Patient Medication Information: uses, side effects, how to take - Cephalexin-500
What is CEPHALEXIN - 500 used for?
CEPHALEXIN - 500 is used to treat certain bacterial infections in the:
- respiratory tract;
- ear (otitis media);
- genitals and urinary tract;
- bones and joints;
- skin and soft tissue.
- Antibacterial drugs like CEPHALEXIN - 500 treat only bacterial infections. They do not treat viral infections, such as the common cold.
How does CEPHALEXIN - 500 work?
CEPHALEXIN - 500 is an antibiotic that:
- Stops the growth of bacteria
- Kills bacteria
What are the ingredients in CEPHALEXIN - 500?
Medicinal ingredients: Cephalexin
Non-medicinal ingredients: Colloidal silicon dioxide, FD&C yellow #6, hydroxypropyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol, stearic acid, and titanium dioxide.
CEPHALEXIN - 500 comes in the following dosage forms:
500 mg Tablets: Supplied in bottles of 100 and 500 Tablets.
Do not use CEPHALEXIN - 500 if:
- you are allergic to cephalexin, cephalosporin antibiotics or to any of the other ingredients in CEPHALEXIN - 500
To help avoid side effects and ensure proper use, talk to your healthcare professional before you take CEPHALEXIN - 500. Talk about any health conditions or problems you may have, including if you:
- you are allergic to or react badly to penicillins or other antibiotics.
- you have intestinal or bowl problems.
- you have kidney problems.
you are pregnant or plan to be pregnant.
- you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.
Other warnings that you should know about:
- Using antibiotics like CEPHALEXIN - 500 may cause with Clostridium difficile-associated disease (CDAD). See “Serious side effects and what to do about them”, below.
- CEPHALEXIN - 500 may interfere with some blood and urine test results. Talk to your doctor if you are given a blood or urine test while taking CEPHALEXIN - 500.
Tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you take, including any drugs, vitamins, minerals, natural supplements or alternative medicines.
How to take CEPHALEXIN - 500:
Take CEPHALEXIN - 500 orally on an empty stomach.
- Although you may feel better early in treatment, CEPHALEXIN - 500 should be used exactly as directed.
- Misuse or overuse of CEPHALEXIN - 500 could lead to the growth of bacteria that will not be killed by CEPHALEXIN - 500 (resistance). This means that CEPHALEXIN - 500 may not work for you in the future.
- Do not share your medicine.
Usual dose:
Adult:
The adult dosage ranges from 1 to 4 g daily in divided doses. The usual adult dose is 1 g/day in divided doses every 6 hours.
Children:
The recommended daily dosage for children is 25 to 50 mg/kg/day in divided doses every 6 hours.
Overdose:
Symptoms of oral overdose may include:
- nausea
- vomiting
- abdominal pain
- diarrhea
- bloody urine
What are possible side effects from using CEPHALEXIN - 500?
These are not all the possible side effects you may feel when taking CEPHALEXIN - 500. If you experience any side effects not listed here, contact your healthcare professional.
You may experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, loose stools, abdominal pain, diaper rash, inflammation of the vagina or discharge, dizziness, fatigue, headache, agitation, confusion, hallucinations or symptoms that you do not understand. You should tell your health professional for of any of these symptoms as soon as possible.
Vertigo (loss of balance or unsteadiness), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), hearing loss and behavioural changes in young children have been reported.
CEPHALEXIN - 500 may also cause effects such as yellowing of the whites of the eyes or skin (jaundice) or the inflammation of the liver (hepatitis).
If you think you have taken too much CEPHALEXIN - 500, contact your healthcare professional, hospital emergency department or regional poison control centre immediately, even if there are no symptoms.
Serious side effects and what to do about them
| Symptom / effect | Talk to your healthcare professional | Stop taking drug and get immediate medical help | |
| Only if severe | In all cases | ||
| RARE | |||
Symptoms of a severe bowel condition (Clostridium difficile colitis):
| √ | ||
Severe skin reactions:
| √ | ||
Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions (SCAR) (severe skin reactions that may also affect other organs):
Shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort | √ | ||
If you have a troublesome symptom or side effect that is not listed here or becomes bad enough to interfere with your daily activities, talk to your healthcare professional.
Storage:
Tablets:
Store at room temperature (15°C to 30°C) in a tightly closed container. Dispense in a light-resistant container, as prolonged exposure to light may cause fading of the coating.
If you want more information about CEPHALEXIN - 500:
- Talk to your healthcare professional
- Find the full product monograph that is prepared for healthcare professionals and includes this Patient Medication Information by visiting the Health Canada website (https://health-products.canada.ca/dpd- bdpp/index-eng.jsp); or by contacting Pro Doc Ltée at 1-800-361-8559, www.prodoc.qc.ca or info@prodoc.qc.ca.
Pro Doc Ltée, Laval, Québec, H7L 3W9
Last revised: May 28, 2021
Reporting Side Effects
You can report any suspected side effects associated with the use of health products to Health Canada by:
- Visiting the Web page on Adverse Reaction Reporting (https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-health-products/medeffect-canada/adverse-reaction-reporting.html) for information on how to report online, by mail or by fax; or
- Calling toll-free at 1-866-234-2345.
NOTE: Contact your health professional if you need information about how to manage your side effects. The Canada Vigilance Program does not provide medical advice.