Cloxacillin is an semisynthetic antibiotic in the same class of medications as penicillin. It's primarily used to treat infections caused by Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, and pneumococcus or Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria. Cloxacillin is often prescribed by medical professionals and is effective in treating a wide variety of conditions, including skin and ear infection, staph infection, strep throat, sinusitis, and pneumonia. The medication is also used to treat sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as syphilis and gonorrhea.
Available through a doctor's prescription, this drug must be taken as directed in order to be effective. A patient should take the medication one to two hours before meals, along with a full glass of water. Sodas or other carbonated drinks shouldn't be consumed along with the antibiotic because they could lessen its effect. Doses should be taken at regular intervals so that the amount of medicine in the body remains as high as possible. A patient must take the full amount of medicine prescribed, even if he or she starts feeling better beforehand.
Capsules must not be crushed but must be swallowed whole. Patients who miss a dose should take it as soon as they remember, but they must not take a double dose. While being treated, patients should avoid alcohol since it can cause stomach upset in conjunction with the drug.
The antibiotic destroys the cell walls of bacteria, thereby killing them. Some strains of bacteria, however, have developed resistance to cloxacillin and other penicillin antibiotics. These bacteria are often called super bugs.
People who are allergic to penicillin or cephalosporin antibiotics shouldn't take cloxacillin. The medication should also be avoided by people who have cystic fibrosis. Women who are taking oral contraceptives to prevent pregnancy should switch to another birth control method while being treated with this drug.
Cloxacillin may cause side effects, which include dizziness, loss of appetite, and nausea. Patients who experience more serious side effects should stop taking the medication. These side effects include hives, convulsions, fever, rash, sores on the genitals, and swollen lymph nodes.
People with certain medical conditions should talk to their doctors before taking this drug for infections. These conditions include asthma and hay fever. Likewise, people who have a history of diabetes, colitis, liver disease, or kidney disease may not want to use this medicine.
The antibiotic is considered safe for use, under the supervision of a medical professional, by women who are pregnant. Mothers who breastfeed, however, should bottle feed their babies while being treated with cloxacillin. The drug has been shown to cause diarrhea in infants.