Co-fluampicil for infection

About co-fluampicil

About co-fluampicil

Co-fluampicil contains two penicillin antibiotics in equal amounts - flucloxacillin and ampicillin. It is used to treat bacterial infections. It works by killing the bacteria causing the infection.

Before taking co-fluampicil

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you start taking co-fluampicil it is important that your doctor or pharmacist knows:

• If you are pregnant or breastfeeding. (Although co-fluampicil is not known to be harmful to babies, it is still important that you tell your doctor if you are expecting or breastfeeding a baby.)

• If you think you have glandular fever.

• If you have problems with the way your liver works.

• If you have kidney problems.

• If you are taking any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, as well as herbal and complementary medicines.

• If you have an allergic condition, or if you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine. This is particularly important if you have ever had a bad reaction to any penicillin antibiotic.

How to take co-fluampicil

• Before you start this antibiotic, read the manufacturer's printed information leaflet from inside the pack. The leaflet will give you more information about co-fluampicil and a full list of side-effects which you may experience from taking it.

• Take co-fluampicil exactly as your doctor tells you to. It is taken four times daily - space the doses out evenly during the day. Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how many capsules to take for each dose, and this information will be printed on the label of the pack to remind you.

• You should take co-fluampicil about an hour before a meal. This is because your body absorbs less of the antibiotic if there is food in your stomach, which means the medicine is less effective.

• Swallow the capsules whole - do not chew or open them. Some people find it helps to swallow the capsules with a drink of water.

• If you forget to take a dose, take one as soon as you remember. Try to take the correct number of doses each day, but do not take two doses at the same time to make up.

• Even if you feel your infection has cleared up, keep taking the antibiotic until the course is finished, unless you are told to stop. This is to prevent the infection from coming back. Your doctor will tell you how long your course of treatment will last. If you still feel unwell after finishing the course, go back to see your doctor.
  

Getting the most from your treatment

• Some people develop thrush (redness and itching in the mouth or vagina) after taking a course of antibiotics. If you think you have thrush speak with your doctor or pharmacist for advice.

• If you are having an operation or any other medical treatment, tell the person carrying out the treatment that you are taking an antibiotic.

• Co-fluampicil may stop the oral typhoid vaccine from working. If you are having any vaccinations, make sure the person treating you knows that you are taking this antibiotic.

• If you are taking co-fluampicil over an extended period of time, your doctor will want to routinely check on your progress. Try to keep any regular appointments you have booked with your doctor, as you will need to have some blood tests to check that your liver and kidneys are working well.

• If you are taking the contraceptive 'pill' at the same time as this antibiotic, the effectiveness of the 'pill' can be reduced if you have sickness (vomiting) or diarrhoea which lasts for more than 24 hours. If this should happen to you (for whatever reason), ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice about what additional contraceptive precautions to use. There is no need to use additional precautions for any bouts of sickness or diarrhoea which last for less than 24 hours.

• If you need pain relief whilst taking co-fluampicil it is best to speak to your doctor or a pharmacist first. The painkiller paracetamol is not always recommended during treatment with flucloxacillin, especially if you also have problems with the way your kidneys work.

Can co-fluampicil cause problems?

Along with their useful effects, most medicines can cause unwanted side-effects although not everyone experiences them. The table below contains some of the most common ones associated with co-fluampicil. You will find a full list in the manufacturer's information leaflet supplied with your medicine. The unwanted effects often improve as your body adjusts to the new medicine, but speak with your doctor or pharmacist if any of the following continue or become troublesome.

Important: if you develop an itchy rash, or a swollen face or mouth, or have difficulty breathing, these may be signs that you are allergic to a penicillin antibiotic. Do not take any more co-fluampicil and speak with your doctor or go to your local accident and emergency department straightaway.

If you experience any other symptoms which you think may be due to the medicine, speak with your doctor or pharmacist.

How to store co-fluampicil

• Keep all medicines out of the reach and sight of children.

• Store co-fluampicil capsules in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and light.

Important information about all medicines