Ciprofloxacin Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) isn’t a routine medication. But it can play a crucial role for many hard-to-treat bacterial infections. A type of fluoroquinolone antibiotic, it’s often prescribed when other antibiotics are not effective.

If you or a loved one are prescribed ciprofloxacin, it’s important to know how to take it properly. Ciprofloxacin dosages are one big part of this. In this guide, we’ll discuss possible ciprofloxacin dosages for various health conditions. But keep in mind, your healthcare provider might tell you to take a different dosage than what’s discussed here. It’s important to follow your provider’s instructions.

What’s the typical ciprofloxacin dosage for adults?

Ciprofloxacin comes as 250 mg, 500 mg, and 750 mg oral tablets. If you have trouble swallowing tablets, a ciprofloxacin liquid suspension is also available. Oral forms of ciprofloxacin are the focus of this dosing guide.

Other formulations of ciprofloxacin are also available. Ciprofloxacin ear and eye drops can treat ear and eye infections, respectively. And if you’re in the hospital, your healthcare provider may administer ciprofloxacin into your vein (IV).

Formulations aside, ciprofloxacin dosages for adults can vary depending on the health condition you’re looking to treat.

Important: Even if you start to feel better before your prescription runs out, it’s important to complete the full course of ciprofloxacin anyway. If you stop the antibiotic too early, the bacteria could stick around and cause a harder-to-treat infection.

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Skin, bone, and joint infections

A variety of bacteria can cause skin, bone, and joint infections. Depending on the severity of the infection and what bacteria is at fault, ciprofloxacin could be a possible treatment option.

The recommended ciprofloxacin dosage for skin infections is 500 mg to 750 mg every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days. For bone and joint infections, the recommended dosage is 500 mg to 750 mg every 12 hours for up to 1 to 2 months. Your healthcare provider can tell you more about the specific length of time you can expect to take ciprofloxacin.

UTIs

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be uncomfortable and painful. And in many cases, an antibiotic is needed to get these symptoms under control. Ciprofloxacin is one option your healthcare provider could consider, but it’s generally not a first-choice option.

For UTIs, the recommended ciprofloxacin dosage is 250 mg or 500 mg every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days. In some cases, your healthcare provider may opt to prescribe a smaller dosage of 250 mg every 12 hours for 3 days.

Lung infections

If you have a moderate to severe lower respiratory tract infection (a type of lung infection), your healthcare provider might recommend ciprofloxacin. Bronchitis and pneumonia are two common lower respiratory tract infections.

The recommended ciprofloxacin dosage for lower respiratory tract infections is 500 mg to 750 mg every 12 hours for 7 to 14 days.

Infectious diarrhea

Diarrhea can appear for various reasons. Minor or short-lived spells of diarrhea are often just an annoyance, but it can become problematic in certain situations.

Infectious diarrhea is one example. If your diarrhea is infectious, an antibiotic may be necessary. Ciprofloxacin is one treatment option your healthcare provider may turn to. The recommended ciprofloxacin dosage for infectious diarrhea is 500 mg every 12 hours for 5 to 7 days.

However, as with other antibiotics, ciprofloxacin may cause or worsen stomach discomfort or diarrhea on its own. If diarrhea symptoms become worse at any point or don't go away, make sure to talk to your healthcare provider.

Other common health conditions

Ciprofloxacin is approved to treat many additional infections. Sinus infections and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), like gonorrhea, are two examples. The recommended dosage for sinus infections is 500 mg every 12 hours for 10 days. The recommended dosage for uncomplicated gonorrhea is 250 mg as a single dose.

Keep in mind: It’s best to prevent STIs like gonorrhea when possible. If you’re sexually active, using protection, like a condom, and routinely testing for STIs are key prevention steps.

What’s the typical ciprofloxacin dosage for children?

Ciprofloxacin can also treat bacterial infections in children. It’s approved to treat complicated UTIs in kids, and it may be used off-label for other purposes. It’s also technically approved to treat anthrax and the plague, but these infections are far less common.

If your child needs ciprofloxacin, their dosage will likely be based on their body weight.

