Cipro XR (Ciprofloxacin)

Your dose of CIPRO will depend on the type of bacterial infection you have.

CIPRO comes in regular and extended-release tablets and as a liquid.

Take regular tablets or the liquid twice a day (morning and evening) at about the same time each day, and take extended-release tablets once a day.

Swallow all tablets whole. Don’t crush, split, or chew them.

Regular tablets come in 250, 500, and 750 milligrams (mg).

Some typical doses for common infections using regular tablets include:

•Uncomplicated gonorrhea infection: 250 mg, single dose

•Uncomplicated urinary tract infection: 250 mg every 12 hours for three days

•Bacterial diarrhea: 500 mg every 12 hours for five to seven days

•Acute sinusitis: 500 mg every 12 hours for 10 days

•Severe pneumonia: 750 mg every 12 hours for seven to 14 days

•Chronic bacterial prostatitis: 500 mg every 12 hours for 28 days

•Moderate bone or joint infection: 500 mg every 12 hours for four to six weeks

The most common side effects of CIPRO are nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and rash. Let your doctor know if you have any side effects.

Less common side effects include:

•Headache

•Stomachache

•Heartburn

•Body aches

•Itching

•Skin sensitivity to sunlight

•Loss of appetite

Serious side effects can also occur. If you have any of these side effects, stop taking CIPRO and call your doctor right away or call 911:

•Seizure

•Unusual thoughts or hallucinations

•Dizziness

•Confusion

•Depression or suicidal thoughts

•Tremors

•Numbness, tingling, or weakness

•Swelling or pain near a joint

•Chest pain

•Severe or bloody diarrhea

•Skin rash, hives, or blistering of the skin

•Difficulty breathing or swallowing

•Swelling of the face, throat, or body

•Decreased ability to pass urine

•Loss of consciousness

•Unusual bruising or bleeding

•Yellowing of skin or eyes (jaundice) or dark-colored urine

CIPRO may increase the risk for swelling and tearing of tendons, such as those that attach muscles to bones in the hands, shoulders, and ankles.

The likelihood of tendon damage is greater if you also take a steroid medication or if you're older than 60. If you experience pain, swelling, or stiffness while taking CIPRO, let your doctor know.

In some people, CIPRO may cause changes in brain activity. This affects people with a history of seizures.

Possible symptoms of these changes include dizziness, hallucinations, tremors, seizures, confusion, depression, and suicidal thoughts.

If you have any of these symptoms while on CIPRO, let your doctor know right away.

CIPRO may cause a severe reaction called anaphylaxis if you are allergic to it.

This allergic reaction, which can be life-threatening, may include hives, swelling of the throat, and difficulty breathing. 

It's important to know that once you start a course of CIPRO, you should finish the whole course.

Do not stop taking CIPRO, even if you feel better, until all of the medication is gone.

If you don’t take an antibiotic long enough, your infection can come back stronger. And stopping CIPRO too soon can lead to bacteria becoming resistant to it.

You may not be able to take CIPRO if you have a condition called myasthenia gravis. CIPRO may increase muscle weakness caused by this condition.

You should also take CIPRO with caution if you have certain conditions. Tell your doctor if you have:

•Heartburn or reflux

•Depression

•Seizures

•Asthma

•Tendon injury

•Heart condition

•Liver disease

•Kidney disease

CIPRO and Pregnancy

Before taking CIPRO, women should let their doctor know if they are or may be pregnant or if they're breastfeeding.

It’s unknown whether CIPRO is safe to take during pregnancy.

Experts do know that CIPRO passes through breast milk, so it is not safe to take if you are breastfeeding.

Except for children with a few specific and serious infections, no one younger than 18 should take CIPRO.

Some drugs may affect the way CIPRO works, and CIPRO may affect other drugs you are taking.

It’s very important to let your doctor know about all drugs you take, including over-the-counter (OTC) antacids, vitamins, and supplements.

Many antacids, vitamins, and supplements that contain magnesium, calcium, aluminum, iron, or zinc can interfere with CIPRO.

Other OTC drugs, including such pain and fever medications as Advil, Aleve, and Motrin, may also interact with CIPRO.

CIPRO may increase the effects of caffeine.

If you drink caffeinated drinks or take OTC medications that contain caffeine while taking CIPRO, you may have some caffeine side effects such as nervousness, sleeplessness, or anxiety.

You may not be able to take CIPRO if you are also taking the drug theophylline to treat asthma and wheezing (brand names include Elixophyllin, Uniphyl, and Theo-24). 

Serious reactions, including heart attack, decreased ability to breathe, and seizures, have happened when people took these medications together.

Other medications that interact with CIPRO include:

•Blood thinners, such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven)

•Anti-seizure medication, including phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)

•Certain antidepressants and medications to treat mental illness, such as clozapine (Clozaril, FazaClo)

•Medications that contain caffeine, including Excedrin, NoDoz, and Vivarin

•The immunosuppressant cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune)

•The muscle relaxant tizanidine (Zanaflex)

•Diuretics (water pills)

•Certain drugs for irregular heartbeat, such as amiodarone (Cordarone), disopyramide (Norpace), and procainamide (Procanbid)

•The arthritis drug methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall)

•A drug used to treat nausea, vomiting, heartburn, and reflux called metoclopramide (Reglan)

•The type 2 diabetes drug glyburide (DiaBeta, Glucovance, Micronase)

•Some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)

Other CIPRO Interactions

CIPRO can cause drowsiness and confusion. Don’t drive or participate in any dangerous activities until you know how CIPRO affects you.

CIPRO can make your skin more sensitive to sun exposure.

Don’t use a tanning bed, and avoid long exposure to sunlight while taking it. Protect your skin in the sun with clothing or sunscreen.

You can take CIPRO with or without food.

Don’t take CIPRO with only dairy products or with only calcium-fortified juice because calcium can interfere with absorption of CIPRO.

You can, however, take CIPRO with a meal that includes dairy or calcium-fortified juice.