Rocephin vs. Cipro

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

Rocephin (ceftriaxone sodium) and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) are antibiotics used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections.

Rocephin is also used to treat severe or life-threatening infections such as meningitis.

Rocephin and Cipro are different types of antibiotics. Rocephin is a cephalosporin antibiotic and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is a quinolone antibiotic.

Common side effects of Rocephin include:

• injection site reactions (swelling, redness, pain, a hard lump, or soreness),
• loss of appetite,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• upset stomach,
• diarrhea,
• headache,
• dizziness,
• overactive reflexes,
• pain or swelling in your tongue,
• sweating, or
• vaginal itching or discharge.

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.

Rocephin (ceftriaxone sodium) for Injection is a cephalosporin antibiotic used to treat many kinds of bacterial infections, including severe or life-threatening forms such as meningitis. Rocephin 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.

Tell your doctor all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you use. During pregnancy, Rocephin should be used only if prescribed. This medication passes into breast milk and may have undesirable effects on a nursing infant. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Cipro may also interact with tizanidine, clozapine, cyclosporine, glyburide, methotrexate, metoclopramide, phenytoin, probenecid, ropinirole, theophylline, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or steroids.

The usual adult daily dose is 1 to 2 grams given once a day (or in equally divided doses twice a day) depending on the type and severity of infection. Pediatric dosing depends on the condition being treated and the child's weight. Other drugs may interact with Rocephin.

• Take Cipro exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
• Your healthcare provider will tell you how much Cipro to take and when to take it.
• Take Cipro Tablets in the morning and evening at about the same time each day. Swallow the tablet whole. Do not split, crush or chew the tablet. Tell your healthcare provider if you cannot swallow the tablet whole.
• Take Cipro Oral Suspension in the morning and evening at about the same time each day. Shake the Cipro Oral Suspension bottle well each time before use for about 15 seconds to make sure the suspension is mixed well. Close the bottle completely after use.
• Take Cipro XR one time each day at about the same time each day. Swallow the tablet whole. Do not split, crush or chew the tablet. Tell your healthcare provider if you cannot swallow the tablet whole.
• Cipro IV is given to you by intravenous (IV) infusion into your vein, slowly, over 60 minutes, as prescribed by your healthcare provider.
• Cipro can be taken with or without food.
• Cipro should not be taken with dairy products (like milk or yogurt) or calcium-fortified juices alone, but may be taken with a meal that contains these products.
• Drink plenty of fluids while taking Cipro.
• Do not skip any doses of Cipro, or stop taking it, even if you begin to feel better, until you finish your prescribed treatment unless:
  • you have tendon problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about Cipro?”
  • you have nerve problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about Cipro?”
  • you have central nervous system problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about Cipro?”
  • you have a serious allergic reaction. See “What are the possible side effects of Cipro?”
  • your healthcare provider tells you to stop taking Cipro

Taking all of your Cipro doses will help make sure that all of the bacteria are killed. Taking all of your Cipro doses will help lower the chance that the bacteria will become resistant to Cipro. If you become resistant to Cipro, Cipro and other antibacterial medicines may not work for you in the future.

• If you take too much Cipro, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away.