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Noroxin

(other types of Noroxin)

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Information on Noroxin

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Learn more about usage, cautions, and possible side effects .

Tablets
Chemical Name: NORFLOXACIN (nor-FLOX-a-sin)

Common uses
This medicine is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic used for treating bacterial infections.

Before using
WARNING: This medicine is associated with an increased risk of tendon problems. These include pain, swelling, inflammation, and possible breakage of tendons. The risk of tendon problems is greater in patients who are over 60 years old, take corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), or have received kidney, heart, or lung transplants. The Achilles tendon in the back of the foot/ankle area is most often affected. However, problems may also occur in other tendons (eg, in the arm, hand, shoulder). Problems may occur while you take this medicine or up to several months after you stop taking it. SIGNS OF TENDON PROBLEMS may include pain, soreness, redness, or swelling of a tendon or joint; bruising right after an injury in a tendon area; hearing or feeling a snap or pop in a joint or tendon area; or inability to move or bear weight on a joint or tendon area. Tell your doctor right away if you experience any of these symptoms while you take this medicine or within several months after you stop it. Some medicines or medical conditions may interact with this medicine. INFORM YOUR DOCTOR OR PHARMACIST of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE IF you are taking certain antiarrhythmic medicines (eg, amiodarone, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol) or nitrofurantoin. ADDITIONAL MONITORING OF YOUR DOSE OR CONDITION may be needed if you are taking antiarrhythmics (eg, disopyramide, dofetilide), cisapride, diuretics (eg, furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide), macrolide or ketolide antibiotics (eg, erythromycin, telithromycin), medicines for mental or mood disorders, medicines that may affect your heartbeat, phenothiazines (eg, chlorpromazine), tricyclic antidepressants (eg, amitriptyline), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (eg, ibuprofen), corticosteroids (eg, prednisone), probenecid, anticoagulants (eg, warfarin), caffeine, clozapine, cyclosporine, methotrexate, ropinirole, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (eg, venlafaxine), sulfonylureas (eg, glyburide), tacrine, theophyllines, tizanidine, live vaccines, or mycophenolate. DO NOT START OR STOP any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval. Inform your doctor of any other medical conditions, including a stomach infection, liver problems, brain or nervous system problems, muscle problems (eg, myasthenia gravis), increased pressure in the brain, Alzheimer disease, brain blood vessel problems, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. Tell your doctor if you have a history of seizures, severe or persistent diarrhea, skin sensitivity to the sun, recent heart attack, blood problems (eg, anemia, hemolysis), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) problems; joint or tendon problems; rheumatoid arthritis; kidney problems or decreased kidney function; or heart, kidney, or lung transplant. Tell your doctor if you have a personal or family history of irregular heartbeat (eg, QT prolongation), heart problems (eg, slow heartbeat), or low blood potassium levels. Tell your doctor if you participate in strenuous physical work or exercise. USE OF THIS MEDICINE IS NOT RECOMMENDED if you have inflammation of a tendon (tendonitis) or a history of ruptured tendon caused by this medicine or another fluoroquinolone (eg, levofloxacin). Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions or concerns about using this medicine.

