STAPHLEX
Flucloxacillin, as the sodium salt
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about STAPHLEX. It does not
contain all the information available on this medicine. It does not take the
place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist. All medicines have risks and
benefits. Your doctor has weighed the risks of using STAPHLEX against the
benefits expected it will have for you. If you have concerns about using this
medicine ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet. You may need to read it again.
What STAPHLEX is used for and how it works
Your STAPLLEX contains the active ingredient flucloxacillin. STAPHLEX is an
antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called penicillins.
Your STAPHLEX is used to treat infections caused by bacteria. Examples of
some of the infections that may be caused by bacteria include respiratory tract
infections, and skin or fleshy tissue skin infections.
These medicines work by killing the bacteria that are causing your infection.
STAPHLEX will not work against infections caused by viruses, such as colds or
the flu.
Your doctor, however, may have prescribed STAPHLEX for another reason. Ask
your doctor if you have any questions about why STAPHLEX has been prescribed for
you.
There is no evidence that STAPHLEX is addictive.
STAPHLEX is available only with a doctor's prescription.
Before you take STAPHLEX
WARNING: Flucloxacillin can cause severe liver damage, particularly in
older patients and those who take it for more than 14 days.
When you must not take STAPHLEX:
Do not take STAPHLEX if you are allergic to:
- medicines containing flucloxacillin or any other penicillin
- cephalosporin antibiotics
- beta-lactam antibiotics including imipenem and aztreonam
- any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include skin rash, itching
or hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body,
shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing.
Do not take STAPHLEX if you have had a reaction that has affected your
liver while you were taking a medicine containing flucloxacillin. Examples
of liver reactions include hepatitis and jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or
skin).
Do not take STAPHLEX if the expiry date (Exp.) printed on the pack has
passed.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you are allergic to any other medicines, foods, dyes
or preservatives.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.
Your doctor will discuss the risks and benefits of taking STAPHLEX during
pregnancy.
Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or wish to breastfeed. A
very small quantity of STAPHLEX passes into breast milk. Your doctor will
discuss the risks and benefits of taking STAPHLEX when breastfeeding.
Tell your doctor if you have any medical conditions, especially the
following:
- liver problems
- kidney problems
- asthma, hayfever, eczema or other allergic conditions.
If you have not told your doctor about any of the above, tell them before you
start taking STAPHLEX.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor if you are taking any other medicines, including any that
you buy without a prescription from a pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines may be affected by STAPHLEX, or may affect how well it works.
Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking STAPHLEX
with other medicines. In particular tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are
taking probenecid, a medicine commonly used to treat gout.
Some antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills,
although this has not been shown with STAPHLEX.
Talk to your doctor about the need for additional contraception while taking
STAPHLEX.
If you are not sure whether you are taking any of these medicines, check with
your doctor or pharmacist.
Your doctor and pharmacist have more information on medicines to be careful
with or avoid while taking STAPHLEX.
How to take STAPHLEX properly
How much to take
Your doctor will tell you how much you need to take each day and when to take
it. This depends on your condition and whether or not you are taking any other
medicines.
For most infections, the usual adult dose is 250-500mg every 8 hours however
this will depend on the severity of the infection.
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully.
How to take STAPHLEX
Swallow the capsules whole with a glass of water.
Take Staphlex on an empty stomach, for example, half to one hour before
meals or just before you go to bed. Food can interfere with the absorption
of STAPHLEX.
If you forget to take STAPHLEX
If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take
your next dose when you are meant to.
Otherwise, take the missed dose as soon as you remember, and then go back to
taking your capsules as you would normally.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose you missed.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
How long to take STAPHLEX for
Keep taking STAPHLEX until you finish the pack, or for as long as your
doctor recommends.
Do not stop taking STAPHLEX, even if you feel better after a few days,
unless advised by your doctor.
Your infection may not clear completely if you stop taking your medicine too
soon.
While you are taking Staphlex
Things you must do
Before starting any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you
are taking STAPHLEX.
Tell all the doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that
you are taking STAPHLEX.
If your symptoms do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse,
tell your doctor.
If you develop jaundice (yellowing of the eyes or skin), tell your doctor
immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped
taking STAPHLEX.
Jaundice may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your liver. You
may need urgent medical care.
If you get severe diarrhoea, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately.
Do this even if it occurs several weeks after you have stopped taking STAPHLEX.
Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel.
You may need urgent medical care. Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without
first checking with your doctor.
If you get a sore, white mouth or tongue while taking or soon after
stopping STAPHLEX, tell your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you get vaginal
itching or discharge.
