Clindamycin and Rash: What Users Say

• eel...
• November 3, 2013

Clindamycin for Bacterial Infection "Tooth infection. After taking 5 of the 28 pills, I had the worst heartburn of my life and could not even lay down. After 10 of them, I ended up in the ER with chest pains, excruciating heartburn, diarrhea, and the itchiest hives from head to toe. They were, however, very effective at clearing up the infection, which in turn reduced the pain in my mouth significantly. So for me, where tooth pain is almost intolerable, it was a trade-off I accept."

• KDM...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "I'm extremely sensitive to all types of antibiotics-penicillin, amoxicillin, sulfur drugs, cephalosporins, Zithromax. I can't even take most OTC drugs. Unfortunately, I came down with strep throat and had to see a doctor. Thankfully, I have an amazing doctor who found me something that worked. Here are two tips that you HAVE to follow when taking this medication even if you are NOT generally sensitive to antibiotics: 1) Take it right after you eat a meal if it says with food. Every. Single. Time. No exceptions. 2) Drink AT LEAST 16 oz of water with it. My doctor put me on the lowest dose, 150 mg, three times a day for ten days. It worked beautifully. No headaches, puking, joint pain, dizziness, or rash."

• Sco...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 13, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I had to go to an urgent care for a rash I had, and I had told the doctor that I’m allergic to penicillin. He said clindamycin is not really a penicillin. This is the worst drug! I had to stop taking it after 4 days because I broke out in hives and had chest pain. It made my rash worse than what I started with! I do take probiotics daily anyway, but that didn’t even help! I also have gastro problems, so my stomach felt on fire! I’m praying I don’t get a c-diff infection because I’m a cancer survivor with an already bad immune system! A c-diff infection will totally be very bad for me. Doctors have to really listen to what their patients are telling them!"

• Mar...
• February 4, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I took clindamycin for a wisdom tooth that was infected due to food getting inside the gums. I’ve taken amoxicillin, but developed a skin rash and was advised I could be allergic. So, my dentist prescribed me clindamycin. Worst medicine I’ve ever taken. I was fine the first 3 days, felt like nothing was happening. But, I woke up on my 4th day and I couldn’t stand up straight. I had this bloated, gassy feeling in my abdominal area. It felt like I had to use the bathroom after holding it in for too long. I honestly thought it was appendicitis from how bad the pain was. I was crying and didn’t know what to do. I went to urgent care and informed the doctor I was on this antibiotic. She told me, “I’m very surprised, you’re handling this drug very well. This antibiotic can cause abdominal pain.” I called my dentist the same day and told her I’m not taking it anymore. My body didn’t go back to normal for another week. I had loose stool and abdominal pain."

• Cou...
• January 24, 2015

For Bacterial Infection "I took this medicine after I had a lower wisdom tooth removed. I read the label on the bottle, and it warned me not to lay down, so I never experienced any heartburn. I took 3 pills 8 hours apart as recommended. Day 7, I woke up with a rash on my abdomen, back, chest, and upper thigh. I immediately stopped taking it (I know you should never stop taking an antibiotic and finish until gone), but there was no way I was going to risk it. About a week after stopping the medicine, I've been experiencing terrible diarrhea. I never took a probiotic. I would definitely suggest one if you're taking this medicine. Waiting to see if it clears up on its own."

• Bad...
• November 25, 2014

For Bacterial Infection "My dentist prescribed me this after having a tooth pulled. After the first day on this medication, I woke up around 2 am with diarrhea. I've been on it for a week now and still have diarrhea numerous times throughout the day. I've lost 4 pounds because of it. Also, it's left a small rash around my pubic area that hurts and itches like crazy, making it painful to use the bathroom and wipe."

• fac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2014

For Bacterial Infection "Developed a bad infection in my face from a tooth abscess. My face swelled quite a bit. I was on penicillin for a couple of days, and the swelling got worse. Within a couple of days of switching to clindamycin, the swelling was going down. I set an alarm to take it in the middle of the night. I had to eat something small with it or I'd get nauseous and sit upright for 30 minutes. I took acidophilus and ate yogurt to help with digestive upset. I developed a full-body rash by day 6 and was advised to stop taking it, but by then the swelling was gone. My stomach was messed up for months after stopping. I now put it down as an allergy."

• Stu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2017

For Sinusitis "I was prescribed this for sinus pressure, eustachian tube problems, and tooth/sinus pain. I'm allergic to penicillin, Cipro, and sulfa. Antibiotics are a gamble these days. It appeared to relieve some of the symptoms, but I got a bad rash/hives on day 9 of a 10-day course. My chest and face looked like a velociraptor. I finished it, and the hives lasted about a week. I still have the infection (CT confirmed) and am trying doxycycline. I also am on prednisone to reduce swelling and to deal with the hives."

