Ciprofloxacin (Intravenous Route)

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Precautions

If your or your child's symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, check with your doctor.

Do not take tizanidine (Zanaflex®) while you are receiving this medicine. Tell your doctor if you or your child are also using theophylline (Theo-Dur®) or other products that contain caffeine (e.g., coffee, soda, chocolate). Using these medicines together may increase risks for more serious side effects.

This medicine may cause serious allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. Call your doctor right away if you or your child have a rash; itching; hives; hoarseness; shortness of breath; trouble breathing; trouble swallowing; or any swelling of your hands, face, or mouth after you receive this medicine.

Serious skin reactions can occur with this medicine. Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin; red skin lesions; severe acne or skin rash; sores or ulcers on the skin; or fever or chills while you or your child are using this medicine.

Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you or your child have dark urine, clay-colored stools, abdominal or stomach pain, or yellow eyes or skin. These maybe symptoms of a serious liver problem.

Some people who receive ciprofloxacin injection may become more sensitive to sunlight than they are normally. Exposure to sunlight, even for brief periods of time, may cause severe sunburn, or skin rash, redness, itching, or discoloration. When you or your child begin receiving this medicine:

• Stay out of direct sunlight, especially between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., if possible.
• Wear protective clothing, including a hat and sunglasses.
• Apply a sun block product that has a skin protection factor (SPF) of at least 15. Some people may require a product with a higher SPF number, especially if they have a fair complexion. If you have any questions about this, check with your doctor.
• Do not use a sunlamp or tanning bed or booth.

If you have a severe reaction from the sun, check with your doctor.

Ciprofloxacin injection may cause some people to become dizzy, lightheaded, drowsy, or less alert than they are normally. Make sure you know how you react to this medicine before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that can be dangerous if you are dizzy or not alert. If these reactions are especially bothersome, check with your doctor.

Ciprofloxacin injection may cause diarrhea, and in some cases it can be severe. It may occur 2 months or more after you stop using this medicine. Do not take any medicine to treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. Diarrhea medicines may make the diarrhea worse or make it last longer. If you have any questions about this or if mild diarrhea continues or gets worse, check with your doctor.

Tell your doctor right away if you or your child start having numbness, tingling, or burning pain in your hands, arms, legs, or feet. These may be symptoms of a condition called peripheral neuropathy.

This medicine can cause changes in heart rhythms, such as a condition called QT prolongation. It may change the way your heart beats and cause fainting or serious side effects in some patients. Contact your doctor right away if you have any symptoms of heart rhythm problems, such as fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeats.

Ciprofloxacin may rarely cause inflammation or tearing of a tendon (the cord that attaches muscles to bones). This can occur while you are using the medicine or after you finish using it. The risk of having tendon problems may be increased if you are over 60 years of age, are using steroid medicines (e.g., dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone, or Medrol®), have severe kidney problems, have a history of tendon problems (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), or if you have received an organ transplant (e.g., heart, kidney, or lung). Stop using this medicine and check with your doctor right away if you have sudden pain or swelling in a tendon after exercise (e.g., ankle, back of the knee or leg, shoulder, elbow, or wrist), bruise more easily after an injury, or are unable to bear weight or move the affected area. Refrain from exercise until your doctor says otherwise.

For diabetic patients taking diabetes medicine by mouth: Ciprofloxacin may cause hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) in some patients. Symptoms of low blood sugar must be treated before they lead to unconsciousness (passing out). Different people may feel different symptoms of low blood sugar. If you or your child experience symptoms of low blood sugar, stop taking levofloxacin and check with your doctor right away:

• Symptoms of low blood sugar can include: Anxious feeling, behavior change similar to being drunk, blurred vision, cold sweats, confusion, cool pale skin, difficulty with concentrating, drowsiness, excessive hunger, headache, nausea, nervousness, rapid heartbeat, shakiness, or unusual tiredness or weakness.

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