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Cephalexin

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Why is this medication prescribed?

Cephalexin is used to treat bacterial infections in the bone, skin, ears, genital system, and urinary tract in addition to pneumonia and other respiratory tract infections. Cephalexin belongs to the group of drugs known as cephalosporin antibiotics. It eliminates bacteria to operate.

Colds, the flu, or any other viral infections will not be treated by antibiotics like cephalexin. Antibiotic overuse raises the likelihood that you’ll get an infection later on that is resistant to antibiotic therapy.

How should this medicine be used?

Cephalexin is available as a liquid, tablet, and capsule for oral consumption. Depending on the ailment being treated, it is often taken with or without food every 6 or 12 hours for 7 to 14 days. Cephalexin should be taken every day at roughly the same time. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Follow the prescription for cephalexin exactly. Never take it in larger or less amounts or more frequently than directed by your doctor.

Before each usage, give the beverage a good shake to evenly distribute the medication.

During the initial days of cephalexin therapy, you should start to feel better. Call your doctor if your symptoms don’t go away or get worse.

Even if you feel better, keep taking cephalexin until the prescription is finished. Your infection could not be entirely healed if you stop taking cephalexin too soon or skip doses, and the bacteria might develop an antibiotic resistance.

Other uses for this medicine

In order to prevent heart valve infections in certain penicillin allergic patients who have a heart disease and are undergoing dental or upper respiratory tract (nose, mouth, throat, voice box) procedures, cephalexin is occasionally prescribed to them.

Inquire with your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you believe this drug may be prescribed for other purposes.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before taking cephalexin,

  • If you have any of the following allergies: cephalexin; other cephalosporin antibiotics such cefaclor; cefadroxil; cefazolin (Ancef, Kefzol); cefdinir; cefditoren; cefixime; cefixime; cefixime; cefixime; cefixime; cefotaxime; cefotetan; cefoxitin; cefpodoxime; cefprozil (Teflaro), penicillin antibiotics, any other drugs, or the antibiotics ceftazidime (Fortaz, Tazicef, in Avycaz), ceftibuten (Cedax), ceftriaxone (Rocephin), and cefuroxime (Zinacef). If you are allergic to any of the components in cephalexin capsules, tablets, or suspension, let your doctor know right once. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist.
  • Inform your doctor and pharmacist about all prescription and over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, dietary supplements, and herbal products that you are now taking or intend to use. Anticoagulants (also known as “blood thinners”) including warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven), metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet, in Glucovance, Invokamet, among others), and probenecid should all be mentioned (Probalan). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects.
  • If you have or have had had any allergies, gastrointestinal disorders (GI; affecting the stomach or intestines), particularly colitis (condition that causes swelling in the lining of the colon [large intestine]), kidney, or liver diseases, let your doctor know.
  • Inform your doctor if you are expecting, intend to get pregnant, or are nursing a baby. Call your doctor if you become pregnant while taking cephalexin.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

Keep eating normally unless your doctor instructs you otherwise.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss a dosage, take it as soon as you recall. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Side effects from cephalexin are possible. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, consult your doctor:

  • Nausea
  • Diarrhea
  • Vomiting
  • Heartburn
  • Stomach pain
  • Rectal or genital itching
  • Dizziness
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Agitation
  • Confusion
  • Headache
  • Joint pain

Some side effects can be serious. If you experience any of the following symptoms, call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

  • During treatment or for up to two or more months after stopping treatment, you may experience fever, stomach pain, or bloody or watery stools
  • Rash
  • Itching
  • Hives
  • Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, and eyes
  • Difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • Wheezing
  • A return of fever, sore throat, chills, or other signs of infection
  • Hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist)

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. The capsules and tablets should be kept at room temperature, away from sources of extreme heat and moisture (not in the bathroom). Keep liquid medications tightly wrapped in the fridge, and after 14 days, throw away any that aren’t needed.

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

It is important to keep all drugs out of sight and out of reach of children, even if many containers (such as those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers, as well as those for weekly pill minders), are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open. To prevent poisoning, always secure safety caps and immediately store medications up and out of reach of young children. http://www.upandaway.org

In case of emergency/overdose

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose symptoms could include:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Red, dark brown, or pink urine
  • Abdominal pain

What other information should I know?

Keep all of your appointments with your physician and the lab. To determine how you are responding to cephalexin, your doctor may request specific lab tests.

Inform the lab staff and your doctor that you are taking cephalexin prior to any laboratory test.

Use Clinistix or TesTape (not Clinitest) to test your urine for sugar if you have diabetes and are taking this medicine.

No one else should take your medication. It’s likely that your prescription cannot be renewed.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.

Brand names

  • Keflet® Tablets
  • Keflex®
  • Keftab® Tablets
  • Panixine® Disperdose
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