Best PLR Article Directory Cook Islands: cefoxitin

Generic Name: cefoxitin (sef OX i tin)

Brand Names: Mefoxin

What is cefoxitin injection?

Cefoxitin is in a group of drugs called cephalosporin (SEF a low spor in) antibiotics. It works by fighting bacteria in your body.

Cefoxitin is used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections, including severe or life-threatening forms.

Cefoxitin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What is the most important information I should know about cefoxitin?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to cefoxitin, or to similar antibiotics, such as Ceftin, Cefzil, Keflex, Omnicef, and others.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs (especially penicillin). Also tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, diabetes, heart failure, cancer, a stomach or intestinal disorder, or if you are malnourished.

Take this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Cefoxitin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain lab tests, including tests to check for glucose (sugar) in the urine. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using cefoxitin.

What should I discuss with my health care provider before using cefoxitin injection?

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to cefoxitin, or to other cephalosporin antibiotics, such as:

cefaclor (Raniclor);

cefadroxil (Duricef);

cefazolin (Ancef);

cefdinir (Omnicef);

cefditoren (Spectracef);

cefpodoxime (Vantin);

cefprozil (Cefzil);

ceftibuten (Cedax);

cefuroxime (Ceftin);

cephalexin (Keflex);

cephradine (Velosef); and others.

If you have any of these other conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take cefoxitin:

kidney disease;

liver disease;

a stomach or intestinal disorder such as colitis;

diabetes;

congestive heart failure;

cancer;

if you are malnourished; or

if you have had a very recent surgery or medical emergency.

FDA pregnancy category B. This medication is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Cefoxitin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How is cefoxitin given?

Cefoxitin is given as an injection through a needle placed into a vein. Your doctor, nurse, or other healthcare provider will give you this injection. You may be given instructions on how to inject your medicine at home. Do not use this medicine at home if you do not fully understand how to give the injection and properly dispose of needles and other items used in giving the medicine.

Use the medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not use the medication in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the instructions on your prescription label.

Use this medication for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Cefoxitin will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

This medication can cause you to have unusual results with certain lab tests, including tests to check for glucose (sugar) in the urine. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using cefoxitin.

To be sure this medication is helping your condition, your blood may need to be tested on a regular basis. Your kidney or liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

If you keep this medicine at home, store it in a deep freezer at a temperature of 4 degrees below 0.

To use the medicine, thaw it in a refrigerator or at room temperature. Do not warm in a microwave or boiling water. Keep thawed medicine in the refrigerator and use it within 28 days after thawing it. Do not refreeze.

Do not use the medication if it looks cloudy or has any particles in it. Call your doctor for a new prescription.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Use the medication as soon as you remember the missed dose. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and use the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much of this medicine.

Symptoms of a cefoxitin overdose may include seizure (convulsions).

What should I avoid while using cefoxitin?

Cefoxitin side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

diarrhea that is watery or bloody;

fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash;

swelling, pain, or irritation where the injection was given;

skin rash, bruising, severe tingling, numbness, pain, muscle weakness;

feeling light-headed, fainting;

easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness;

fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms;

urinating less than usual or not at all;

seizure (black-out or convulsions); or

jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin).

Less serious side effects are more likely to occur, such as:

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain;

mild skin rash; or

vaginal itching or discharge.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Cefoxitin Dosing Information

Usual Adult Dose for Aspiration Pneumonia:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: Parenteral therapy should be continued until the patient's clinical condition stabilizes and fever subsides. Oral antibiotic therapy may then be substituted according to microbiology sensitivity data. Therapy of documented anaerobic pleuropulmonary infections should be continued until the infiltrate is cleared or a residual scar forms, sometimes for as long as 2 to 4 months.

Usual Adult Dose for Cesarean Section:

1 to 2 g IV as soon as the umbilical cord is clamped and may be followed by 1 to 2 g IV 4 and 8 hours after the initial dose

Prophylaxis for cesarean sections is considered controversial in low-risk patients and is not routinely recommended by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

Usual Adult Dose for Cholecystitis:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 14 days

Usual Adult Dose for Deep Neck Infection:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 3 to 4 weeks

Usual Adult Dose for Endometritis:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: Parenteral therapy should be continued for at least 24 hours after the patient has remained afebrile, pain free, and the leukocyte count has normalized. Doxycycline therapy for 14 days is recommended if concurrent chlamydial infection is present in late postpartum patients (breast-feeding should be discontinued).

Usual Adult Dose for Intraabdominal Infection:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 7 to 14 days

Usual Adult Dose for Joint Infection:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 3 to 4 weeks, depending on the nature and severity of the infection
Longer therapy, 6 weeks or more, may be required for prosthetic joint infections.

Usual Adult Dose for Osteomyelitis:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: Therapy should be continued for approximately four to six weeks depending on the nature and severity of the infection. Chronic osteomyelitis may require an additional one to two months of oral antimicrobial therapy.

Usual Adult Dose for Pelvic Inflammatory Disease:

Outpatient treatment of mild PID: 2 g cefoxitin IM once with probenecid 1 g orally once, followed by oral doxycycline with or without metronidazole
Initial dose: 2 g IV every 6 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections

Duration: Intravenous therapy should be continued for at least 24 hours after clinical improvement is demonstrated. Oral therapy with doxycycline with or without clindamycin should then be continued to complete a 14 day course of treatment.

The patient's sexual partner(s) should also be evaluated/treated.

Usual Adult Dose for Peritonitis:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 10 to 14 days

Usual Adult Dose for Pneumonia:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 7 days for pneumococcal pneumonia and for up to 21 days for other infecting organisms

Usual Adult Dose for Pyelonephritis:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 14 days

Usual Adult Dose for Septicemia:

Life-threatening infections: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours
Duration: 14 days

Usual Adult Dose for Skin or Soft Tissue Infection:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 7 to 10 days, or for 3 days after acute inflammation disappears, depending on the nature and severity of the infection
For more severe infections, such as diabetic soft tissue infections, 14 to 21 days of therapy may be required.

Usual Adult Dose for Gonococcal Infection -- Uncomplicated:

Uncomplicated infections of the cervix, urethra, or rectum: 2 g IM once with probenecid 1 g orally once

Doxycycline therapy for 7 days (if not pregnant) or single dose azithromycin is also recommended to treat possible concurrent chlamydial infection.

The patient's sexual partner(s) should also be evaluated/treated.

This regimen with probenecid is recommended as an alternative regimen by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Usual Adult Dose for Surgical Prophylaxis:

Preoperative: 1 to 2 g IV 30 to 60 minutes prior to surgery
Postoperative: 1 to 2 g IV every 6 hours after the first dose for no more than 24 hours

Cefoxitin is recommended for appendectomies, colorectal surgeries in patients who are unable to take oral neomycin/erythromycin, and hysterectomies.

Usual Adult Dose for Urinary Tract Infection:

Initial dose: 1 to 2 g IV or IM every 6 to 8 hours
Maximum dose: 2 g IV every 4 hours or 3 g IV every 6 hours for severe, life-threatening infections
Duration: 3 to 7 days

Usual Pediatric Dose for Surgical Prophylaxis:

Neonates: 90 to 100 mg/kg/day IV divided every 8 hours
3 months to 12 years: 30 to 40 mg/kg IV 30 to 60 minutes prior to surgery followed by 30 to 40 mg/kg/dose IV every 6 hours for no more than 24 hours after surgery
13 years or older: 1 to 2 grams every 6 to 8 hours

Usual Pediatric Dose for Intraabdominal Infection: