Ciprofloxacin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used to treat a number of bacterial infections. This includes bone and joint infections, intra-abdominal infections, certain types of infectious diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, skin infections, typhoid fever, and urinary tract infections, among others.
Dosage
Ciprofloxacin is usually taken twice a day by mouth with or without food. When used to treat gonorrhea, the tablets may be given as a single dose.
Your doctor will tell you how long to take ciprofloxacin.
Do not take ciprofloxacin with dairy products or calcium-fortified juices alone. However, you may take ciprofloxacin with a meal that includes these foods or drinks.
Do not drink or eat a lot of caffeine-containing products such as coffee, tea, energy drinks, cola, or chocolate. Ciprofloxacin may increase nervousness, sleeplessness, heart pounding, and anxiety caused by caffeine.
Make sure you drink plenty of water or other fluids every day while you are taking ciprofloxacin.
Swallow the tablets whole; do not crush, or chew them. Your doctor may tell you to split the 250-mg or 500-mg tablet, it may be broken in half along the scored line.
Before taking ciprofloxacin
Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to ciprofloxacin or any other quinolone or fluoroquinolone antibiotic any other medications.
Tell your doctor if you are taking tizanidine.
Tell your doctor if you are taking antacids containing calcium, aluminum hydroxide or magnesium hydroxide, take ciprofloxacin at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after you take these medications.
Tell your doctor if you have a low level of potassium or magnesium in your blood. Also tell your doctor if you have or have ever had diabetes or problems with low blood sugar or liver disease.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. If you become pregnant while taking ciprofloxacin, call your doctor.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding. You should not breastfeed while you are taking ciprofloxacin and for at least 2 days after your final dose.
Plan to avoid unnecessary or prolonged exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet light (tanning beds and sunlamps) and to wear protective clothing, sunglasses, and sunscreen. Ciprofloxacin may make your skin sensitive to sunlight or ultraviolet light. If your skin becomes reddened, swollen, or blistered, like a bad sunburn, call your doctor.
