeries, I had to take the capsules 3 times a day for 10 days, and this last surgery 3 times a day for 3 days. THE KEY TO TAKING CLINDAMYCIN IS TO DRINK A LOT OF WATER AFTER SWALLOWING IT. I never had one problem."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2012

"I read the reviews before taking the medicine and almost did not take it. The reviews scared me, but I had to give it a chance, and I am glad I did. I did not experience anything mentioned in the reviews. It cleared my skin infection in 7 days. I did take it on a full stomach and ate 2 yogurts with live cultures daily to keep the normal balance in my stomach. I think this really helped."

• Jay...
• December 11, 2013

"I was prescribed 10 days of oral capsules of this medication after other medicines did nothing for a moderate skin abscess. Clindamycin is a strong antibiotic, and diarrhea is often a side effect. To help prevent this from happening, I took Acidophilus capsules. Yogurt does not provide enough Acidophilus-you really need the capsules. I took Clindamycin every 6 hours, so in between (that is, 3 hours after the antibiotic) I would take an Acidophilus capsule. I didn't bother getting up in the night to do this. I believe the Acidophilus prevented my getting diarrhea while the antibiotic cured the infection. You can get Acidophilus in health food stores in the refrigerator case."

• mj6...
• October 15, 2013

"Took clindamycin, two 150 mg every 6 hrs for 7 days. I was hesitant to take this because I've had C. diff before from taking Cipro several months ago. I had cellulitis from bee stings, and I had no side effects from taking clindamycin...except to make sure to have food in your tummy when taking this because it does give heartburn if your tummy is empty. Other than that, I am thankful that I had no side effects from this. I'm sorry to hear about those who are extremely sensitive to this strong antibiotic but it has surely helped cure my cellulitis."

• Cec...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2020

"I had oral surgery on 4/9 and was prescribed this clindamycin medication. Twenty minutes after taking the first pill, I had a painful knot in my throat/chest that made me burp and it felt like I could puke any minute. I thought maybe it was stuck in my throat. I took my 2nd dose about 7 hours later and same thing. I called my oral surgeon yesterday morning and told him of this side effect. He told me to eat yogurt before taking it and that should help. He was right. I just eat half a cup of yogurt and then take this pill and the knot in my throat is gone. I hope this helps others who are having the same issue."

• Inf...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2014

"I have taken this twice in the past for dental and skin infections and am currently on it again, all for dental issues. I developed C. diff after both previous cycles of taking this medicine, with the most recent being near-fatal. That said, it's the best medicine for treating broad-spectrum serious infections, so it did work on the initial infection well each time. I have also developed a mild blistery rash on my chest and upper arms while taking this in the past, but it cleared up when finishing the meds. My only major warning: if you develop C. diff symptoms in the weeks or months following this medication (several watery/loose stools per day, weakness, stomach pain, vomiting, nausea), insist your doctor test a stool sample to culture for C. diff."

• Pin...
• January 15, 2017

"I got clindamycin 300 mg 3 times a day. I have a swollen skin infection on my cheek. I have read the reviews here before I took the capsule. I was too scared to take it, but due to my infection, I must go through with it. I am on my fourth capsule. I took some of the reviewers' advice, in which I drank a glass of water before my meal, ate half of my meal, then took the capsule with a glass of water, then finished my meal. Drink another glass of water after. Not to lay down for an hour. Better a little bit more time because it takes time to digest it. Then about two hours later, I ate yogurt-Activia probiotic. I take my capsule in the morning, noon, and evening around 6-7 p.m. Then I have plenty of time to rest overnight."

• ATB...
• September 12, 2013

"It works fine for me. It squashed cellulitis of the face. My doctor says it was most likely an MRSA bacteria and that most infections of this type are these days. Side effects are mild diarrhea, some abdominal pain, and an unnatural taste in the mouth for about 2 hours after taking. The taste is not repulsive to me; it is easily tolerated."

• Wor...
• December 21, 2015

"I was prescribed 300 mg 3 times per day for 7 days. This was the fourth antibiotic I was placed on in two weeks because nothing else was working. It did its job well. The only noticeable side effect was a slight headache on and off. I heeded the warnings on here, though. I drank 16 ounces of water each time I took a pill and always at meal time. I did not lay down for at least an hour afterward. I ate one yogurt in the morning and took a probiotic in the evening. Also, I had suspected a sinus infection that had never cleared up for over a year. This medication proved me right because I feel better than ever."

• Sca...
• January 13, 2020

"This is my true experience! This is an awful drug. I developed a severe infection after a tooth extraction. Family physician who sent me to the emergency, fearing a deep space infection. Incredibly grateful to him for his care and integrity of human life. I get to the emergency, and I'm put on IV clindamycin. The doctor tells me how great the drug is and says nothing about the side effects. I return the next day to the hospital for a second round of clindamycin, doctors still did not consider my bowel condition, and when I say I'm itchy and burning, I'm ignored. Then given a prescription to fill for the drug and begin taking orally at home. Three days later, I go back to the emergency. Days later, loose stools continue to get worse. Clear jelly-like matter and mucus alternating are coming out. I return to the emergency nine days later, I'm told I have the flu. I tell the doctors about the drug... they ignore me. Send me home. It's nineteen days now, and I feel like my bowel is going to explode. Going back to the emergency."

