Sivextro
Sivextro (tedizolid) is an antibiotic used to treat skin infections, such as cellulitis. It's taken once daily for 6 days. Sivextro (tedizolid) is available only as a brand-name medication in tablet and intravenous (IV) forms. Some common effects of this medication include nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.
What is Sivextro (tedizolid)?
What is Sivextro (tedizolid) used for?
- Certain skin infections in adults and children ages 12 years and older
How Sivextro (tedizolid) works
Sivextro (tedizolid) is an oxazolidinone antibiotic. It works by stopping an enzyme (a protein) that's needed to make proteins in bacterial cells from working. This prevents bacteria from being able to grow and survive.
Drug facts
Side effects of Sivextro (tedizolid)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Nausea (7%)
- Headache (5%)
- Diarrhea (4%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Vomiting
- Dizziness
Sivextro (tedizolid) serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious allergic reaction: hives, rash, blisters, fever, swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing
- Infectious (C. difficile-related) diarrhea: rapid heart rate, foul-smelling diarrhea, fever, nausea, frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day)
The following Sivextro (tedizolid) side effects have also been reported
Side effects that you should report to your care team as soon as possible:
- Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Infection—fever, chills, cough, or sore throat
- Severe diarrhea, fever
- Unusual vaginal discharge, itching, or odor
Side effects that usually do not require medical attention (report to your care team if they continue or are bothersome):
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Pros and cons of Sivextro (tedizolid)
Pros
- Only needs to be taken once a day
- Total treatment lasts only 6 days
- Less likely to cause gut-related side effects than linezolid (Zyvox), a similar medication
Cons
- Only approved for skin infections
- Not for children under 12 years of age
- Safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding females isn't well-studied
Pharmacist tips for Sivextro (tedizolid)
- You can take Sivextro (tedizolid) with or without food. If it's upsetting your stomach, try taking it with food to help.
- If you develop watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, fatigue, or stomach cramps anytime during treatment or after stopping Sivextro (tedizolid), get medical help right away because these could be signs of a type of infectious diarrhea, which needs to be treated right away.
- If you experience diarrhea from taking Sivextro (tedizolid), let your provider know. If they think the diarrhea isn't too serious, they might recommend that you take a probiotic to help lessen this side effect. If so, make sure to separate the probiotic from Sivextro (tedizolid) by at least 2 hours to prevent Sivextro (tedizolid) from killing the "good" bacteria in the probiotic.
- Take Sivextro (tedizolid) exactly as prescribed. Make sure to finish your treatment course, even if you're feeling better. Stopping the medication earlier than prescribed can make your infection come back and become harder to treat.
- If you miss a dose of Sivextro (tedizolid), take it as soon as you remember if there's at least 8 hours until your next scheduled dose. If your next dose is due in less than 8 hours, just skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at your regularly scheduled time. Don't take two doses to make up for the missed dose.
Common questions about Sivextro (tedizolid)
No, but Sivextro (tedizolid) and linezolid (Zyvox) are similar to each other because they are both oxazolidinone antibiotics. Sivextro (tedizolid) is taken once daily for 6 days, whereas linezolid (Zyvox) is taken twice daily for 10 to 14 days for skin infections. They are both approved to treat skin infections, but linezolid (Zyvox) is also approved for other infections besides skin infections, such as certain types of lower respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia) and infections caused by certain resistant bacteria. Research showed both medications work just as well as each other to treat skin infections, but Sivextro (tedizolid) might cause less risks and side effects than linezolid (Zyvox).
In clinical studies looking at how well Sivextro (tedizolid) works, people taking Sivextro (tedizolid) noticed an improvement in their infections within 2 to 3 days. But it's important to always finish your entire treatment course, even if you feel better, to make sure to get rid of all of the bacteria that's causing the infection in your body.
Yes, you can safely take Sivextro (tedizolid) even if you're allergic to penicillin. Sivextro (tedizolid) is an oxazolidinone antibiotics while penicillin is a beta-lactam antibiotic. While both medications can be used to treat similar infections, they work differently in your body. If you're allergic to one, it doesn't mean you'll be allergic to the other.
Let your provider know if you're pregnant before you take Sivextro (tedizolid). It's not completely clear how safe Sivextro (tedizolid) is during pregnancy because it hasn't been well-studied. In animal studies, babies born to mothers exposed to Sivextro (tedizolid) were harmed. Because of this, your provider might only prescribe Sivextro (tedizolid) for you if this medication is clearly needed. They'll weigh the risks and benefits, and can help you find an alternative medication if necessary.
Let your provider know if you're breastfeeding before you take Sivextro (tedizolid). The safety of Sivextro (tedizolid) during breastfeeding isn't known because it hasn't been studied. This medication is expected to pass in small amounts into breastmilk to your baby if you take it while nursing. If your provider decides it's safe for you to take Sivextro (tedizolid) while nursing, monitor your child for side effects such as diarrhea or vomiting. Let your child's healthcare team know if they experience these side effects.
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Risks and warnings for Sivextro (tedizolid)
Sivextro (tedizolid) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Diarrhea from Clostridioides difficile infection
Sivextro (tedizolid) can raise your risk of getting infected with a bacteria called Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). This infection can cause severe diarrhea. In general, you have "good bacteria" in your gut that keeps the "bad bacteria," like C. diff, in check. But antibiotics, like Sivextro (tedizolid), can change the typical make-up of your gut bacteria. As a result, C. diff can overgrow in your gut and lead to an infection. Infectious diarrhea can cause rapid heart rate, foul-smelling diarrhea, fever, nausea, frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day) and is considered an emergency. If you have any of these symptoms, get medical attention immediately so you can get tested for C. diff infection and receive treatment.
Development of drug-resistant bacteria
Take Sivextro (tedizolid) exactly as prescribed. Taking Sivextro (tedizolid) for any shorter or longer periods of time or taking the antibiotic for other illnesses can raise your risk for developing infections caused by bacteria that's hard to treat with antibiotics. This raises your risk for severe and life-threatening infections that might be difficult to treat.
Sivextro (tedizolid) dosage
Typical dosage for Sivextro (tedizolid)
The typical dose is 200 mg by mouth or injected into the veins (IV) once daily for 6 days. If you're receiving Sivextro (tedizolid) IV, it'll be given to you by a healthcare provider, typically in a hospital or a clinic setting.
How much does Sivextro (tedizolid) cost?
$301.68
What are alternatives to Sivextro (tedizolid)?
Sivextro (tedizolid) images
