Clarithromycin Side Effects

Possible side effects of clarithromycin are listed below. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects if they are severe or if they do not go away in a few days.

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Bloating or gas
• Changes in taste
• Headache

Sometimes, clarithromycin can cause very serious side effects. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you develop the following serious symptoms:

• Chest pain
• Fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath or trouble breathing
• Weakness or pain on one side of the body, slurred speech
• Severe watery or bloody diarrhea with or without fever and stomach cramps (up to 2 months or more after clarithromycin treatment)
• Allergic reactions (skin rash, hives, itching, peeling or blistering skin)
• Swelling of the eyes, face, lips, tongue, throat, hands, feet, lower legs, or ankles
• Hoarseness
• Fever, nausea, loss of appetite, right upper abdomen pain, yellowing of the skin or eyes, extreme fatigue, lack of energy, dark urine
• Unusual bleeding or bruising
• Flu-like symptoms
• Muscle weakness (difficulty talking, chewing, or doing routine activities)
• Vision changes such as double vision

The above list may not include all the potential side effects of clarithromycin. Contact your healthcare provider if your side effects are unusual or severe or they do not get better over time. You can also report unusual side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Clarithromycin Overdose: In case of an overdose of clarithromycin, call your doctor immediately. You can also call your local poison control center, provincial poison control center, or the national poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 or emergency services if a person has collapsed, stopped breathing, had a seizure, or is not responding. Symptoms of an overdose may include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Source: FDA