• Stu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2017

For Sinusitis "I was prescribed this for sinus pressure, eustachian tube problems, and tooth/sinus pain. I'm allergic to penicillin, Cipro, and sulfa. Antibiotics are a gamble these days. It appeared to relieve some of the symptoms, but I got a bad rash/hives on day 9 of a 10-day course. My chest and face looked like a velociraptor. I finished it, and the hives lasted about a week. I still have the infection (CT confirmed) and am trying doxycycline. I also am on prednisone to reduce swelling and to deal with the hives."

• Amy...
• May 16, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "Please, please use a probiotic with clindamycin antibiotic. I had to take this medication for a gum infection when the amoxicillin did not work. I was on it for 28 days, and within 3 weeks, I started to have itchy feet and hands, which I thought was due to surgery meds. IT WAS NOT. I dealt with this intense itching for about a week. What was weird is there was no rash, just itchy. Well, about a week later, the itchiness went to my WHOLE BODY... and within an hour, I was covered with welts, hives, and a rash. This is a serious allergic reaction, but with me, it was delayed, so my advice is to STOP MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY IF THIS HAPPENS! Get medical attention."

• Amy...
• May 16, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "Please, please use a probiotic with clindamycin antibiotic. I had to take this medication for a gum infection when the amoxicillin did not work. I was on it for 28 days, and within 3 weeks, I started to have itchy feet and hands, which I thought was due to surgery meds. IT WAS NOT. I dealt with this intense itching for about a week. What was weird is there was no rash, just itchy. Well, about a week later, the itchiness went to my WHOLE BODY... and within an hour, I was covered with welts, hives, and a rash. This is a serious allergic reaction, but with me, it was delayed, so my advice is to STOP MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY IF THIS HAPPENS! Get medical attention."

• lmr...
• November 19, 2011

For Surgical Prophylaxis "2 pills 3x day - 5 days. Got 4 wisdom teeth removed. Day 1 - 1st dose, pills were hard to swallow, and a few minutes after I took the pills, I got an upset stomach. 2nd dose was about the same, but I got a rash on my face (cheeks). 3rd dose stomach pain got a little worse. Day 2 stomach pain got even worse with every dose. Day 3 morning dose was unbearably painful in my esophagus/stomach. Called my doctor, and he told me to stop taking pills. I figured stomach/esophagus pain would go away since I'm not taking pills, but it's been 6 days since I stopped taking pills and I still have pain. A lot of pain when I eat and burp. Pain feels like a tightening and burning in my chest every time I swallow."

• xyz...
• June 7, 2009

For Bacterial Infection "While this drug worked very well to treat a gum infection, it gave me a terrible rash on my back and chest two days after finishing my course. Allergic reaction, I guess. I am also allergic to penicillin."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 7, 2022

For Sinusitis "Went to the ER for a sinus infection. The doctor prescribed me amoxicillin, even though I told her I was allergic to it, so the pharmacy switched it to clindamycin. The first two days were okay, and the pressure in my head was going away, so I thought it was working, except for the extreme heartburn. On the third day, I started vomiting, and my head felt like it was going to explode. Then that night, I woke up, and my body felt like it was on fire, and I was itchy and broke out in very bad hives. My body started swelling up badly, and I ended up back in the ER."

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

For Bacterial Infection "Worst medicine I've ever taken. I got put on this for a tooth infection. Thirty minutes after taking it, my jaw felt like someone was stabbing me. The dentist thought it was the tooth, so upped the dose to two pills three times a day. Again, after thirty minutes, I had the worst pain I've ever felt. I took a dose this morning at eight, and again, the pain was unbearable. I stopped taking it, and fifteen hours later, I'm still in unbearable pain. I have a rash, chills, itchiness, and fever, but the pain in my jaw is unreal. I threw the rest of the pills down the toilet, and I'm praying this crap leaves my system soon. In the past four days, I've had a total of seven hours of sleep due to the jaw pain. Right now, I should be asleep for work tomorrow, and all I can do is endure the pain."

• can...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 31, 2019

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I had a tooth infection, and I'm allergic to most antibiotics, so my doctor told me he had to give me 'one that would be hard on the stomach.' As someone who is afraid of vomiting, I decided to research it, and let me tell you... these reviews terrified me. However, I can say that this medication was (mostly) okay! I was taking it three times a day. Each time I'd take it, I'd drink a bottle of water and eat a piece of toast. They recommend not to lay down for 10 minutes after taking it-- wait longer. I attempted to lay down after 20 minutes and had the worst burning in my esophagus ever, and that's coming from someone with GERD who is no newbie when it comes to heartburn. I waited 45 minutes to an hour after that and had no issues until the last day. At the end of my script, I began breaking out in hives, then had the worst heartburn I could ever imagine anytime I tried to lay down. While I didn't face the typical stomach issues, the heartburn was enough to make me wary to ever take this medication again."

