Loxip 250 mg/500 mg Tablets

LOXIP is used for the treatment of the following infections due to sensitive micro-organisms:

• Lower respiratory tract infections
• Urinary tract infections
• Skin and soft tissue infections
• Gastro-intestinal infections such as infective diarrhoea
• Bone Infections
• Gonorrhoea

Do not take LOXIP:

• If you are hypersensitive (allergic) to ciprofloxacin hydrochloride or to other quinolones or to any of the other ingredients of LOXIP.
• If you are pregnant or breast-feeding.
• If you are under the age of 18 years.

Take special care with LOXIP:

• If you have a history of fits.
• If you experience crystals in your urine which causes kidney pain or discomfort when passing urine. You should be well hydrated and avoid excessive alkalinity of the urine when taking LOXIP.
• Long-term or repeated use of LOXIP can lead to superinfections with resistant bacteria or fungi.
• If you have a heart condition and/or are taking medicines for your heart, you will have to be closely monitored by your doctor.
• If you have a serious allergic reaction when taking LOXIP you should report to your doctor immediately.
• If you experience severe and persistent diarrhoea during or after your treatment, you should consult your doctor as soon as possible.
• If you experience painful swelling of your tendons, you should avoid any physical exercise and your doctor should be consulted.
• You should avoid direct exposure to excessive sunlight and UV-light.
• You should inform your doctor if you are taking any other medicines.
• If you are diabetic and/or are taking medicines for your blood sugar levels, you will have to be closely monitored by your doctor.

Always take LOXIP exactly as your doctor has instructed you. You should check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are unsure. If you have the impression that the effect of LOXIP is too strong or too weak, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Dosage and Duration of Treatment: The dosage range is 250 - 750 mg twice daily. The duration of treatment depends upon the severity of the infection, clinical response and bacteriological cultures.

If you take more LOXIP than you should: In the event of overdosage, consult your doctor or pharmacist. If neither is available, contact the nearest hospital or poison control centre.

If you forget to take LOXIP: If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember unless it is nearly time for your next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for forgotten individual doses.

LOXIP can have side effects. If any of the following symptoms occur, stop taking the LOXIP and tell your doctor immediately.

• Tendon rupture or swelling of the tendon (tendinitis) - Tendons are tough cords of tissue that connect muscles to bones. Symptoms of tendon problems may include: Pain, swelling, tears and inflammation of tendons including the back of the ankle (achilles), shoulder, hand, or other tendon sites.
• Myasthenia gravis (a type of muscle weakness) - LOXIP may cause worsening of myasthenia gravis symptoms, including muscle weakness, joint pain, joint swelling and general feeling of weakness.
• Severe diarrhoea with bleeding or mucus.
• If you are diabetic and have any of these symptoms: tiredness, dizzy, palpitations, excessive sweating, trembling or shaking and blurred vision.
• Serious skin allergic reactions including rashes, itching skin, hives and sensitivity to sunlight (blisters, sensation of skin burning), small, pin-point bleeding under the skin, redness of the skin due to allergic reactions and a red rash caused by hypersensitivity to a medicine, disease or other allergen.
• Increased risk of sunburn.
• Severe heart rhythm abnormalities, irregular heart beat.
• Troubles associated with the nervous system such as dizziness, seizures, sense things that are not there (hallucinations), restlessness, tremors, feel anxious or nervous, confusion, depression, trouble sleeping, nightmares, suicidal thoughts or acts.

Other side effects that you may experience include:

• double vision, colour disturbances.
• ringing sound in the ears, loss of hearing, impaired hearing, vertigo, feeling of constant movement of self or surroundings; sensation of spinning.
• Bruising, nose-bleeds, bleeding gums.
• Frequent infections of the nose, throat, skin and other organs.
• Pale skin, mucosal linings and nail bed, feelings of weakness and fatigue.
• Headache, taste disorders.
• Kidney problems such blood in the urine, crystals in the urine causing pain during urination.
• Pancreatitis (swelling and inflammation of the pancreas) causing severe upper abdominal burning pain that spreads to your back, nausea and vomiting.

Frequency Unknown: A serious skin reaction may occur known as (DRESS) Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms which may cause a serious skin reaction that may affect one or more organs. You may experience the following fever, severe rash, peeling skin, swelling of the face, swollen lymph glands, flu-like feeling, yellow skin or eyes, shortness of breath, dry cough, chest pain or discomfort, feel thirsty, urinating less often, less urine.

Store all medicines out of reach of children. Store below 30 °C. Return all unused medicine to your pharmacist. Do not dispose of unused medicine in drains or sewerage systems (e.g. toilets).