Klaricid (clarithromycin)suspension - taste and grit

[javo]

My Ds has been prescribed this for chest cold that isn't shifting - has had amoxicyllin before with no probs. My DS dad took him to GP and got Klaricid (Clarithromycin) - DS has had two doses - it tastes foul and is also a little gritty - thought the granules had not dissolved - so shook and shook but second dose this evening still gritty.

Is this normal? - have no experience of this antibiotic (as I am allergic to all - mycin ending drugs) and have searched google but no comments on gritty texture, just lots of scary forums with people with awful side effects! the pharmacist doesn't open umtil 10 am tomorrow so any thoughts gratefully received.

Yes my dd is allergic to penicillin so has had this quite a few times. Tbh I have always found it gritty

Turkleton -Thanks so much for your reply - vert reassuring. The pharmacist took so long to make the suspension up and asked so many questions that I was a bit worried (and panicky after lack of sleep) that it had been made up with too little water.
My 5 brothers are all allergic to penicillin and I am to all erythromicin type antibiotics. We always tell doctors and dentists and its written on the front of our files but it is shocking how often they still try and prescribe it for us!

It's a bugger to make and it's always gritty not the nicest medicine in the world but it works well xxx

Yep always gritty smells nice and tastes foul !!! Spend half my life mixing at work and feeling sorry for the kids that have to swallow it xx

Yep, gritty is normal. DC always has it for chest infection as GP said they don't really know why but it seems to have a secondary anti inflammatory effect which helps with the asthma which the infection is usually a complication of. Not sure how old your DC is, mine was under 1 when I had first lot and i found doing it on a spoon as quickly as possible was best rather than the syringe thing I used for calpol etc. Hope he gets better soon.

My daughter is on this antibiotic just now for a chest infection, and it is gritty and horrible. She's on 7.5ml doses, so doesn't want it on a spoon as that means taking one spoonful then waiting for me to pour another, so she has it in a syringe, with a sweet ready in her hand to take the taste away!

Very true Javo :O A few times now dd has nearly been prescribed penicillin despite me pointing out she is allergic . Hope your guy feels better soon

xxx

Agree about the grittiness and bad taste BUT it is a wonderful medicine. Far more powerful than amoxycillin or co-amoxiclav and you only have to give it twice a day compared with erythromycin which you have to give four times a day. It also has far fewer side effects and is generally much better tolerated than erythromycin.

Thanks everyone

Hello everyone. Im so thankful that I found this site. I'm giving clarithromycin suspension to my 3months old son as per advised by his pedia and the suspension won't mixed well! There are some tiny granules left after mixing the suspension and Im worried if that's normal or not. thanks for the info!

I know this is a really old post.... But.... I just wanted to say thank you for posting. I have been googling clarithromycin with not much results. I to was concerned about the powdery texture and terrible taste, (it should come with a warning) but after reading this post I can relax. Thank you 😊💐

Bringing this old thread back to life! Currently trying to get a sensory sensitive 5 year old with food phobias to take this! How have they not addressed the flavour yet. I’ve wasted half of it today trying to hide it in drinks and yogurt that he won’t vomit back. time

Ahh so glad I've found this also trying to get my autistic son to take this I wondered why it was so gritty and was going to take it back! He is hating the grit and every little bit he is spitting it out

Thanks for this post I was searching the internet for a reason my son’s medicine was so grainy. I had a hard time finding a pharmacy that had it in stock. I thought for sure it was old and bad. We will see how he does this morning on his second dose.