Cipro (Ciprofloxacin)
Drug Uses
Cipro is treating bacterial infections. It may also be used to prevent or slow anthrax after exposure.
How to take
Use Cipro as prescribed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.
Swallow Cipro with or without food. The preferred dosing time is 2 hours after a meal.
Take Cipro with a full glass of water (8 oz/240 mL). Drink several glasses of water a day, unless different settled by your doctor.
Do not take them within 6 hours before or 2 hours after taking Cipro if you also take any products containing magnesium, aluminum, calcium, iron, or zinc (eg, vitamins/minerals, antacids, quinapril); didanosine; sucralfate; or bismuth subsalicylate, . Check with your doctor if you have questions.
If you also take sevelamer, do not take it within 4 hours before or after taking Cipro . Check with your doctor if you have questions. Cipro works best if it is taken the same.
Take Cipro for the full course of treatment to clear up your infection completely. Even if you feel better in a few days continue taking it.
Taking Cipro as part of a full meal that contains milk or milk products is permitted. But avoid using Cipro with milk or milk products (such as yogurt or calcium-enriched juice) by themselves.
Drug Class and Mechanism
Cipro is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to assassinate sensitive bacteria. It acts by stopping the making of necessary proteins needed by the bacteria to survive.
Missed Dose
Take as soon as possible the missed dose of Cipro.But if it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and return to your habitual dosing schedule. Do not take double doses at once.
Storage
Keep Ciprofloxacin at temperature below 86 degrees F.
Warnings/Precautions
Do not use Cipro if:
- you are allergic to any ingredient in Cipro or to any other fluoroquinolone (eg, levofloxacin)
- you have recently received a live, oral typhoid vaccination or you are taking cisapride or tizanidine
Ask your doctor right away if any of these apply to you.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any medical conditions, especially if any of the following apply to you:
- if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding
- if you are taking any prescription or nonprescription medicine, herbal preparation, or dietary supplement
- if you have allergies to medicines, foods, or other substances
- if you have heart problems or a history of irregular heartbeat, low blood potassium levels, Alzheimer disease, a brain or nervous system disorder, a problem with the blood vessels in your brain, diarrhea, a stomach infection, liver problems, kidney problems, increased pressure in your brain, seizures, inflammation of your tendons, joint problems, or skin sensitivity to the sun
Ask your health care provider if you are taking any other medicines, especially any of the following:
- Cisapride or class 1A or class III antiarrhythmics (eg, quinidine, procainamide, amiodarone, sotalol) because the risk of serious side effects, including irregular heartbeat, may be increased
- Corticosteroids (eg, prednisone) because they may increase the risk of tendon problems
- Arsenic, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (eg, ibuprofen), or probenecid because side effects, such as seizures, may occur
- Anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), arsenic, cyclosporine, methadone, methotrexate, sulfonylureas (eg, glyburide), theophyllines, tizanidine, or xanthines (eg, theophylline) because the actions and side effects of these medicines may be increased
- Hydantoins (eg, phenytoin) or live, oral typhoid vaccine because their effectiveness may be decreased by Cipro
State with your doctor if any of these most general side effects persist or become bothersome:
- Anxiety; diarrhea; dizziness; headache; loss of appetite; nausea; nightmares; restlessness; stomach upset; vision changes; vomiting.
Seek medical warning right away if any of these severe side effects occur:
- Severe allergic reactions (rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); agitation; bizarre behavior; bloody stools; chest pain; convulsions; dark urine (or unusual change in amount of urine); depression; dizziness; easy bruising or bleeding; fever, chills, or unusual cough; hallucinations; increased pressure within the head; inflammation, pain, or rupture of a tendon; irregular heartbeat; joint pain or swelling; loss of appetite; loss of consciousness; mental changes; moderate to severe sunburn; muscle pain; nervousness; oral thrush; pain; pale stools; persistent sore throat; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; seizures; severe or continuing diarrhea; sleeplessness; stomach cramps/pain; suicidal thoughts; tingling or weakness of arms and legs; tremors; unusual fatigue; vaginal yeast infection; yellowing of the skin or eyes.
More InformationTalk to your doctor if you have any questions about Cipro. Do not share it with other people for whom it is not prescribed . Check with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve or if they become worse.