• CMi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2016

"I was prescribed 300 mg of clindamycin 4 times a day for 7 days. I am half through the course. I read many of the unfavorable reviews as well as the information from the pharmacy. I was terrified. My doctor did tell me to take the medication with a probiotic. After doing some research on which probiotic to take, I went back to the pharmacy to pick up those pills as well. As others have stated, you MUST take this med with plenty of water. After the first 4 pills, I did have a slight headache and noticed my eyes seemed red and slightly irritated. I pushed the next dose out by 2 hours and increased my water intake. I haven't had any more issues (so far). I will update after I complete the full dosage. I would recommend taking the probiotic."

• Dom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2019

"Took this 300 mg three times a day for 10 days. My infection was gone after about 48 hours. Minimal side effects. Maybe a little diarrhea, but that’s it. I took it with yogurt. I don’t swallow pills, so I had to empty the capsule. DO NOT mix with the yogurt. This is the worst tasting stuff you can imagine. You will need to put a little in the middle of a spoonful of yogurt to down this."

• Mom...
• April 7, 2017

"I was on IV for 4 days and then switched to oral 4x a day. When I started taking it orally, I got bad heartburn, felt like something was stuck in my throat, and sometimes it hurt in my chest. I questioned the pharmacist, and she told me to take an antacid 1/2 hour before my dose (one was good for 2 doses) and drink lots of water. I did this and had no more problems."

• tea...
• April 5, 2017

"Taking this for the 2nd time for a serious dental infection. I have a lot of titanium in my spine and have had one infection that was treated with 7 weeks of IV antibiotics. (This was done at home for the last 5-6 weeks; PICC line inserted, self-administered with patient-friendly large syringes. Ten years earlier, I would have had to be in a nursing home for treatment, so I consider myself lucky.) But dental infections can travel, and I don't want a repeat. Pen VK-2,000 mg/day didn't help. Now, 300 mg clindamycin HCL every 8 hrs. is working well-and fast. I always take probiotics-30 billion-10 strains. Most important is saccharomyces boulardii, which is a yeast probiotic and can cure dysentery and prevent C. diff."

• Ros...
• August 4, 2015

"I took this last year for a severe bacterial infection on my chin. It certainly did its job with clearing up the infection. HOWEVER, I will NEVER be taking this medication again if something similar happens in the future. The side effects I experienced were absolutely excruciating! I had heartburn that made me feel like I was going to die- a sharp pain that felt like a lump in my chest that was stabbing me from the inside. My family thought that I was just being dramatic, but after reading some reviews on here, I know a lot of people have had similar experiences. I took the drug 4x a day and ended up gaining weight on it because the only thing that helped dull the pain was eating a TON of food with it."

• Evi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2023

"I was on 300mg 4x daily for a sebaceous cyst that turned into a staph infection. I was scared at first to take it after reading the reviews, but I was more worried about the infection worsening. I had zero side effects, drank it with plenty of water every day. First antibiotic I've ever taken without a single side effect. Treated the infection right away, just took my last pill and my skin is fully healed, just about."

• Dee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2019

"Clindamycin caused excruciating esophageal and gastric pain, nausea, and a general feeling that I was going to die. I woke up in the middle of the night with extreme chest pain and couldn't even get out of bed, and eventually passed out. I was genuinely surprised to be alive when I woke up the next morning. I could only get through three days before the side effects became this severe, and they only got worse and worse. It took more than 8 months to fully recover, and I was living with severe heartburn, weakness, nausea, and inability to eat or drink without severe pain. Thousands of dollars of tests, additional drugs, probiotics, and self-medication later, it eventually got better. Upper endoscopy revealed severe gastritis, which I know was directly caused by clindamycin. Never again."

• lit...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2014

"This has worked great on my MRSA, but the side effects have been horrible. I have felt like I've had the flu, but worse: fever, nauseous, but the worst has been the itching! I'm not breaking out in hives, but it's a deep internal itch that I can't stop! Benadryl helps, but makes me sleepy! I'm not sure if it's an allergic reaction, but in all the reviews I have read, no one mentions this."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2015

"Have been taking this for 4 days now, 3 x 150mg capsules four times a day for a piercing infection, along with using hydrocortisone cream. Taking this due to developing an immunity to flucloxacillin. Symptoms including weeping of the area and swelling, resulting in severe discomfort. These began to clear up within 24 hours of taking the drug and have now all but vanished. Suffering minor side effects, mainly a constant metallic taste in my mouth. Was warned of possible bowel problems but have yet to experience this. Hopefully, that carries on for the next 3 days."

• Don...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2018

"I was scared to death to take this drug after reading all the posts about it. My doctor advised that most people will take the time to write up a bad review (on anything, restaurants, hotels, etc.) before they'll take the time to write good. I went 5 days without beginning the medication, simply because I listened to the complaints instead of my doctor. I had no reactions at all while on this medication, and my infection looked better after 5 doses. I took the pill with food and a 16 oz bottle of water. Never had a problem. (I took 300 mg 3 times per day.)"