Cefotaxime for Injection - 1g

Cefotaxime injection comes as a powder to be mixed with liquid to be injected intravenously (into a vein) or intramuscularly (into a muscle). Cefotaxime injection is also available as a premixed product to be injected intravenously. How often you receive cefotaxime injection and the length of your treatment depends on the type of infection you have and how your body responds to the medication.

The injection is also sometimes used to treat typhoid fever (a serious infection that is common in developing countries), salmonella (an infection that causes severe diarrhea) and other types of infectious diarrhea, food poisoning, Lyme disease (an infection that may develop after a person is bitten by a tick), and a certain type of infection from dog bites. Talk to your doctor about the risks of using this medication for your condition.

Before taking cefotaxime injection,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to cefotaxime, other cephalosporin antibiotics such as cefaclor, cefadroxil, cefazolin (Ancef, Kefzol), cefdinir, cefditoren (Spectracef), cefepime (Maxipime), cefixime (Suprax), cefotetan, cefoxitin (Mefoxin), cefpodoxime, cefprozil, ceftaroline (Teflaro), ceftazidime (Fortaz, Tazicef, in Avycaz), ceftibuten (Cedax), ceftriaxone (Rocephin), cefuroxime (Zinacef), and cephalexin (Keflex); penicillin antibiotics; or any other medications. Also tell your doctor if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in cefotaxime injection. Ask your pharmacist for a list of the ingredients.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: amikacin, furosemide (Lasix), gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin (Neo-Fradin), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) and naproxen (Aleve), probenecid (Probalan), streptomycin, and tobramycin. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had any kind of allergies, recent surgery or trauma, diabetes, cancer, heart failure, gastrointestinal disease (GI; affecting the stomach or intestines), especially colitis (condition that causes swelling in the lining of the colon [large intestine]), or kidney disease.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking cefotaxime injection, call your doctor.

Side effects:

Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• nausea
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• pain, redness, swelling, or bleeding near the place where cefotaxime was injected

Serious side effects:

If you experience any of these symptoms stop taking cefotaxime injection and call your doctor immediately or get emergency medical treatment:

• Watery or bloody stools, stomach cramps, or fever during treatment or for up to two or more months after stopping treatment
• Swelling of the face, throat, tongue, lips, and eyes
• Difficulty swallowing or breathing
• Hoarseness
• Hives
• Rash
• Itching
• Peeling, blistering, or shedding skin
• A return of fever, sore throat, chills, or other signs of infection

Cefotaxime injection may cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medication.