Precautions when taking Ciprofloxacin for Diarrhoea

What are the side effects of Ciprofloxacin?

All medicines can cause potential side effects, however the affect people individually and in different ways. Most patients respond very well to Ciprofloxacin and do not experience any discomfort during treatment. The full list of side effects reported to this date can be found in the patient leaflet enclosed in every box of Ciprofloxacin. If you are concerned about any side effect you might experience or would like further medical advice, please consult your prescribing healthcare practitioner.

Ciprofloxacin

The most commonly reported side effects of Ciprofloxacin are:

Nausea
Upset stomach
Diarrhoea
Skin rash
Headache
Indigestion and other digestive problems
Loss of appetite

Ciprofloxacin Precautions

Ciprofloxacin is not suitable for use in patients who are allergic to any of its ingredients or who have previously suffered from tendon disorders which can be caused by antibiotics of the quinolone family. Furthermore, pregnant or breastfeeding women should not be treated with Ciprofloxacin, so please inform your doctor if either of this applies to you.

Some antibiotics can make your skin more sensitive towards sunlight and as such you should either limit our sun exposure or ensure you always apply appropriate sun protection in form of creams with high SPF or longsleeved clothes during your treatment with Ciprofloxacin.

The medicine may impair your ability to drive or operate other machinery, especially after drinking alcohol so please take extra care and listen to your body’s signals – if you are feeling tired, weak or dizzy, allow yourself to rest up and do not overexert yourself.

Quinolone antibiotics can in rare cases cause an inflammation of the tendons in your body, known as tenditis, which may lead to tendon rupture. Elderly patients or patients who have received a donor organ ar emost susceptible to this condition, so if you experience any joint pain during your treatment, especially if you fall into aforementionned categories, interrupt your treatment immediately and seek medical advice.

To get the optimum benefit from your antibiotic treatment, it is vital that you adhere to your given dosaging regime and that you finish the treatment cycle taking all the tablets you’ve been given as instructed, even if you start feeling better very soon after starting the antibiotic course. If you stop early, the pathogen might develop resistance leading to a new episode of the infection.

Ciprofloxacin