cefprozil
Cefprozil is an antibiotic that can be taken by adults or children to treat many types of bacterial infections, such as those that affect the throat and ears. This medication is taken by mouth, usually once or twice daily for about 10 days. It's available as a tablet and a liquid suspension. People typically don't experience many side effects with cefprozil. But the most common ones include nausea and diarrhea.
What is Cefprozil?
What is Cefprozil used for?
- Strep throat
- Tonsil infections
- Ear infections
- Sinus infection
- Lung infections related to long-term bronchitis
- Skin infections
How Cefprozil works
Cefprozil is a cephalosporin antibiotic. It kills bacteria by preventing them from making an additional covering around themselves for protection.
Drug facts
Side effects of Cefprozil
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Nausea (4%)
- Diarrhea (3%)
- Vomiting (1%)
- Stomach pain (1%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Dizziness
- Rash
Cefprozil serious side effects
Contact your healthcare provider immediately if you experience any of the following.
- Serious allergic reactions: hives, coughing, wheezing, swelling of the lips or tongue, tightness in the throat, difficulty breathing
- Infectious (C. difficile-related) diarrhea: fever, tiredness, nausea, stomach cramps, foul-smelling and watery diarrhea
The following Cefprozil side effects have also been reported
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Less common
Black, tarry stools
cough or hoarseness
fever or chills
lower back or side pain
painful or difficult urination
shortness of breath
sore throat sores, ulcers, or white spots on the lips or in the mouth
swollen glands
unusual bleeding or bruising
unusual tiredness or weakness
Rare
Abdominal or stomach cramps, pain, or tenderness
bleeding gums
blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin
blood in the urine or stools
clay-colored stools
dark urine
diarrhea, watery and severe, which may also be bloody
difficulty with swallowing
dizziness
fast heartbeat
feeling of discomfort
headache
increased thirst
inflammation of the joints
joint or muscle pain
large, hive-like swelling on the face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
loss of appetite
muscle aches
nausea or vomiting
pinpoint red spots on the skin
puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lips, or tongue
rash
red skin lesions, often with a purple center
red, irritated eyes
shortness of breath
swollen lymph glands
tightness in the chest
unpleasant breath odor
unusual weight loss
vomiting of blood
watery or bloody diarrhea
yellow eyes or skin
Incidence not known
Back, leg, or stomach pains
bleeding gums
bloody or cloudy urine
bloody, black, or tarry stools
decrease in urine output or decrease in urine-concentrating ability
difficulty with breathing
fever with or without chills
general body swelling
general feeling of tiredness or weakness
high fever
nosebleeds
pale skin
sudden decrease in the amount of urine
swollen or painful glands
Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:
Less common
Itching or pain of the vagina or genital area
pain during sexual intercourse
thick, white vaginal discharge with no odor or with a mild odor
Rare
Confusion
hives or welts
nervousness
redness of the skin
restlessness
sleepiness or unusual drowsiness
trouble sitting still
trouble with sleeping
unable to sleep
Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.
Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.
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Pros and cons of Cefprozil
Pros
- Treats many types of bacterial infections and generally has few side effects
- Can be taken with or without food
- Available as a liquid suspension for people who have trouble swallowing tablets
- Available as a lower-cost generic
Cons
- Might not be able to take this medication if you've had a severe allergy to penicillins or other cephalosporin antibiotics
- Might not be a good choice for people with kidney problems
- The suspension contains phenylalanine, which can be a problem for people with PKU
Pharmacist tips for Cefprozil
- Take cefprozil exactly as prescribed. Make sure to finish your treatment course, even if you start feeling better. Stopping the medication earlier than prescribed can make your infection come back and become harder to treat.
- Take cefprozil with or without food. If it's upsetting your stomach, taking it with food might help.
- Cefprozil can cause diarrhea. Typically, the diarrhea is mild and should go away when you stop taking cefprozil. But if you start having watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, fatigue, or stomach cramps anytime during treatment or after stopping cefprozil, call your provider right away. These can be signs of a kind of infectious diarrhea that can be serious and needs to be treated right away.
- Contact your provider or get medical help as soon as possible if you get a rash, itchy skin, trouble breathing, or swelling in your face or mouth. These could be signs of a severe allergic reaction.
Tips for cefprozil oral suspension (liquid)
- The suspension comes in two strengths, 125 mg/5 mL and 250 mg/5 mL. Make sure you know which strength you have to avoid accidentally taking the wrong dose. Ask your pharmacist for help if you're not sure.
- Before each dose, shake the bottle well to make sure the medication hasn't settled at the bottom.
