Chloramphenicol Treatment

Chloramphenicol is a prescription medication commonly used to treat more serious bacterial infections. When you suffer from a bacterial infection, medical professionals start off treating the illness with standard antibiotics, like penicillin, amoxicillin, cephalosporin or tetracycline, to kill the bacteria. If medications do not improve your condition or are not an option for treatment, a doctor may turn to chloramphenicol, which kills the bacteria by impeding growth. However, the side effects can, at times, be significant in nature, so other options are frequently exhausted before using chloramphenicol.

Usage

• While chloramphenicol is not always the first line of defense with bacterial infections, it has shown positive results in treating various strains of bacterial meningitis, especially when a person has an allergy to penicillin or cephalosporin, as well as other infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Enterococcus faecium. In these situations, take the recommended dosage prescribed by your doctor, usually dictated solely by your weight (around 2.9 mg/lb). For best results, take on any empty stomach with a glass of water. Continue to take the medication until the prescription runs out, even if you are feeling better. By stopping your prescription before the recommended time, you are putting yourself in danger of recurrence with the bacterial infection.

Serious Side Effects

• One main problem with this particular medication, and the reason it is not often used, is it can cause aplastic anemia, a condition where the body actually ceases creating enough new blood cells to function properly, as well as increase the potential of developing leukemia. Both conditions can occur from either prolonged or short-term use of the drug, so it is usually avoided unless necessary. This does not mean that taking chloramphenicol guarantees the development of either condition; it just places you at a greater risk.

Other Side Effects

• Besides the serious side effects of aplastic anemia and leukemia, people are also prone to suffer milder side effects of the medication. Though rare, chloramphenicol can cause you to experience uneven breathing, abdominal distention, skin discoloration, drowsiness, weakness and unresponsiveness. It may also cause you to suffer from sore throats, fevers and unexplained bruising or bleeding. For others, chloramphenicol can cause headaches, blurred vision, rash, confusion and numbness or tingling with in the hands.