Vancomycin (Vancocin) Side Effects

Possible side effects of vancomycin are listed below. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects if they are severe or do not go away in a few days.

• Gas
• Abdominal pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Back pain
• Headache 
• Pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site
• Fever, chills

In a small number of people, vancomycin can cause more serious side effects. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you develop:

• Skin rash, hives, itching
• Blistering or peeling skin
• Fever, chills, sore throat, or other signs of infection
• Blisters or mucosal lesions on the lips, tongue, or mouth
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty breathing or swallowing
• Red rash above the waist
• Muscle tightness or muscle pain in the back or chest
• Unusual tiredness or weakness
• Decreased urination
• Peripheral edema (swelling in the face, arms, hands, lower legs, ankles, or feet)
• Ringing in the ears
• Hearing loss
• Dizziness or vertigo
• Severe diarrhea with watery stools, with or without stomach cramps (up to 2 months after treatment)

The above list may not include all the potential side effects of vancomycin. Contact your healthcare provider if your side effects are unusual or severe or they do not get better over time. You can also report unusual side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Vancomycin (Vancocin) Overdose: In case of an overdose of vancomycin, call your doctor immediately. You can also call your local poison control center or the national poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 or emergency services if a person has collapsed, stopped responding, stopped breathing, or had a seizure.

Source: FDA