dicloxacillin
Dicloxacillin is a penicillin antibiotic. It's used to treat certain infections, such as mastitis, caused by the family of bacteria called Staphylococcus. Dicloxacillin is a capsule that's taken by mouth, typically every 6 hours, by adults and children. Some side effects of dicloxacillin can include nausea and diarrhea. Brand name Dynapen has been discontinued; dicloxacillin is only available as a generic medication.
What is Dicloxacillin?
What is Dicloxacillin used for?
Infections caused by Staphylococcus bacteria
How Dicloxacillin works
Dicloxacillin is a type of penicillin antibiotic. It kills bacteria by preventing them from making an additional covering around themselves for protection.
Drug Facts
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What are the side effects of Dicloxacillin?
Common Side Effects
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Stomach irritation
- Mouth sores
Other Side Effects
- Black or hairy tongue
- Rash
Serious Side Effects
- Serious allergic reaction: hives, rash, blisters, swelling of the lips or tongue, difficulty breathing
- Infectious diarrhea (C. difficile-related diarrhea): fever, nausea, foul-smelling diarrhea, frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day)
Source: DailyMed
The following 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.
Stop taking this medicine and get emergency help immediately if any of the following effects occur:
Less common
Fast or irregular breathing
joint pain
lightheadedness or fainting (sudden)
puffiness or swelling around the face
red, scaly skin
shortness of breath
Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Rare
Abdominal or stomach cramps and pain (severe)
abdominal tenderness
convulsions (seizures)
decreased amount of urine
diarrhea (watery and severe), which may also be bloody
mental depression
pain at place of injection
sore throat and fever
unusual bleeding or bruising
yellow eyes or skin
Rare
For penicillin G procaine only
Agitation or combativeness
confusion
fear of impending death
feeling, hearing, or seeing things that are not real
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:
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.
Pros and cons of Dicloxacillin
Pros
Taken by mouth
Available as a lower-cost generic
An option for adults and children
Cons
Not a good option if you are allergic to penicillins
Taken 4 times a day
Need to take on an empty stomach
Pharmacist tips for Dicloxacillin
Take dicloxacillin on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. This helps your body to absorb all of the medication so it works as best as possible for you.
Take dicloxacillin exactly as prescribed. Make sure to finish your treatment course, even if you're feeling better. Stopping the medication earlier than prescribed can make your infection come back and become harder to treat.
Swallow the dicloxacillin capsules whole. If you're having trouble swallowing them, ask your HCP about switching you to another antibiotic that comes as a liquid or chewable tablet.
Get medical help as soon as possible if you develop watery or bloody diarrhea, fever, fatigue, or stomach cramps anytime during treatment or after stopping dicloxacillin. These could be signs of C. difficile-related diarrhea, which needs to be treated right away.
Make sure to tell your HCP and pharmacist about all of the medications you're taking before and during treatment with dicloxacillin. Some medications can interact with dicloxacillin. For example, probenecid can raise your risk for side effects from dicloxacillin. Also, taking warfarin (Coumadin) and dicloxacillin might raise your risk of bleeding.
Frequently asked questions about Dicloxacillin
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What are the risks and warnings for Dicloxacillin?
Dicloxacillin 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 reaction
Risk factors: Allergy to penicillin or other beta-lactam antibiotics
Severe allergic reactions to dicloxacillin are possible. Some reactions can be life-threatening and can include facial swelling, shock, and anaphylaxis (e.g., closing of the throat). Let the prescriber know if you have an allergy to antibiotics to check your risk of having an allergic reaction to dicloxacillin. Get medical attention right away if you notice hives, rash, red skin, swelling of the lips or tongue, or difficulty breathing while you're taking dicloxacillin.
Diarrhea from
Antibiotics, including dicloxacillin, raise your risk of getting infected with a bacteria called Clostridioides difficile (C. diff). This infection can cause diarrhea that can sometimes be life-threatening. Antibiotics change the amount of normal bacteria in your stomach and intestines. This can cause C. diff to overgrow in your gut and lead to an infection. This type of infectious diarrhea is different than the diarrhea you might get as a possible side effect of dicloxacillin. C. diff-related diarrhea can cause rapid heart rate, foul-smelling diarrhea, fever, nausea, bloody stools, or frequent bowel movements (even up to 15 times per day). This is considered a medical 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.
