Consumer medicine information

Hospira™ CEFOXITIN SODIUM POWDER FOR INJECTION

cefoxitin sodium (ke-FOX-it-in)


Consumer Medicine Information

What is in this leaflet

This leaflet answers some common questions about Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection.

It does not contain all the available information.

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 you being given cefoxitin against the benefits they expect it will have for you.

If you have any concerns about being given this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Keep this leaflet in a safe place. You may need to read it again.

What Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection is used for

Cefoxitin is an antibiotic that belongs to a group of medicines called cephalosporins. It is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria. It works by killing the bacteria responsible for your infection. It may be given with other antibiotics.

It will not work against infections caused by viruses such as colds or the flu.

Your doctor may have prescribed cefoxitin for another reason.

Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why cefoxitin has been prescribed for you. This medicine is available only with a doctor’s prescription.

Cefoxitin is not addictive.

Before you are given Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection

When you must not be given it

You must not be given Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection if you have an allergy to cefoxitin or other cephalosporin antibiotics.

Symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:

  • shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
  • rash, itching or hives on the skin.

You must not be given cefoxitin if you have had a major allergic reaction to penicillin antibiotics.

Cefoxitin should not be mixed with lignocaine and given to you if you have had an allergic reaction to lignocaine. Sometimes Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection is mixed with lignocaine hydrochloride so that the injection into the muscle is less painful.

Before you are given it

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have had any type of allergic reaction to penicillin antibiotics. You may have an increased chance of being allergic to cefoxitin if you are allergic to penicillins.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have allergies to:

  • any other medicines
  • any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Like most cephalosporin medicines, cefoxitin is not recommended for use during pregnancy. If there is a need to consider cefoxitin during your pregnancy, your doctor or pharmacist will discuss with you the benefits and risks of using it.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed. Like most cephalosporin medicines, cefoxitin is not recommended while you are breast-feeding. If there is a need to consider cefoxitin while you are breast feeding, your doctor or pharmacist will discuss the possible risks and benefits of using it.

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:

  • kidney disease
  • liver disease.

If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, tell them before you are given cefoxitin.

Taking other medicines

Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.

Some medicines and cefoxitin may interfere with each other. These include:

  • warfarin or phenindione (medicines used to stop blood clots)
  • frusemide (a medicine used to reduce fluid or blood pressure)
  • gentamicin (a medicine used to treat severe infections)
  • probenecid (a medicine used to treat gout).

These medicines may be affected by cefoxitin, or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor or pharmacist will advise you.

Talk to your doctor about the need for an additional method of contraception while being given cefoxitin. Some antibiotics may decrease the effectiveness of some birth control pills, although this has not been shown with cefoxitin.

Your doctor and pharmacist may have more information on medicines to be careful with or avoid while you are being given cefoxitin.

How Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection is given

How much is given

Your doctor will decide what dose you will receive. This depends on your condition and other factors, such as your weight. Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection is usually given every eight hours.

How it is given

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection is a powder and will be dissolved before it is injected. It is given as an injection into a muscle, or as a slow injection or infusion (intravenous drip) into a vein.

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection should only be given by a doctor, nurse or other trained person.

If you are given too much (Overdose)

As cefoxitin is given under medical supervision, it is very unlikely that you will receive too much.

However, if you experience severe side effects after being given cefoxitin, tell your doctor or nurse immediately. Symptoms of a cefoxitin overdose may include the side effects listed below in the ‘Side Effects’ section, but are usually of a more severe nature.

Ask your doctor if you have any concerns. Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre for advice (In Australia, call 13 11 26. In New Zealand, call 0800 764 766), or go to Accident and Emergency at the nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much cefoxitin. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

You may need urgent medical attention.

While you are being given Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection

Things you must do

If the symptoms of your infection do not improve within a few days, or if they become worse, tell your doctor.

If you get severe diarrhoea tell your doctor, pharmacist or nurse immediately. Do this even if it occurs several weeks after cefoxitin has been stopped. Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor. Diarrhoea may mean that you have a serious condition affecting your bowel. You may need urgent medical care.

If you get a sore white mouth or tongue while being given or soon after stopping cefoxitin, tell your doctor or pharmacist. Also tell your doctor or pharmacist if you get vaginal itching or discharge. This may mean you have a fungal infection called thrush. Sometimes the use of cefoxitin allows fungi to grow and the above symptoms to occur. Cefoxitin does not work against fungi.

If you become pregnant while being given cefoxitin, tell your doctor immediately.

If you are about to be started on any new medicine, tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are being treated with cefoxitin.

If you have to test your urine for sugar while you are being treated with cefoxitin, make sure the doctor knows what type of test you use. Cefoxitin may affect the results of some of these tests.

If you have to have any blood tests, tell your doctor that you are being given cefoxitin. Cefoxitin may affect the results of some blood tests.

Tell all doctors, dentists and pharmacists who are treating you that you are being treated with cefoxitin.

Side effects

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are being given cefoxitin. Cefoxitin helps most people with infections, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few 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.

Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.

While using it

Tell your doctor, nurse or pharmacist if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

  • oral thrush – white, furry, sore tongue and mouth
  • vaginal thrush – sore and itchy vagina and/or discharge
  • pain, swelling, redness or tenderness at the injection site
  • mild diarrhoea, nausea or vomiting
  • abdominal pain
  • diarrhoea, usually with blood and mucus, stomach pain and fever

These side effects are usually mild.

Tell your doctor or nurse immediately if you notice any of the following:

  • signs of an allergic reaction, such as rash, itching or hives on the skin; swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body; shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • fever
  • severe diarrhoea
  • light-headedness or dizziness
  • yellowing of the skin and/or eyes
  • problems with urination.

These may be serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare.

After finishing it

Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any of the following side effects, particularly if they occur several weeks after stopping treatment with cefoxitin:

  • severe abdominal cramps or stomach cramps
  • watery and severe diarrhoea which may also be bloody
  • fever, in combination with one or both of the above.

These are serious side effects. You may have a serious condition affecting your bowel. Therefore, you may need urgent medical attention. However, these side effects are rare.

Do not take any diarrhoea medicine without first checking with your doctor. 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.

After being given Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection

Storage

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection will be stored in the pharmacy or on the ward. The injection is kept in a cool dry place, protected from light, where the temperature stays below 25°C.

Product description

What it looks like

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium is a white to off white sterile powder It produces a clear solution when dissolved with Water for Injections or Lignocaine Hydrochloride Solution.

Ingredients

Active ingredient:

  • cefoxitin sodium.

There are no other ingredients.

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium Powder for Injection does not contain lactose, sucrose, gluten, tartrazine or any other azo dyes.

Sponsor

Australian Sponsor:
Hospira Pty Ltd
ABN 13 107 058 328
Level 3
500 Collins Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
Australia

New Zealand Sponsor:
Hospira NZ Limited
23 Haining Street
Te Aro
Wellington
New Zealand

Hospira™ Cefoxitin Sodium 1 g x 5 vials
AUST R 168090

Date of leaflet preparation:
June 2011.

Published by MIMS August 2013