Side Effects Of Chloramphenicol

Like all medicines, chloramphenicol can cause side effects, although not everyone gets them.

Side effects of chloramphenicol

There are things you can do to help cope with these side effects of chloramphenicol.

Serious side effects

Serious side effects of chloramphenicol are rare.

Call a doctor or call 111 now if you:

• bruise more easily than usual
• get infections more easily than usual
• feel especially tired or weak

These can be signs of aplastic anaemia, a rare condition where your bone marrow fails to produce blood cells normally.

This is very unlikely to happen if you're using chloramphenicol eye drops, ointment or ear drops. There's a greater risk of aplastic anaemia when chloramphenicol is given as an injection.

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, it's possible to have a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) to chloramphenicol.

Call 999 now if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects chloramphenicol. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.

Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.

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