Generic Ceftin

Ceftin can be generically prescribed as cefuroxime and is commonly used to treat life threatening or severe bacterial infections, or bacterial infections which have not responded to other antibiotics. Ceftin does not work on fungal or viral infections. Ceftin may cause diarrhea that is watery and even bloody. This may mean the patient has another infection. Patients should be advised to avoid medications that will cause the diarrhea to stop without express permission from a physician.

Ceftin is a cephalosporin antibiotic which is not appropriate for everyone. To prevent potential serious health complications, a thorough medical history should be assessed before prescribing this medication. Patients with a medical history that includes diabetes, congestive heart failure, malnutrition, stomach disorders, liver disease, or kidney disease may have complications from taking Ceftin, and whether or not they can tolerate the medication depends on the condition and the severity of the condition.

Patients who are taking cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefdinir, cefditoren, cefixime, cefprozil, ceftazidime, cefalexin, or any other cephalosporin antibiotic should not take Ceftin as this would result in an overdose. An overdose requires significant and urgent medical attention and presents with symptoms which include seizures, black outs, or convulsions. Taking two types of cephalosporin antibiotics is not the only risk of overdosing. Taking a double dose of Ceftin to make up for a missed dose or taking doses too closely together can also result in an overdose. Patients who miss a dose can take the dose when remembered, unless it is too close to the next scheduled dose.

According to the American Food and Drug Administration, Ceftin should not harm an unborn fetus. However, Ceftin does make birth control pills less effective and it is recommended that patients who do not wish to get pregnant use a secondary non-hormonal form of birth control while taking Ceftin. The FDA rated Ceftin as a pregnancy risk category B. Ceftin is likely to pass through the mother’s breast milk and cause harm to a nursing baby. Prescribing Ceftin to nursing women should be avoided.

Side effects are common with antibiotics, and can be severe. Ceftin, in particular, is often associated with jaundice, seizures, black outs, bloody or watery stools, and fever with a sore throat, red, blistering skin rash which would require urgent medical attention. Also requiring urgent medical attention would be an allergic reaction which typically presents with swelling of the throat, lips, mouth, or tongue, hives, and difficulty breathing.

Most patients who take Ceftin experience mild side effects which require no medical attention beyond reporting them to the prescribing physician. Side effects such as vaginal itching and discharge, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, dizziness, headaches, insomnia or other sleep issues, and fussiness and crying in young children are fairly common and can be reduced sometimes simply by reducing the dosage of Ceftin.

Ceftin may interact poorly with other medications and a thorough medical history should be adequately analyzed before prescribing this medication. Patients should ask for a consult with a pharmacist or physician before taking any new medications, including over the counter medications or herbal supplements. Interactive medications that are currently known of include diuretics, which are water pills, and probenecid.

Patients should take the entire prescription of Ceftin until it is gone. Stopping an antibiotic too early can result in re-infection with a more aggressive and stubborn infection the second time around. It is not wise to end the prescription early and save the antibiotics for a later use.