Generic Erythromycin (Erythromycin) Over the Counter

Why is Erythromycin so expensive?

Your local pharmacies tend to offer brand-name versions of this antibiotic that are very expensive. The reason for high cost is obvious. Manufacturers of these brands have spent millions of advertising dollars to make sure you know their brand. Having invested millions of dollars in advertising, their brand is now expensive. However, after the patent protection period, the original molecule, which became the basis for the new drug, can be reproduced in the form of a generic drug (a drug with the same basic composition and properties) by other manufacturers. Accordingly, generic manufacturers can reduce the cost of the final product. There are a number of companies that specialize in generics (including our pharmacy). The “generic” is not a synonym for poor quality or low cost. The reproducible molecule must meet the characteristics of the original drug, and its production also requires significant investment. In addition, a number of generic manufacturers can afford to keep the price low due to significant volumes of production, and, accordingly, sales. So, if you want to save on your treatment, you can purchase Generic Erythromycin online.

Where can I buy Erythromycin online?

You can buy this antibiotic online at our pharmacy. We are providing the opportunity to buy any medicine at a reasonable price and without long queues. This is a convenient and service that allows you to save time and money. A wide range will help you choose the suitable antibiotic for your health needs.

You just need go to the front page of our website, choose the drug you want to order, pay for it and wait for the delivery. Our online pharmacy has many significant advantages, including: a wide and assortment, low prices, high speed of order processing and delivery.

Can you buy Erythromycin over the counter?

If you buy antibiotics in your local pharmacy, you will need a valid prescription from your local health care provider. However, if you for some reason cannot go a doctor and you are sure that you need this very drug for your health care condition, you can purchase Erythromycin over the counter. There are a number of websites (including our online pharmacy) that sell medicines without a prescription and their range is constantly being updated. It is important to choose a trusted and responsible pharmacy if you are buying antibiotics OTC online.

What is Erythromycin used for?

The drug is used to treat bacterial infections caused by sensitive microflora:

• diphtheria (including bacterial carriage);
• whooping cough (including prevention);
• trachoma;
• brucellosis;
• Legionnaires disease;
• erythrasma;
• listeriosis;
• scarlet fever;
• amoebic dysentery;
• gonorrhea;
• conjunctivitis of newborns;
• pneumonia in children;
• urogenital infections in pregnant women caused by Chlamydia trachomatis;
• primary syphilis (in patients with an allergy to penicillins);
• uncomplicated chlamydia in adults (with localization in the lower urinary tract and rectum) with intolerance or inefficiency of tetracyclines;
• infections of ENT organs (tonsillitis, otitis media, sinusitis);
• biliary tract infections (cholecystitis);
• upper and lower respiratory tract infections (tracheitis, bronchitis, pneumonia);
  infections of the skin and soft tissues (pustular skin diseases, including youthful acne, infected wounds, pressure sores, burns of the II-III degree, trophic ulcers);
• infections of the mucous membrane of the eyes (erythromycin eye ointment);
• prevention of exacerbations of streptococcal infection (tonsillitis, pharyngitis) in patients with rheumatism;
• prevention of infectious complications during medical and diagnostic procedures (including preoperative bowel preparation, dental interventions,
• endoscopy, in patients with heart defects).

What bacteria does it kill?

The spectrum of drug action includes gram-positive (Staphylococcus spp., producing and non-producing penicillinase, including Staphylococcus aureus; Streptococcus spp. (Including Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes), alpha-hemolytic streptococcus (groups of Vis Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Corynebacterium minutissimum) and gram-negative microorganisms (Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Haemophilus influenzae, Bordetella pertussis, Brucella spp., Legionella spp., Including Legionella pneumophila) and other microorganisms: Mycoplas. (including Mycoplasma pneumoniae), Chlamydia spp. (including Chlamydia trachomatis), Treponema spp., Rickettsia spp., Entamoeba histolytica, Listeria monocytogenes.

Bacteria resistant to this antibiotic: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, as well as Shigella spp., Salmonella spp. and others.

How does it work?

Erythromycin is a representative of macrolides, a class of antibiotics characterized by the presence of a macrocyclic lactone ring in their composition. It is a waste product of Streptomyces aureus actinobacteria and Streptomycees erythreus bacteria. It refers to antibiotics of the reserve, bacteriostatic type of action, it blocks protein synthesis by ribosomes by inhibiting the enzyme peptide translocase. It is sometimes used as a prokinetic and may be useful in the treatment of esophagitis reflux. This antibiotic can be either bacteriostatic (i.e., prevent bacteria from multiplying), or bactericidal (i.e. kill bacteria directly), depending on its concentration and the type of microorganism against which it is used.

