Omnicef vs. Cipro

• Are Cipro and Omnicef the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Omnicef?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cipro?
• What is Omnicef?
• What is Cipro?
• What Drugs Interact with Omnicef?
• What Drugs Interact with Cipro?
• How Should Omnicef Be Taken?
• How Should Cipro Be Taken?

Omnicef (cefdinir) and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) are antibiotics used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria.

Omnicef and Cipro belong to different antibiotic classes. Omnicef is a cephalosporin antibiotic and Cipro is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic.

The brand name Omnicef is discontinued in the U.S. Generic versions of cefdinir are available.

Common side effects of Omnicef include:

• diarrhea,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• indigestion,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• diaper rash in an infant taking liquid cefdinir,
• itching,
• skin rash, or
• vaginal itching or
• discharge.

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Omnicef including watery or bloody diarrhea, chest pain, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms, unusual bleeding, seizures (convulsions), pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes); fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; increased thirst, loss of appetite, swelling, weight gain, feeling short of breath, or urinating less than usual or not at all.

Common side effects of Cipro include:

• diarrhea
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• headache
• stomach upset
• abdominal pain
• nausea/vomiting
• blurred vision
• nervousness
• anxiety
• agitation
• sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares), and
• rash

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Cipro including severe dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats; sudden pain, snapping or popping sound, bruising, swelling, tenderness, stiffness, or loss of movement in any of your joints; watery or bloody diarrhea; confusion, hallucinations, depression, unusual thoughts or behavior; seizure (convulsions); severe headache, ringing in your ears, pain behind your eyes; pale or yellow skin, dark colored urine, fever, weakness; urinating less than usual or not at all; easy bruising or bleeding; numbness, tingling, or unusual pain anywhere in your body; the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild; or severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Omnicef (cefdinir) is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria. The brand name Omnicef is discontinued in the U.S. Omnicef is available in generic form.

Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is a quinolone antibiotic. Cipro is available as a generic drug and is prescribed to treat infections of the skin, lungs, airways, bones, joints, and urinary tract infections caused by susceptible bacteria.

Omnicef may interact with blood thinners, antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-malaria medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, or narcotics.

Cipro may also interact clozapine, probenecid, ropinirole, theophylline, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), or steroids.

The recommended dose of Omnicef is 150 mg every 13 weeks administered by deep intramuscular (IM) injection in the gluteal or deltoid muscle. Omnicef should not be used as a long-term birth control method (longer than 2 years).

Cipro should be taken once daily.