Development of drug-resistant bacteria
Take dicloxacillin exactly as prescribed. Using dicloxacillin for any shorter or longer periods of time can raise your risk for developing infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria. This is also possible if you take the antibiotic for other illnesses that it's not appropriate for. Infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria can be severe, life-threatening infections, and more difficult to treat.
Dicloxacillin dosage forms
Typical dosing for Dicloxacillin
Adults
Mild-to-moderate infections: The typical dose is 125 mg by mouth every 6 hours.
Severe infections: The typical dose is 250 mg by mouth every 6 hours.
Children
Mild-to-moderate infections: Your child's pediatrician will determine the dose based on their body weight. The typical dose is 3.125 mg/kg of body weight daily total, divided into equal doses and taken by mouth every 6 hours.
Severe infections: Your child's pediatrician will determine the dose based on their body weight. The typical dose is 6.25 mg/kg of body weight daily total, divided into equal doses and taken by mouth every 6 hours.
Interactions between Dicloxacillin 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 any of these medicines, 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 medicines in this class 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.
- Alfentanil
- Amifampridine
- Amiodarone
- Avapritinib
- Axitinib
- Benzhydrocodone
- Brigatinib
- Buprenorphine
- Bupropion
- Capmatinib
- Chlortetracycline
- Cholera Vaccine, Live
- Clarithromycin
- Codeine
- Cyclosporine
- Daclatasvir
- Darunavir
- Deflazacort
- Demeclocycline
- Desogestrel
- Dienogest
- Dihydrocodeine
- Donepezil
- Doxorubicin
- Doxorubicin Hydrochloride Liposome
- Doxycycline
- Dronedarone
- Drospirenone
- Elbasvir
- Encorafenib
- Entrectinib
- Eravacycline
- Erdafitinib
- Estradiol
- Ethinyl Estradiol
- Ethynodiol
- Etonogestrel
- Fedratinib
- Fentanyl
- Gestodene
- Glasdegib
- Grazoprevir
- Hemin
- Hydrocodone
- Lefamulin
- Lemborexant
- Levonorgestrel
- Lorlatinib
- Lumateperone
- Lurbinectedin
- Lymecycline
- Meclocycline
- Medroxyprogesterone
- Meperidine
- Mestranol
- Methacycline
- Methadone
- Methotrexate
- Minocycline
- Mycophenolate Mofetil
- Neratinib
- Nifedipine
- Nomegestrol
- Norelgestromin
- Norethindrone
- Norgestimate
- Norgestrel
- Olaparib
- Omadacycline
- Oxycodone
- Oxytetracycline
- Pemigatinib
- Pentazocine
- Perampanel
- Piperaquine
- Pretomanid
- Rimegepant
- Rolitetracycline
- Sarecycline
- Segesterone
- Selpercatinib
- Selumetinib
- Simeprevir
- Sufentanil
- Sulfasalazine
- Tacrolimus
- Tazemetostat
- Tetracycline
- Tigecycline
- Tramadol
- Ubrogepant
- Ulipristal
- Vancomycin
- Vecuronium
- Velpatasvir
- Venetoclax
- Venlafaxine
- Voclosporin
- Voxelotor
- Voxilaprevir
- Warfarin
- Zanubrutinib
How much does Dicloxacillin cost?
Dicloxacillin contraindications
Severe allergy to other penicillins or beta-lactam antibiotics
What are alternatives to Dicloxacillin?
Infections caused by Staphylococcus bacteria
Skin infections
Bone infections
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Reproductive system infections
Upper respiratory tract infections (ear, nose, and throat infections)
Lower respiratory tract infections (e.g., pneumonia, bronchitis)
Skin infections (e.g., cellulitis)
Helicobacter pylori infection (adults only)
Dicloxacillin images
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References
Best studies we foundAmerican Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. (2023). Penicillin allergy FAQ.
Aurobindo Pharma Limited. (2023). Dicloxacillin sodium- dicloxacillin sodium capsule [package insert]. DailyMed.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Group A strep infection.
Drugs and Lactation Database (LactMed®). (2021). Dicloxacillin. StatPearls.
Foster, T., et al. (1996). Chapter 12 Staphylococcus. Medical Microbiology. 4th edition.
LiverTox. (2020). Dicloxacillin. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Pandey, N., et al. (2023). Beta-lactam antibiotics. StatPearls.
Spencer, J. P. (2008). Management of mastitis in breastfeeding women. American Family Physician.
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