- Make sure to only use a medication dose cup or oral syringe from the pharmacy to measure out your dose. Don't use household spoons because they aren't accurate and might cause you to take the wrong dose.
- Store the cefprozil liquid suspension in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. After 2 weeks, throw away the bottle, even if there's still some medication left.
Common questions about Cefprozil
Maybe. It's possible to have an allergic reaction to cefprozil if you're allergic to penicillin. Your provider might consider giving you cefprozil, but it depends on what your reaction to penicillin was like. For example, if you had a mild reaction to penicillin like rash or itchiness, your provider will likely still give you cefprozil and ask you to watch for any allergic reactions. But if you had a severe reaction to penicillin, like facial swelling or closing of the throat, your provider might give you a small test dose of cefprozil to see how you react to it, or they might prescribe a different antibiotic. Your provider will ask you questions about your previous reaction to penicillin and decide if cefprozil is safe for you to take.
Cefprozil is typically taken for 10 days for most infections. But your provider will decide how long you should use cefprozil for based on how severe your infection is.
No. Make sure to finish your treatment course of cefprozil even if you feel better. This makes sure your body is clear of the infection. Stopping antibiotics too early raises the risk of you getting sick again with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. This means the bacteria develop a defense against antibiotics and no longer respond to them. Infections with resistant bacteria can be severe, sometimes life-threatening, and hard to treat. Ask your provider if you aren't sure how long you need to be taking cefprozil.
Discuss with your provider about the risks and benefits of taking cefprozil during pregnancy. This medication hasn't been well-studied in human pregnancy, but animal studies show that it's unlikely to cause harm. Ask your provider if you've more questions about which antibiotics are safe to take during pregnancy.
Limited studies show cefprozil is present in breastmilk, but it's unlikely to cause harm for nursing babies. This is because the level of cefprozil in breastmilk is low. But, to be safe, make sure to talk to your provider about the risks and benefits of taking cefprozil while breastfeeding.
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Risks and warnings for Cefprozil
Cefprozil can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Severe allergic reactions
- Risk factors: Allergy to penicillin or other cephalosporin antibiotics
Severe allergic reactions to cefprozil are possible, including life-threatening reactions like facial swelling, shock, and anaphylaxis (closing of the throat). Let your provider know if you're allergic to any antibiotics. If you've had a reaction to penicillin antibiotics in the past, you might not be able to take cefprozil. If you notice hives, rash, red skin, swelling of the lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing after using cefprozil, get medical attention right away.
Diarrhea (from infection in the gut)
Taking cefprozil, as well as other antibiotics, can raise your risk of getting diarrhea caused by a bacteria called Clostridioides difficile (C. diff), which can be life-threatening. C.diff is a bacteria that's naturally found in the gut. Typically, it doesn't cause any problems because other gut bacteria keep its growth in check. But antibiotics can kill off some gut bacteria and cause C.diff to grow out of control.
It's important to recognize the difference between diarrhea as a side effect of cefprozil and this type of infectious diarrhea. C. diff-related diarrhea can cause rapid heart rate, foul-smelling diarrhea, fever, nausea, frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day) and is an emergency. If you experience any of these symptoms, get medical attention right away so you can be tested for C. diff infection and receive treatment. Sometimes, C. diff-related diarrhea can occur 2 months after your antibiotic treatment.
Development of drug-resistant bacteria
Take cefprozil exactly as prescribed. Stopping cefprozil too early or taking the antibiotic for illnesses other than what your provider has prescribed can raise your risk for developing infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. This raises your risk for severe and life-threatening infections that might be difficult to treat.
Buildup of phenylalanine in the body in people with phenylketonuria (PKU)
The cefprozil suspension contains phenylalanine, an ingredient that can cause serious health problems if you have phenylketonuria (PKU). Talk to a healthcare provider for alternative medications that are safer for you.
Cefprozil dosage
Interactions between Cefprozil and other drugs
Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive.
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Desogestrel
- Dienogest
- Drospirenone
- Estradiol
- Ethinyl Estradiol
- Ethynodiol
- Gestodene
- Levonorgestrel
- Mestranol
- Nomegestrol
- Norethindrone
- Norgestimate
- Norgestrel
Using this medicine with any of the following medicines may cause an increased risk of certain side effects, but using both drugs may be the best treatment for you. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines.
How much does Cefprozil cost?
$9.63
Cefprozil contraindications
Contraindications are specific health conditions or situations in which a person should not take a medication due to safety concerns. If you have any of the following conditions or if any of the following apply to you, let your healthcare provider know because Cefprozil will not be safe for you to take.
- Severe allergy to cephalosporin antibiotics
What are alternatives to Cefprozil?
Cefprozil images
