Cefdinir

What cefdinir is used for

Cefdinir is mainly used for infections of the chest, sinuses and throat, and for skin and soft-tissue infections. It is a cephalosporin, one of the families of antibiotics, and it works on the bacterial cell wall: without a sound wall the cell bursts instead of dividing. Only some bacteria respond, and viruses not at all.

How cefdinir is taken

Capsules go down whole with water, once or twice a day depending on the infection. Space the doses evenly and keep to the same clock times, which holds the level in your blood steady. Meals have little effect on absorption, so the capsule can go with food or without. Most people feel better within a few days; that is the moment the schedule is easiest to drop, and the stretch after it is what clears the last of the bacteria.

Omnicef 300mg capsules

Cefdinir is stocked here as one listing, Omnicef, a 300mg capsule. The name on the box is the brand's; the active ingredient is cefdinir, as it would be under any other label. Keep the container shut between doses and away from children.

Side effects

Loose stools are the complaint people mention most, sometimes with nausea, stomach pain or a headache. Women may notice vaginal itching or a yeast infection while taking antibiotics. A reddish tint to stools is another known effect; it is a colour change that goes once treatment stops. Hives or a spreading rash, swelling around the lips, tongue, face or throat, or difficulty breathing or swallowing all point to a severe allergic reaction, which needs emergency treatment. Watery or bloody diarrhoea, especially with stomach cramps or fever, can appear during the course or up to two months after it, and needs urgent attention. A fever, sore throat or chills returning after you had improved is a sign to get checked.

Iron and antacids

Iron tablets, multivitamins containing iron, and antacids made with magnesium or aluminium all reduce how much cefdinir your body absorbs. Leave two hours between the capsule and any of them — before or after.