Directions
Follow the directions for taking this medicine provided by your doctor. This medicine has a MEDICATION GUIDE approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Read it carefully. Ask your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist any questions that you may have about this medicine. TAKE THIS MEDICINE ON AN EMPTY STOMACH at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal or eating or drinking milk or other dairy products. Take this medicine with a full glass of water (8 oz/240 mL). DRINKING EXTRA FLUIDS WHILE YOU ARE TAKING THIS MEDICINE IS RECOMMENDED. Check with your doctor for instructions. DO NOT TAKE ANY PRODUCTS CONTAINING magnesium, aluminum, calcium, iron, or zinc (eg, antacids, quinapril, vitamins/minerals); didanosine; sucralfate; or bismuth subsalicylate within 2 hours before or 2 hours after taking this medicine. STORE THIS MEDICINE at 77 degrees F (25 degrees C). Brief storage at temperatures between 59 and 86 degrees F (15 and 30 degrees C) is permitted. Store away from heat, moisture, and light. Do not store in the bathroom. Do not freeze. TO CLEAR UP YOUR INFECTION COMPLETELY, continue taking this medicine for the full course of treatment even if you feel better in a few days. Do not miss any doses. IF YOU MISS A DOSE OF THIS MEDICINE, take it as soon as possible. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Cautions
DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE IF YOU HAVE HAD A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION to this medicine or another fluoroquinolone antibiotic (eg, levofloxacin). A severe reaction includes a severe rash, hives, breathing difficulties, or dizziness. If you have a question about whether you are allergic to this medicine or if a certain medicine is a fluoroquinolone, contact your doctor or pharmacist. IF YOU EXPERIENCE difficulty breathing; tightness of chest; swelling of eyelids, face, or lips; or if you develop a rash or hives, tell your doctor immediately. Do not take any more of this medicine unless your doctor tells you to do so. Long-term or repeated use of this medicine may cause a second infection. Tell your doctor if signs of a second infection occur. Your medicine may need to be changed to treat this. LABORATORY AND/OR MEDICAL TESTS, including complete blood cell counts and liver and kidney function tests, may be performed to monitor your progress or to check for side effects. KEEP ALL DOCTOR AND LABORATORY APPOINTMENTS while you are taking this medicine. THIS MEDICINE MAY CAUSE CHANGES IN CERTAIN HEART TESTS (eg, electrocardiogram [ECG]). Make sure laboratory personnel and your doctors know you use this medicine. BEFORE YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL OR DENTAL TREATMENTS, EMERGENCY CARE, OR SURGERY, tell the doctor or dentist that you are using this medicine. This medicine may cause drowsiness, dizziness, or lightheadedness. DO NOT DRIVE, OPERATE MACHINERY, OR DO ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE DANGEROUS until you know how you react to this medicine. Using this medicine alone, with other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or to perform other potentially dangerous tasks. AVOID LARGE AMOUNTS OF FOOD OR DRINK THAT HAVE CAFFEINE (eg, chocolate, cocoa, coffee, cola, tea). THIS MEDICINE MAY CAUSE YOU TO BECOME SUNBURNED more easily. Avoid the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to this medicine. Use a sunscreen or wear protective clothing if you must be outside for more than a short time. THIS MEDICINE ONLY WORKS AGAINST BACTERIA; it does not treat viral infections (eg, the common cold). IF YOU EXPERIENCE PAIN OR SWELLING OF A TENDON or weakness or loss of use of a joint area, notify your doctor right away. Rest the area and avoid exercise until instruction from your doctor. MILD DIARRHEA IS COMMON WITH ANTIBIOTIC USE. However, a more serious form of diarrhea (pseudomembranous colitis) may rarely occur. This may develop while you use the antibiotic or within several months after you stop using it. Contact your doctor right away if stomach pain or cramps, severe diarrhea, or bloody stools occur. Do not treat diarrhea without first checking with your doctor. BEFORE YOU BEGIN TAKING ANY NEW MEDICINES, either prescription or over-the-counter, check with your doctor or pharmacist. CAUTION IS ADVISED WHEN USING THIS MEDICINE IN THE ELDERLY because they may be more sensitive to the effects of this medicine (eg, tendon problems), especially if they take corticosteroids (eg, prednisone). They may also be more sensitive to other effects (eg, irregular heartbeat). CAUTION IS ADVISED WHEN USING THIS MEDICINE IN CHILDREN younger than 18 years old because they may be more sensitive to the effects of the medicine especially joint and tendon problems. FOR WOMEN: IF YOU PLAN ON BECOMING PREGNANT, discuss with your doctor the benefits and risks of using this medicine during pregnancy. IT IS UNKNOWN IF THIS MEDICINE IS EXCRETED in breast milk. DO NOT BREAST-FEED while taking this medicine. IF YOU HAVE DIABETES, this medicine may affect your blood sugar. Check blood sugar levels closely and ask your doctor before adjusting the dose of your diabetes medicine.

Possible side effects
SIDE EFFECTS that may occur while taking this medicine include diarrhea; dizziness; headache; loss of appetite; nausea; stomach upset or cramps; or vomiting. If they continue or are bothersome, check with your doctor. CONTACT YOUR DOCTOR IMMEDIATELY if you experience bloody or tarry stools; burning, numbness, tingling, pain, or weakness of the arms, hands, legs, or feet; change in sense of touch or temperature; chest pain; dark urine or change in amount of urine; decreased amount of urine; fainting; fever, chills, or unusual cough; hallucinations; hearing changes (eg, ringing in the ears, hearing loss); inability to move or bear weight on a joint or tendon area; irregular heartbeat; joint pain or swelling; moderate to severe sunburn; mood or mental changes (eg, new or worsening anxiety, agitation, confusion, depression, restlessness, sleeplessness); muscle pain or weakness; pain, soreness, redness, swelling, weakness, or bruising of a tendon or joint area; pale stools; persistent sore throat; red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin; seizures; severe or persistent dizziness; severe or persistent diarrhea; severe stomach pain or cramps; suicidal thoughts or actions; tremors; unusual bruising or bleeding; unusual fatigue; vaginal yeast infection; vision changes; or yellowing of the skin or eyes. AN ALLERGIC REACTION to this medicine is unlikely, but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash; hives; itching; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist. This is not a complete list of all side effects that may occur. If you have questions about side effects, contact your healthcare provider. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Drug interactions
Drug interactions can result in unwanted side effects or prevent a medicine from doing its job. Use our drug interaction checker to find out if your medicines interact with each other. Check drug interactions

If you take too much
IF OVERDOSE IS SUSPECTED, contact your local poison control center or emergency room immediately.

Additional information
If your symptoms do not improve within a few days or if they become worse, check with your doctor. DO NOT SHARE THIS MEDICINE with others for whom it was not prescribed. DO NOT USE THIS MEDICINE for other health conditions, or later for other infections. A different medicine may be needed in those cases. KEEP THIS MEDICINE out of the reach of children and pets.

Selected data included with permission and copyrighted by Medi-Span, 2009. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a Licensed data provider and is not for distribution in professional healthcare settings.