This may mean you have a fungal infection called thrush. Sometimes, the use
of STAPHLEX allows fungi to grow and the above symptoms to occur. STAPHLEX does
not work against fungi.
If you are taking STAPHLEX for a long time, visit your doctor regularly so
that they can check on your progress.
You may need to have tests to check your liver.
Things you must not do
Do not use STAPHLEX to treat any other conditions unless your doctor tells
you to.
Do not give STAPHLEX to anyone else, even if they have the same condition
as you.
Side effects
IMPORTANT: Flucloxacillin can cause severe liver damage, which can make
the skin and whites of the eyes turn yellow in colour. This is more likely to
occur in older patients and those who take it for more than 14 days. Immediately
contact your doctor if you notice any yellowing of your eyes or skin.
Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well
while you are taking STAPHLEX.
STAPHLEX treats infections in most people however; it may cause side effects
in some people.
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the
time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side
effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
While you are taking STAPHLEX
Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:
- feeling sick or vomiting
- stomach upset, diarrhoea
- oral thrush (white, furry sore tongue and mouth)
- vaginal thrush (sore and itchy vagina, vaginal discharge).
These are the more common side effects of STAPHLEX. Mostly these are mild and
short-lived.
Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at the
nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:
- watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
- severe stomach cramps
- tiredness, headaches, being short of breath when exercising, dizziness and
looking pale - bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
- frequent infections such as fever, chills, sore throat or mouth ulcers
- yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice)
- painful, swollen joints
- aching muscles, muscle tenderness or weakness, not caused by exercise
- dark or cloudy urine, blood in the urine.
These may be serious side effects of STAPHLEX. You may need urgent medical
attention. These serious side effects are very rare.
If any of the following happen, stop taking STAPHLEX and tell your doctor
immediately, or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital:
- skin rash, itching or hives
- swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
- shortness of breath, wheezing or troubled breathing.
If you experience any of these side effects, you may have had a serious
allergic reaction to STAPHLEX. You may need urgent medical attention or
hospitalisation. These side effects are very rare.
After you have finished taking STAPHLEX
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following, even if
they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with Staphlex:
- watery and severe diarrhoea, which may also be bloody
- severe stomach cramps
- yellowing of the eyes or skin (jaundice).
Other side effects not listed above may also occur in some patients.
Tell your doctor if you notice anything that is making you feel unwell.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not
experience any of them.
In case of overdose
You should only take the number of tablets that you have been told.
Immediately contact your doctor or the National Poisons Information Centre
(0800 POISON or 0800 764 766) or go to the Emergency department at your nearest
hospital, if you think that you may have taken too much, or if anyone else has
taken any STAPHLEX by mistake. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort
or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention. Take the container of
STAPHLEX with you if you can.
Keep telephone numbers for these places handy.
Storage conditions
Storage
Keep STAPHLEX where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at
least one-and-a-half metres above the ground are a good place to store
medicines.
Keep STAPHLEX tablets in a cool, dry place where the temperature stays
below 30 degrees C.
Keep STAPHLEX mixture in the refrigerator but not in the freezer.
Do not use any mixture left in the bottle after 10 days.
Do not store STAPHLEX or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a
sink.
Do not leave STAPHLEX in the car or on windowsills. Heat and dampness
can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking STAPHLEX, or your medicine has passed
its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that is left over.
Product Description
What it looks like
STAPHLEX is available in capsules or as a syrup.
STAPHLEX capsules comes in two strengths:
Staphlex 250 and Staphlex 500.
Both are yellow and black capsules.
Ingredients
The active ingredient in STAPHLEX tablets and mixtures is flucloxacillin (as
flucloxacillin sodium).
- each STAPHLEX 250 capsule contains 250 mg of flucloxacillin.
- each STAPHLEX 500 capsule contains 500 mg of flucloxacillin.
The capsules also contain:
- Povidone K29/32
- Talc
- Sodium starch glycollate
- Microcrystalline cellulose
- Magnesium stearate
- Gelatin
- Titanium Dioxide
- Black Iron oxide
- Red Iron Oxide
- Yellow Iron Oxide.
The capsules are gluten and lactose free.
- Each 5mL of reconstituted STAPHLEX Syrup 125mg/5mL solution contains125mg
flucloxacillin as the sodium salt. - Each 5mL of reconstituted STAPHLEX Syrup 250mg/5mL solution contains 250mg
flucloxacillin as the sodium salt.
The syrup also contains:
- Disodium edetate
- Sodium citrate dihydrate
- Sucrose
- Saccharin sodium
- Sodium benzoate
- Sunset yellow FCF
- Fruit punch
- Crème de menthe
- Orange
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