Lincomycin

Lincomycin is a prescription medication used to treat severe bacterial infections or Susceptible Infections. 

• Lincomycin is available under the following different brand name: Lincocin.

Adult and pediatric dosage

Injectable solution

• 300mg/mL

Susceptible Infections

Adult dosage

• IM: 600 mg every 12-24 hours
• IV: 600-1000 mg every 8-12 hours, not to exceed 8 g/day
• Renal Impairment, severe: 25-30% of usual dose

Pediatric dosage

• Children younger than 1 month of age: Safety and efficacy not established
• Children older than 1 month of age:
• IV: 10-20 mg/kg/day divided every 8-12 hours
• IM: 10 mg/kg every 12-24 hours

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See "Dosages."

Common side effects of Lincomycin include:

• diarrhea, 
• stomach pain, 
• nausea, 
• vomiting, 
• swollen or painful tongue, 
• vaginal itching or discharge, 
• mild itching or rash, 
• ringing in the ears, and
• dizziness

Serious side effects of Lincomycin include:

• hives, 
• difficulty breathing, 
• swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat, 
• fever, 
• sore throat, 
• burning eyes, 
• skin pain, 
• red or purple skin rash with blistering and peeling, 
• mild to severe diarrhea (even months after the last dose), 
• severe stomach pain, 
• watery or bloody stools (even months after the last dose), 
• little or no urination, 
• blisters or ulcers in the mouth, 
• red or swollen gums, 
• yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), 
• chills, 
• tiredness, 
• skin sores, 
• easy bruising, 
• unusual bleeding, 
• pale skin, 
• cold hands and feet, 
• lightheadedness, and
• shortness of breath

Rare side effects of Lincomycin include:

• none 

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider or pharmacist first.

• Lincomycin has severe interactions with no other drugs.
• Lincomycin has serious interactions with the following drugs:
  • atracurium
  • cholera vaccine
  • cisatracurium
  • onabotulinumtoxinA
  • pancuronium
  • rapacuronium
  • rocuronium
  • succinylcholine
  • vecuronium 
• Lincomycin has moderate interactions with the following drugs:
  • rimabotulinumtoxinB
• sodium picosulfate/magnesium oxide/anhydrous citric acid
• Lincomycin has minor interactions with no other drugs.

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this drug, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your physician if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Hypersensitivity to lincomycin or clindamycin

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Lincomycin?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Lincomycin?”

Cautions

• Not for gram-positive bacteria
• Discontinue if persistent diarrhea occurs
• History of GI disease (colitis), asthma or allergies
• Parenteral form contains benzyl alcohol; risk of benzyl alcohol toxicity depends on quantity administered and liver and kidneys’ capacity to detoxify the chemical; AAP states the small amounts doesn't proscribe it in neonates
• Severe hypersensitivity reactions, including anaphylactic reactions and severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCAR) such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), and erythema multiforme (EM) reported; if anaphylactic reaction or severe skin reaction occurs, discontinue drug and initiate appropriate therapy
• Certain infections may require incision and drainage or other indicated surgical procedures in addition to antibacterial therapy
• Drug should not be injected intravenously undiluted as a bolus, but should be infused over at least 60 minutes as directed
• Prescribing drug in absence of a proven or strongly suspected bacterial infection or a prophylactic indication is unlikely to provide benefit to patient and increases risk of development of drug-resistant bacteria
• Therapy may result in overgrowth of nonsusceptible organisms—particularly yeasts; should superinfections occur, appropriate measures should be taken as indicated by clinical situation; when patients with pre-existing monilial infections require therapy with lincomycin, concomitant antimonilial treatment should be given
• Serum half-life of lincomycin may be prolonged in patients with severe impairment of renal function compared to patients with normal renal function; in patients with abnormal hepatic function, serum half-life may be twofold longer than in patients with normal hepatic function

Pregnancy and Lactation

• There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women; sterile Solution contains benzyl alcohol as a preservative; benzyl alcohol can cross placenta; should be used during pregnancy only if clearly needed; experience with obstetrical patients receiving drug revealed no ill effects related to pregnancy
• Drug has been reported to appear in human milk in concentrations of 0.5 to 2.4 mcg/mL; because of potential for serious adverse reactions in nursing infants, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing, or to discontinue drug, taking into account importance of drug to mother