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Ceftin is a highly effective, broad-spectrum antibiotic that works against bacteria that cause a wide range of common problems.
This drug is especially beneficial for skin, ear and lung infections. It can help cure pneumonia, bronchitis, sinusitis and cystitis.
Ceftin belongs to a class of medicines called cephalosporins, which were originally discovered in one of the world's most unlikely locations. A fungus found close to a sewer outlet along the coast of Sardinia turned out to cure a number of nasty infections. From this chance observation many extraordinary antibiotics have been developed.
Side Effects and Interactions
Side effects from cephalosporin antibiotics are generally mild. Nevertheless, diarrhea can be troubling for some people and in rare instances may develop into colitis.
Other reactions that have occasionally been reported with Ceftin include nausea, vomiting, vaginitis, itching, rash, stomachache, dizziness and headache.
If this medicine has to be taken for long periods of time, your physician will probably want to order periodic blood tests. Remember to report any symptoms or suspected side effects of Ceftin to your physician promptly.
Oral blood-thinners like Coumadin interact with medications related to Ceftin. Prudence suggests careful monitoring of bleeding time if these drugs must be taken together.
Special Precautions
If you are allergic to penicillin-type antibiotics, alert your physician immediately. Some people who are sensitive to penicillin may also react to Ceftin.
Symptoms such as breathing difficulty, wheezing, sneezing, hives, itching, and skin rash require immediate emergency treatment.
Life-threatening anaphylactic shock may produce an inability to breathe and cardiovascular collapse and can occur within minutes of exposure.
People with kidney or liver disease may need special medical supervision when they take Ceftin. This medicine may also interfere with certain diabetes tests.
Prolonged use of an antibiotic like Ceftin sometimes leads to an overgrowth of fungus or resistant bacteria known as superinfection. If this occurs, the doctor may need to have you discontinue Ceftin and take a different medication.
Taking the Medicine
Unlike many antibiotics, this medicine is gets into the blood stream more efficiently when it is taken with food. Although it can be swallowed on an empty stomach, we recommend taking Ceftin at mealtime to reduce stomach upset and enhance drug absorption.
Be sure to finish the entire prescription unless your doctor directs you to stop.
I am currently taking cefuroxime for an ear infection. Although I have not notice a "quick fix" I do feel better. I do not like the fact that I taste the medicine all day even on a full stomach. In fact the pill seems to dissolve too quickly before completely swallowed.
I cannot get the taste of this pill out of my mouth. It's horrible. I have the generic brand, perhaps the non-generic would be less nasty.. In any event, the drug seems to work but I HATE taking it for the taste.
I just started taking Cefuroxime yesterday, and I feel quite a bit better also. I do have to agree with the taste - not good. It does dissolve too quickly and very difficult to get the taste out. I usually eat a small breakfast, take the pill with plenty of water, and then eat a little more for breakfast to help control the taste. It doesn't go away right away, but it does get better.
I am also allergic to penicillin so the warnings regarding the side effects scare me a little bit as there is a slight chance that this could cause a reaction as well. Although my reaction to penicillin was only a rash, that doesn't make the warnings and fears any less scary. So how do I know that if I do get a reaction from this that it won't be worse?
I was informed that it would be highly unlikely as the main ingredient that's in both of them is not as strong in the Cefuroxime as in the penicillin, and that if I do get a reaction it would probably be just a rash. That still doesn't subside my fears though. Can anyone help shed some light on this and the chances of an allergic reaction? Thanks!
I started taking the medication on Monday, felt better yesterday and today feel very bad. I am on 500mg twice daily and the nausea and stomach ache is very persistent. I really feel worse than I did but in a different way. I will have a hard time taking this medication foe the full 7 days.
M.C.
why do doctors prescribe medications for 3 year olds that taste this bad. How do they expect them to take it. Reasoning with a 3 year old that it will make her feel better just doesn't work!
I started taking the drugs six days ago. It does have a bad taste. Some noticeable improvement with sinus infection but not a lot. Developed blisters in mouth. Did not connect to drug immediately. Blood sugars elevated, changing rapidly from high to low for no reason. Not sure I will take again.
My 3 year old daughter was prescribed this for her ear infection--after a few other antibiotics didn't work. She describes the taste as "spicy", which made me have to taste it... Wow! My first reaction was that the pharmacy messed up, until I found your comments here. We had bubble-gum flavor added, but this doesn't help (the after-taste is very nasty). If I had to do it again, I think I would try an orange or citrus flavoring instead. We find that a glass of orange juice helps cover the bitter aftertaste. I wonder if lemonade would work?
I started taking Ceftum 3 days back for prolonged dry cough immediately after going to bed. I was advised to take it on empty stomach. I experienced mild stomach pain 3-5 minutes after taking the medicines. I also had running nose for 72 hours, after I started the medication along with mild fever but there is significant improvement in my dry cough. Will any one tell me why I had fever and running nose after I started this medicine??
I would just like to echo what another poster said about the NASTY TASTE this pill leaves in your mouth. I have on occasion, chewed pills without water but I can't ever imagine chewing this! it is horrible. I hope it's as effective as it tastes bad.
I am taking it for some lingering effects from an Ear Infection, I must say...This and CAT Scan Dye are quite possibly but very VIVIDLY the WORST two things I've tasted in my life. I believe I have taken this pill before, for a kidney infection or something when I was young, and I remember wiping the "Powder" off of the pill to help with the taste, this does not work too much for this one, even if it is smaller. So what I do now, is take it with Mountain Dew, then drink Hot Sauce to kill the taste.
Tasting it INSIDE my throat is very...creepy. If I ever chewed this I think I would die.
I UNDERSTAND WHY BACTERIA DON'T LIKE IT!
I agree with the horrible taste and that it starts dissolving immediately in your mouth. I found putting the pill in a small amount of blackberry jam on a spoon(roll the pillin the jam to coat) and then put in mouth and immediately drink water to swallow has cured the horrible taste and helped the pill go down!
This was prescribed for my 4 year old granddaughter. We had to hold her down to give it to her. Then I tasted it and wow...will not give it to her again. Called the pharmacy and doctor to get another antibiotic. You cannot possibility expect a child to take this oral medication. Even the web says not to crush the tablets as they are very bitter, but a child is prescribed an oral dosage of this for 10 days?
My 19 year old daughter, who is intellectually disabled and has a terrible sinus infection, began taking cefuroxime axetil on Friday. So far she has promptly vomited every other dose. Now I understand why. Guess we'll be calling the doctor tomorrow for a new prescription. What a waste of money!!
My 7 month old infant is taking it. I tasted it and it's truly awful! I'm working up some baby food formulas to disguise the taste. My best one so far is a blend of banana + cooked blueberries with extra sweetener (natural sugar). I may try stevia or xylitol as well.
Our 13 month old has an ear infection/sinus infection that won't go away-- amoxycillin won't do the trick, so our ped Rx'ed ceftin. Our local pharmacy (as well as 4 others in the area!) didn't have ceftin as it has been recently reformulated, so our ped changed the Rx to cefdinir instead. Cefdinir has a MUCH better taste, and apparently it's all in the same family, so same effectiveness. In fact, I noticed a much more rapid change in her disposition with the cefdinir than the last time she took the ceftin for ear infection, but maybe just a coincidence...