• Ups...
• December 29, 2018

For Bacterial Infection "I have several health conditions and ended up getting an abscess in my nose that, due to my health issues, I couldn’t fight off. The swelling became severe and up to the whole right side of my face, which started becoming severely deformed. I went to the ER and was given this through an IV and handled it okay (I have an amoxicillin and Cephalosporin allergy). I was given 7 days of antibiotics to take every 6 hours. The side effects are awful. Within the first few days, I developed a horrible rash on my face, but the medicine was helping, so I continued it. My stomach is completely screwed up, I’m horribly nauseous half the time, and I’m almost done now, but this is the second time I’ve had excruciating heartburn. The only reason I’m giving this 3 stars is that it’s the only thing that made the severe swelling in my face go away. I was starting to panic and saw this forum with other people who are also experiencing this, I hope the pain goes away soon."

• Sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 9, 2020

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I was prescribed clindamycin for a horrible infection of my finger that was swollen, and I couldn't bend it. I had cramps and diarrhea the same day I started on it. I took a 300 mg dose every 8 hours for 10 days. I broke out in hives on day 4 or 5. Had the worst heartburn I've ever experienced. Also felt like I was getting a yeast infection. Then, 2 days after finishing the mess, I woke up with every joint from head to toe hurting like never before. Every muscle ached also from head to toe for 2 days. Horrible headache, lethargic and weak, and sweating and clammy, and absolutely miserable. These symptoms were worse than any flu I'd ever had. I could barely get out of bed for 48 hours. Then the body aches subsided quite a bit. I kept having chronic headaches, nausea, diarrhea still going on since day one. Still clammy and sweaty and weak. My GI system hurts from sternum to my butt. I will never take this pill again !!"

• Bri...
• June 13, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I took this clindamycin back in February for a tooth infection and ended up with C. diff for 15 days, and it was misery. On top of that, I got this all-over body itching that felt like bugs crawling under my skin that lasted over 15 days. It only went away with steroids! Then, back in May this year, I was prescribed this again for another tooth infection, and lo and behold, the C. diff returns again along with the rashes and all-over itching! This time I was hospitalized and felt close to death. On top of that, I am currently pregnant this time, and I am still dealing with the itchy rashes, and it’s been since May 24th, and it’s currently June 13!"

• sal...
• March 4, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "Horrible! Do not take! I had it for my tooth infection, and initially, everything was fine for 4 days of taking 150 mg 3 times a day. On the 5th day, I suffered delirium, rash, white tongue, dry mouth, an extreme ill feeling, chills, nausea, and had huge pain in my stomach area. I quit taking it, and 3 days later, I still have the white tongue (thrush) and nausea. I did not have diarrhea because I ate yogurt while on this killer antibiotic. Yogurt is a probiotic, and if you choose to take clindamycin, PLEASE EAT yogurt so you don't get diarrhea!"

• Pou...
• October 8, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "I took one 300-milligram dose after a root canal, and after 5 hours, horrible burning and itching down my back, buttocks, and ears were unbearable. I was standing at work when, after an hour, I became light-headed and had difficulty walking. I had to stop every 5 steps to rest, my heart was pounding. I thought I was having a heart attack. I became nauseous and extremely hot. I drank lots of water and sat down in front of the AC. I began to feel better. I came home and discovered blisters on the insides of both thighs and calves. My right hand is red and swollen, and my lips are chafed and swollen. My back has a painful rash on it. This is my first day, one single dose... Never again."

• Jan...
• October 26, 2009

For Bacterial Endocarditis Prevention "This drug did what it was supposed to do in preventing an infection in a puncture wound in my foot. However, on the 9th day of taking this drug, I had an allergic reaction. The dose was 300 mg 4 times per day for 10 days. Hives broke out from my chest down to my upper thighs. My doctor told me to take Zyrtec or Claritin, and it should clear up the rash/hives in 2-3 days."

• lin...
• August 16, 2017

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "Due to cellulitis on my ankle, I was given clindamycin, and as the pharmacist suggested, I immediately began taking a high dosage of probiotics. In spite of the precaution, I developed a full-body rash and 3 bouts of C. difficile. The cellulitis was therefore treated with yet another antibiotic. The cellulitis finally healed completely after 2 months, and the C. difficile was eventually cleared, and after 6 months, the lab results came back negative (meaning I no longer had it). I continue to take probiotics, but a lower dosage, for sheer fright of the CD recurring. I was told that continual bouts of CD would likely eventually require surgical intervention. A VERY frightening experience."

• Lor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2021

For Sinusitis "Developed acute sinus infection a couple days after wisdom teeth extraction. Was switched to this antibiotic. Messed up stomach within a day, felt like a punch to the gut. By day 4 (today) broke out in hives all over and had a severe reaction. Currently sitting at the ER to get checked out. Can’t recommend. The infection feels better, but it's still there. Switching to a different med."

• Cop...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 8, 2019

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I was on day six of the seven-day course and was about to rate clindamycin a ten, then, in 30 minutes, my body was covered with a rash and hives known as a drug eruption. Now just hoping I don’t get C. diff in addition, but have had no problems on that end, maybe because I took probiotics. It cured my abscess, but I am allergic to it, so never again!"