What dosage is right for me?

A single dose for adults and adolescents over 14 years old is 250-500 mg, the daily dose is 1-2 g. The interval between doses is 6 hours. In severe infections, the daily dose can be increased to 4 g.

Children aged 4 months to 18 years, depending on age, body weight and severity of infection receive 30-50 mg / kg / day in 2-4 doses; children under 3 months of age receive 20-40 mg / kg / day. In case of more severe infections, the dose may be doubled.

• Treatment of diphtheria carriage: 250 mg 2 times / day. The course dose for the treatment of primary syphilis is 30-40 g, the duration of treatment is 10-15 days.
• Treatment of amoebic dysentery: adults – 250 mg 4 times / day, children – 30-50 mg / kg / day; course duration – 10-14 days.
  Treatment of legionellosis : 500 mg-1 g 4 times / day for 14 days.
• Treatment of gonorrhea: 500 mg every 6 hours for 3 days, then – 250 mg every 6 hours for 7 days.
• Preoperative preparation of the intestine with the aim of preventing infectious complications: 1 g for 19 hours, 18 hours and 9 hours before surgery (total 3 g).
• Prevention of streptococcal infection (with tonsillitis, pharyngitis): adults – 20-50 mg / kg / day, children – 20-30 mg / kg / day, course duration – at least 10 days.
• Prevention of septic endocarditis in patients with heart defects: 1 g for adults and 20 mg / kg for children, 1 hour before the treatment or diagnostic procedure, then 500 mg for adults and 10 mg / kg for children, repeatedly after 6 hours.
• Treatment of whooping cough: 40-50 mg / kg / day for 5-14 days.
• Treatment of pneumonia in children: 50 mg / kg / day in 4 divided doses, for at least 3 weeks.
• Treatment of genitourinary infections during pregnancy : 500 mg 4 times / day for at least 7 days or (with poor tolerance of such a dose) – 250 mg 4 times / day for at least 14 days.
• Treatment of uncomplicated chlamydia and intolerance to tetracyclines (in adults): 500 mg 4 times / day for at least 7 days.

How to take the antibiotic properly?

The pills are taken orally, 1 hour before meals or 2 hours after meals, with plenty of water.

Antibiotics, like any other antimicrobial agents, should only be prescribed by a doctor!

If you already started taking this antibiotic, do not stop treatment earlier even if you feel better. The necessary duration of treatment should be determined by the doctor.

Do not try to adjust the dose of the drug on your own. Small doses of antibiotics are very dangerous, as bacteria may develop resistance to the drug.

When will I feel better?

In most cases, you should feel better within 2-3 days. But if you have skin problems such as acne and rosacea, you will have to take this antibiotic for a long time. So, you should expect to see the result in at least 2 months.

It’s very important that you complete the course of this drug as prescribed by a doctor. Do not stop taking pills even if you feel better. If you interrupt the course, the infection may come back.

Side effects

Erythromycin is usually tolerated well. However, in some cases patients may experience adverse reactions.

• Digestive system: nausea, vomiting, epigastric pain, diarrhea, anorexia, pseudomembranous colitis. Cases of pancreatitis have been reported rarely;
• Hepatobiliary system: impaired liver function, including an increase in the level of “liver” enzymes in the blood serum, hepatocellular and / or cholestatic hepatitis with / without jaundice;
• Sensory organs: hearing loss and / or tinnitus, which disappears after drug withdrawal. There were separate reports of reversible hearing loss, mainly in patients with renal failure and in patients receiving high doses of erythromycin (more than 4 g / day);
• Cardiovascular system: prolongation of the QT interval on the ECG, palpitations, ventricular arrhythmias, including ventricular tachycardia and torsade de pointes type arrhythmias;
• Nervous system: rare reports of confusion, hallucinations, convulsions, dizziness, nightmares, but a causal relationship has not been reliably established;
• Genitourinary system: parenchymal nephritis;
• Immune system: allergic reactions, including pruritus, urticaria, anaphylactic shock, skin rash, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis. If you have any of the above allergic reactions, you should immediately stop taking the drug;
• Infections and parasitic diseases: a long or repeated course of treatment with erythromycin can lead to superinfection;
• Blood and lymphatic system: agranulocytosis, eosinophilia;
• Other: oral candidiasis, vaginal candidiasis; onset of symptoms of myasthenic syndrome / exacerbation of existing myasthenia gravis, fever.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to erythromycin or to any other component of the drug, to macrolides;
• Severe liver failure;
• Simultaneous use with terfenadine, astemizole, pimozide or cisapride, ergotamine and dihydroergotamine.

