Vancomycin oral capsule side effects: A detailed guide

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved vancomycin oral capsule to treat:

• diarrhea associated with Clostridioides difficile bacteria
• inflammation in the intestines caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria

This article describes possible side effects of vancomycin oral capsule. You can explore this overview article to learn more about vancomycin, including the drug’s uses, ways to save on cost, and more.

Vancomycin oral capsule is a generic version of the brand-name drug Vancocin. Vancomycin also comes in an injectable form and a solution that you swallow, but those forms aren’t described in this article. To learn more about those forms, talk with your doctor.

More common side effects of vancomycin

Vancomycin oral capsule may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.

Commonly reported side effects of vancomycin oral capsule include:

• abdominal pain
• diarrhea
• fever
• nausea*
• low blood level of potassium*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of vancomycin in detail” section below.

Mild side effects of vancomycin

Vancomycin may cause certain mild side effects. Most often, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.

Mild side effects of vancomycin oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

• abdominal pain
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• flatulence
• fever
• urinary tract infection (UTI)
• headache
• back pain
• swelling of your arms, hands, legs, or feet
• fatigue (low energy)
• nausea*
• mild allergic reaction*†

Vancomycin oral capsule may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of vancomycin in detail” section below.
† An allergic reaction is possible with vancomycin oral capsule. But it wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.

Serious side effects of vancomycin

Vancomycin may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from vancomycin oral capsule, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with vancomycin.

Serious side effects of vancomycin oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

• kidney problems, including kidney failure
• inner ear damage, which may cause problems with balance or hearing
• low blood potassium level*
• severe skin reactions*
• severe allergic reaction*

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of vancomycin in detail” section below.

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Common questions about side effects of vancomycin

Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of vancomycin oral capsule. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is vancomycin safe for older adults?

In general, vancomycin is considered safe for older adults (ages 65 years and older).

But keep in mind that older adults may have a higher risk of certain side effects with vancomycin. Examples include:

• vomiting
• urinary tract infection (UTI)
• swelling of your arms, hands, legs, or feet
• low blood potassium level*

Older adults may also have a higher risk of kidney damage with vancomycin. This side effect may occur while taking vancomycin or within one week after stopping the drug. Due to this risk, your doctor may order kidney function tests during and after your treatment with vancomycin.

If the tests show kidney damage, they will likely have you stop taking the drug and suggest alternative treatment for your infection. They’ll also advise whether treatments are needed for kidney damage.

If you have questions about the safety of vancomycin for older adults, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of vancomycin in detail” section below.

Does vancomycin cause long-term side effects?

Possibly, although this is rare.

In studies, specific side effects weren’t seen in people who had taken the drug for a long time. Keep in mind that doctors typically prescribe vancomycin as a short-term treatment.

Long lasting side effects aren’t common with vancomycin oral capsule. But kidney damage and inner ear damage that can occur during or after vancomycin treatment may lead to long lasting side effects.

Your doctor can tell you more about possible kidney damage and inner ear damage with vancomycin and how long these complications may last.

Talk with your doctor if you have more questions about possible long-term side effects with vancomycin.

Side effects of vancomycin in detail

Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of vancomycin oral capsule.

Nausea

Nausea was the most common side effect in studies of people taking vancomycin oral capsule. This side effect is usually mild.

With nausea, you may have an uneasy feeling in your stomach or an urge to vomit.

Ways to manage

If you have bothersome nausea, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend ways to ease your symptoms. For example, taking vancomycin with food can help relieve nausea.

Low blood potassium level

In studies, a low blood potassium level was common in people taking vancomycin oral capsule. This side effect is usually mild.

With a low blood potassium level, you may not have symptoms unless your potassium is severely low. Symptoms of severely low potassium may include:

• fatigue (low energy)
• muscle cramps
• constipation
• palpitations (a feeling of skipped or extra heartbeats)

Being ages 65 years or older can increase the risk of a low blood potassium level with vancomycin oral capsule.

Ways to manage

Before taking vancomycin oral capsule, talk with your doctor about your risk of low potassium. If your risk is high or you have symptoms of severely low potassium, they may give you a potassium blood test.

If the test shows low potassium, your doctor may stop the drug and suggest an alternative treatment for the infection. They may also give you treatments to raise your potassium level.

Severe skin reactions

Severe skin reactions weren’t reported in studies of people taking vancomycin oral capsule. But these reactions have been reported since the drug became available. Severe skin reactions are rare but can be life threatening.

Examples of severe skin reactions include:

• Stevens-Johnson syndrome 
• toxic epidermal necrolysis
• drug rash with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms

With severe skin reactions, symptoms may include blisters, rash, sores, or discoloration.

Ways to manage

If you have symptoms of a severe skin reaction, tell your doctor right away. If your symptoms seem severe or life threatening, call 911 or a local emergency number. They’ll likely recommend you stop vancomycin and seek medical treatment.

Allergic reaction

For some people, vancomycin oral capsule can cause an allergic reaction.

This side effect wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies. But allergic reaction has been reported since vancomycin oral capsule became available.

Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:

• itchiness
• skin rash
• swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

Ways to manage

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to vancomycin oral capsule, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Warnings for vancomycin

Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking vancomycin oral capsule.

Warnings

It may not be safe for you to take vancomycin oral capsule if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether vancomycin oral capsule is a safe treatment option for you.

Before taking vancomycin oral capsule, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:

• being ages 65 years or older
• colitis
• kidney problems
• hearing loss or other hearing condition
• taking other medications that increase the risk of inner ear damage, including certain antibiotics such as streptomycin
• past allergic reaction to vancomycin

Vancomycin and pregnancy

It’s not known whether vancomycin oral capsule should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Vancomycin and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether vancomycin oral capsule should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.

Vancomycin and alcohol

Vancomycin oral capsule is not known to interact with alcohol.

But drinking alcohol could worsen certain side effects of vancomycin. Examples include fatigue (low energy), headache, and nausea.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with vancomycin oral capsule.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes common and serious side effects of vancomycin oral capsule. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Do I take any medications that increase my risk of side effects from vancomycin oral capsule?
• Does my health history increase my risk of side effects from vancomycin oral capsule?
• How do the side effects of vancomycin oral capsule compare with those of other antibiotics that could treat my infection?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.