Linezolid (Systemic)

Brand Names : Zyvox

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For linezolid, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to linezolid. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Linezolid has not been studied in pregnant women. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant of if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - It is not known whether linezolid passes into breast milk. Although most medicines pass into breast milk in small amounts, many of them may be used safely while breast-feeding. Mothers who are taking this medicine and who wish to breast-feed should discuss this with their doctor.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of linezolid in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - This medicine has been tested and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking linezolid, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Citalopram (e.g., Celexa) or
• Clomipramine (e.g., Anafranil) or
• Fluvoxamine (e.g., Luvox) or
• Moclobemide (e.g., Manerix) or
• Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (furazolidone [e.g., Furoxone], phenylzine [e.g., Nardil], procarbazine [e.g., Matulane], selegiline [e.g., Eldepryl], tranylcypromine [e.g., Parnate]) or
• Nefazodone (e.g., Serzone) or
• Paroxetine (e.g., Paxil) or
• Sertraline (e.g., Zoloft) or
• Sibutramine (e.g., Meridia) or
• Tryptophan (e.g., Alti-Tryptophan) or
• Venlafaxine (e.g., Effexor) - Using these medicines with linezolid may increase the chance of developing a rare, but very serious, unwanted effect known as the serotonin syndrome

• Pseudoephedrine (e.g., Rondex[reg ], Sudafed[reg ]) - Using pseudoephedrine with linezolid may cause an increase in your blood pressure

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of linezolid. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Phenylketonuria - The oral suspension contains phenylalanine, which may cause side effects; however, the other dosage forms do not contain phenylalanine