Cloxapen oral

Cloxacillin is used to treat a wide variety of bacterial infections. This medication is a type of penicillin antibiotic. It works by stopping the growth of bacteria.

This antibiotic treats only bacterial infections. It will not work for viral infections (e.g., common cold, flu). Unnecessary use or overuse of any antibiotic can lead to its decreased effectiveness.

How to use Cloxapen Capsule

Take this medication by mouth as directed by your doctor. This medication is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach (1 hour before or 2 hours after meals).

If you are using the liquid suspension form of this medicine, shake the bottle well before each dose.

The dosage is based on your medical condition and response to therapy. In children, the dosage is also based on weight and age.

For the best effect, take this antibiotic at evenly spaced times. To help you remember, take this medication at the same time(s) every day.

Continue to take this medication until the full prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping the medication too early may allow bacteria to continue to grow, which may result in a relapse of the infection.

Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, gas, and mouth sores may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, notify your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Although uncommon, you may develop a black, "hairy" tongue while taking this medication. This effect is harmless and usually goes away after treatment. Maintain good oral hygiene, and brush your tongue with a soft toothbrush twice a day. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: unusual tiredness, persistent sore throat, muscle aches, joint pain/swelling.

Tell your doctor right away if any of these rare but very serious side effects occur: easy bruising/bleeding, signs of kidney problems (such as change in the amount of urine, pink urine), dark urine, persistent nausea/vomiting, stomach/abdominal pain, yellowing eyes/skin.

This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea) due to a resistant bacteria. This condition may occur during treatment or weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea products or narcotic pain medications if you have the following symptoms because these products may make them worse. Tell your doctor right away if you develop: persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, blood/mucus in your stool.

Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new vaginal yeast infection (oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge or other new symptoms.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of a serious allergic reaction may include: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), new fever, chills, severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US -

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking cloxacillin, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to other antibiotics including penicillin-type medications (e.g., amoxicillin, ampicillin, penicillin) or cephalosporins (e.g., cephalexin, cefuroxime); or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney problems.

Cloxacillin may cause live bacterial vaccines (such as typhoid vaccine) to not work as well. Do not have any immunizations/vaccinations while using this medication unless your doctor tells you to.

Kidney function declines as you grow older. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, elderly people may be more sensitive to this drug.

Kidney function is not fully developed in newborns. This medication is removed by the kidneys. Therefore, newborns may be more sensitive to this drug.

This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor.

This drug passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Your healthcare professionals (e.g., doctor or pharmacist) may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for it. Do not start, stop or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with them first.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all prescription and nonprescription/herbal products you may use, especially of: fusidic acid, methotrexate, tetracyclines, warfarin, khat, guar gum.

Although most antibiotics are unlikely to affect hormonal birth control such as pills, patch, or ring, a few antibiotics (such as rifampin, rifabutin) can decrease their effectiveness. This could result in pregnancy. If you use hormonal birth control, ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

Cloxacillin may cause false positive results with certain diabetic urine testing products (cupric sulfate-type). This drug may also affect the results of certain lab tests. Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this drug.

This document does not contain all possible interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you, and share the list with your doctor and pharmacist.

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: severe vomiting, persistent diarrhea.

Notes

Do not share this medication with others.

This medication has been prescribed for your current condition only. Do not use it later for another infection unless told to do so by your doctor. A different medication may be necessary in those cases.

With prolonged treatment, laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g., kidney and liver function, complete blood counts) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.

Missed Dose

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip themissed dose and resume your usual dosing schedule. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Storage

Store the capsules at room temperature between 59-86 degrees F (15-30 degrees C) away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Refrigerate the liquid suspension between 36-46 degrees F (2-8 degrees C). Throw away any unused portion of the suspension after 14 days because the drug loses potency after that time. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company for more details about how to safely discard your product.Information last revised December 2016. Copyright(c) 2016 First Databank, Inc.