UTIs

If your child has a complicated UTI, ciprofloxacin is a possible treatment option. The typical dosage is 10 mg to 20 mg per kg of body weight, but they shouldn’t ever receive more than 750 mg of ciprofloxacin per dose. It’s usually given every 12 hours for 10 to 21 days.

For example, if your child weighs 20 kg (44 lbs) and needs a dose of 10 mg per kg of body weight twice daily, they would take 200 mg every 12 hours. Your child’s healthcare provider will calculate this dosage for you.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

Yes. People who have kidney issues might need to take a lower dose of ciprofloxacin. Certain medications and foods can also require ciprofloxacin dose adjustments.

Dosage for people with kidney problems

If you have moderate to severe kidney problems, you’ll likely receive a lower dose of ciprofloxacin. Since ciprofloxacin leaves the body through your kidneys, it could build up if your kidneys aren’t working efficiently. This could lead to extra side effects.

To avoid this, your healthcare provider may want to lower your ciprofloxacin dose based on your creatinine clearance (CrCl). This is a lab test that estimates your kidney health. If your CrCl is too low, ciprofloxacin could stay in your body for longer than expected.

Your healthcare provider will determine your CrCl for you. If your CrCl is lower than 50 mL/min, they might change the dosage or frequency of your prescription.

Drug interactions

Several drug interactions can impact your ciprofloxacin dosage. Some interactions may lead to additional side effects, while others may lead to a less effective treatment.

For instance, certain supplements and foods can make ciprofloxacin less effective. This could lead to an undertreated infection. If you’re taking calcium carbonate (Tums) or a zinc supplement, you’ll want to take ciprofloxacin separately. You should take it at least 2 hours before or 6 hours after one of these supplements. Ciprofloxacin can also interact with dairy products. Try to separate ciprofloxacin and dairy products by at least 2 hours.

Other medications can cause more serious interactions. You should ask your healthcare provider if any other action is needed if you take any of the following medications:

• Amiodarone (Pacerone)

• Duloxetine (Cymbalta)

• Sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio)

• Sotalol (Betapace)

• Tizanidine (Zanaflex)

• Ziprasidone (Geodon)

• Zolpidem (Ambien)

Your provider may want to adjust your medication regimen or monitor you more closely for side effects

What happens if you miss a dose of ciprofloxacin?

If you’re taking ciprofloxacin, try your best to take your doses on time. But everyone’s human. It’s natural to forget a dose every now and then.

If you miss a dose, it’s important to keep timing in mind. If less than 6 hours have passed from your normal dose time, go ahead and take the missed dose. But if more than 6 hours has passed, skip the missed dose altogether. Take the next dose at your normal time. Never double up on doses to make up for a missed one.

If you find yourself missing doses frequently, talk to your pharmacist. They can help you figure out ways to take your doses more consistently. Among other recommendations, they may encourage you to set medication reminders.

What should you do if you take too much ciprofloxacin?

Taking the prescribed dosage of ciprofloxacin is important. If you took a higher amount than recommended, you might experience side effects such as nausea, stomach pain, or diarrhea. More severe side effects are also possible.

If you think you took too much ciprofloxacin, contact your healthcare provider as soon as you can. They can help you manage the situation based on the symptoms you’re experiencing and/or how much ciprofloxacin you took. Contacting Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 is another option.

However, if you feel like you’re experiencing severe or rapidly developing side effects, it’s better to go to the closest emergency room.

How to save on ciprofloxacin

There are many ways to save on ciprofloxacin, which is available as a brand-name and generic medication. GoodRx can help you save over 80% off the average retail price of the generic version. Generic ciprofloxacin’s price at certain pharmacies is as low as $4.06 with a free GoodRx discount.

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Written by:

David Dhaliwal, PharmD Candidate

David has worked in community pharmacy and managed care, focusing on optimizing patient care and providing quality service. During pharmacy school, David was a teaching assistant through independent study courses aiding current pharmacy professors to adapt their techniques to current pharmacy students.

Edited by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

Reviewed by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

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