Is it safe to use this medicine during pregnancy/breastfeeding?

Erythromycin crosses the placental barrier and is excreted in breast milk.

When using this antibiotic during pregnancy, the estimated benefits for the mother and the potential risk to the fetus should be evaluated. If it is necessary to use this drug during lactation, breastfeeding should be terminated.

Erythromycin for acne

This antibiotic is often used to fight skin problems, such as acne. This is a wonderful remedy, which is available both in the form of tablets, and as an ointment. The combined use of these options means will maximize the effect and accelerate the cure.

Erythromycin helps get rid of acne by destroying pathogens both on the surface of the skin and from the inside. Its action is based on the violation of protein metabolism in bacteria. At the same time, this medicine affects beneficial organisms to a lesser extent. If several pimples have appeared on the skin that are not very disturbing, use erythromycin ointment. A severe form of the disease involves the use of tablets and ointments in combination. So, this drug is able to produce the following effects on the skin: relieves pathogenic microflora (bacteria); relieves inflammation of the skin; cures large painful acne with purulent heads; eliminates traces of acne in the form of darkening. The effect of the drug is not long in coming.

Can I drink alcohol with it?

This antibacterial drug enhances the absorption of alcohol in the digestive tract, because of which its concentration in the blood increases sharply. The combination of the drug and alcohol ca cause negative adverse reactions: slight fever, general malaise, vomiting. So, you should not drink alcohol when treating with erythromycin.

Is there any food or drink I need to avoid?

Do not eat grapefruit or drink grapefruit juice while you’re taking this drug.

Grapefruit can increase the amount of the active substance in your body and may cause some side effects.

As we have already mentioned, you should take erythromycin on an empty stomach at least 30 minutes before or 2 hours after a meal. This recommendation is important because food decreases the levels of the drug in your body. However, if stomach upset occurs, the drug may be taken with food.

Drug interactions

Avoid taking this antibiotic with any of the following drugs:

• antihistamines;
• ergot alkaloids,
• theophylline and benzodiazepines;
• digoxin;
• indirect anticoagulants;
• carbamazepine;
• cyclosporin;
• hexobarbital;
• phenytoin;
• alfentanil;
• disopyramide;
• lovastatin;
• bromocriptine.

Overdose

Symptoms: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and a feeling of discomfort in the stomach; impaired liver function, acute liver failure, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness (especially in patients with renal or liver failure).

Treatment: the use of activated carbon, careful monitoring of the state of respiration (mechanical ventilation may be required), acid-base balance and electrolyte metabolism.

Gastric lavage is effective when taking a dose that is 5 times the average therapeutic dose. Hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and forced diuresis are ineffective.

Warnings and precautions

With prolonged therapy, it is necessary to monitor laboratory parameters of liver function.

Symptoms of cholestatic jaundice may develop several days after the start of therapy. The probability of developing an ototoxic effect is higher in patients with renal and hepatic insufficiency, as well as in elderly patients.

Some resistant strains of Haemophilus influenzae are susceptible to concomitant use of erythromycin and sulfonamides.

The drug may interfere with the determination of catecholamines in the urine and the activity of hepatic transaminases in the blood (colorimetric determination with the use of definyl hydrazine).

During the treatment period, care must be taken when driving and engaging in potentially hazardous activities that require an increased concentration of attention and speed of psychomotor reactions.

Erythromycin reviews

Most patients respond well to the effect of the drug. They say that its effectiveness is much higher than that of analogues.

Most users mention the effectiveness of erythromycin for acne. One female patient noticed the effect after a week, in 3 weeks her skin became clean again.

One more patient took this medicine for pertussis infection. The course lasted 7 days, and the effect was very good.

Medical experts also leave reviews about this drug. They say that this medicine is a first-generation macrolide, which is recommended for weakened children and those patients who are allergic to the penicillin series.