What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication? Brand names. Shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Other uses for this medicine. What special precautions should I follow? Before taking cephalexin, tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cephalexin; other cephalosporin antibiotic such as cefaclor, cefadroxil cefazolin Ancef, Kefzol , cefdinir, cefditoren Spectracef , cefepime Maxipime , cefixime Suprax , cefotaxime Claforan , cefotetan, cefoxitin Mefoxin , cefpodoxime, cefprozil, ceftaroline Teflaro , ceftazidime Fortaz, Tazicef, in Avycaz , ceftibuten Cedax , ceftriaxone Rocephin , and cefuroxime Zinacef ; penicillin antibiotics; or any other medications.
Also tell your doctor if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in cephalexin capsules, tablets, or suspension. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
Be sure to mention any of the following: anticoagulants 'blood thinners' such as warfarin Coumadin, Jantoven ; metformin Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet, in Glucovance, Invokamet, others ; and probenecid Probalan.
Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects. If you become pregnant while taking cephalexin, call your doctor. Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, continue your normal diet. Cephalexin may cause side effects.
Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away: nausea diarrhea vomiting heartburn stomach pain rectal or genital itching dizziness extreme tiredness agitation confusion headache joint pain Some side effects can be serious.
Symptoms of overdose may include: nausea vomiting diarrhea pink, red, or dark brown urine stomach pain. What other information should I know? However, because drugs affect each person differently, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible side effects.
This information is not a substitute for medical advice. Always discuss possible side effects with a healthcare professional who knows your medical history. Cephalexin oral capsule can interact with other medications, vitamins , or herbs you may be taking. An interaction is when a substance changes the way a drug works. This can be harmful or prevent the drug from working well. To help avoid interactions, your doctor should manage all of your medications carefully.
Side effects from cephalexin: Taking cephalexin with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from cephalexin. This is because the amount of cephalexin in your body is increased.
An example of these drugs is probenecid. Side effects from other drugs: Taking cephalexin with certain medications raises your risk of side effects from these drugs. An example of these drugs is metformin. Taking metformin and cephalexin together may cause kidney problems.
Your doctor may adjust your dose of metformin to reduce this risk. However, because drugs interact differently in each person, we cannot guarantee that this information includes all possible interactions. Always speak with your healthcare professional about possible interactions with all prescription drugs, vitamins, herbs and supplements, and over-the-counter drugs that you are taking. If you have an allergic reaction, call your doctor or local poison control center right away.
If your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room. Taking it again could be fatal cause death. For people with kidney problems: If you have kidney problems or a history of kidney disease, you may not be able to clear this drug from your body.
This may increase the levels of this drug in your body and cause more side effects. Your doctor may adjust your dose if you have kidney disease. Talk with your doctor about whether this drug is safe for you. For pregnant women: Cephalexin is a pregnancy category B drug.
That means two things:. Cephalexin should be given to a pregnant woman only if clearly needed. For women who are breastfeeding: Cephalexin passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in a child who is breastfed.
If you need to take antibiotics like cefalexin often, they can become less effective as the bacteria gets used to the medicine. This is called antibiotic resistance. If your symptoms start to get worse again, tell your doctor or a pharmacist.
If your symptoms do not improve at all after a few days, or they start to get worse again, tell your doctor or a pharmacist. Do not stop taking your medicine early, even if you feel better, as this makes it more likely that the infection will come back and the bacteria will be resistant to cefalexin.
Carry on taking cefalexin until you've completed the course, even if you feel better. Do not stop taking it early, as there's a risk the infection could come back.
It also gives any remaining bacteria a chance to change or adapt, which means the antibiotic could stop working. This is known as antibiotic resistance. Cefalexin belongs to a group of antibiotics called cephalosporins. This group also includes other antibiotics such as cefradine, cefuroxime and ceftazidime. Different antibiotics are used to treat different infections.
Your doctor will choose the antibiotic based on which bacteria they think is causing your infection. Cefalexin can only be given as capsules, tablets or a liquid, but some other antibiotics can be given as injections. Cefalexin does not affect contraceptive pills working, including the combined pill and emergency contraception.
However, if cefalexin makes you vomit or have severe diarrhoea for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do. Read more about what to do if you're on the pill and you're being sick or have diarrhoea.
There is no firm evidence to suggest cefalexin will affect fertility in men or women. However, speak to a pharmacist or your doctor before taking it if you're trying to get pregnant.
Page last reviewed: 20 March Next review due: 20 March Cefalexin - Brand name: Keflex On this page About cefalexin Key facts Who can and cannot take cefalexin How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About cefalexin Cefalexin is an antibiotic. Help us improve our website Can you answer a quick question about your visit today? You'll usually start to feel better in a few days, depending on the type of infection you have. The most common side effects of cefalexin are feeling sick nausea and diarrhoea. You can drink alcohol while taking cefalexin. It's important to keep taking cefalexin until you've completed the course, even if you feel better. Cefalexin can be taken by most adults and children.
Dosage The dose of cefalexin can vary but for most infections you will take mg, two or three times a day. Patients with decreased or impaired renal function must have their doses adjusted accordingly. Cephalexin is considered pregnancy category B, meaning that animal studies have not shown any teratogenic effects.
It is considered generally safe in pregnancy. Cephalexin crosses into breast milk but is generally considered safe while breastfeeding.
Amoxicillin is also considered pregnancy category B. Amoxicillin crosses into breast milk but is also considered safe while breastfeeding. Cephalexin is a first-generation, cephalosporin antibiotic. It belongs to a bigger classification of antibiotics known as beta-lactam antibiotics.
It is generally effective against bacteria involved in upper and lower respiratory tract infections, otitis media, mastitis, and skin, bone, and joint infections. Amoxicillin is a penicillin derivative antibiotic. It is generally effective against bacteria involved in upper and lower respiratory tract infections, otitis, media, and skin infections. While cephalexin and amoxicillin are each beta-lactam antibiotics, they are not the same.
Cephalexin is a cephalosporin antibiotic, and amoxicillin is a penicillin derivative. While they cover some of the same bacterial organisms, they each cover unique organisms. There are many factors to choosing the most effective antibiotic for any infection. While one study showed that amoxicillin may be associated with more relapses of strep pharyngitis versus cephalexin, it remains in the treatment guidelines as the first-line treatment.
Cephalexin and amoxicillin are considered safe during pregnancy. There is no known harm to the fetus despite the fact that both drugs cross the placenta. While there is no contraindication to taking these antibiotics while consuming alcohol, patients should be aware that alcohol consumption may increase the risk of gastrointestinal side effects. When dosed appropriately, both antibiotics are effective against their covered organisms.
The organism coverage of cephalexin makes it effective in some conditions that amoxicillin is not, including mastitis and bone and joint infections. Antibiotics begin working against the organism as soon as you begin therapy. It may take several days before a patient begins to experience symptomatic relief depending on the type of infection. Other antibiotics, like cephalosporin, may be used when there is an allergy or if resistance is suspected.
Skip to main content Search for a topic or drug. Cephalexin vs. Amoxicillin: Differences, similarities, and which is better for you. By Kristi C.
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